Growing with Our Tradition

Christmas is truly full of traditions with family and friends.  One of our favorite traditions is the making of ginger bread houses which we do with our friends, the Lippuner family.  It started way back when the kids were barely capable of making two pieces of graham crackers stick together, back when they ate more candies than they put on their houses, back when Brahms' house was called a "Junk Yard" because that's what it really looked like.  Last year, however, Marcus made a beautiful Church with a steeple and a cross on the top.  We were then joined by Stephen Denghausen, Shannon's friend, when he made a very simple ginger bread house which was named (by Brahms) "Abraham Lincoln's Cabin".

This year the kids made even more grown-up ginger bread houses.  For the first time ever, Brahms' house was not leaning or in danger of collapsing.  It was very sturdy and even beautiful!  Anna made an Eiffel Tower while Erich made a three story house with decking on the second floor.  Miriam made a beautiful triangular house with fences around it. Even Sue and I made our own houses.  Also this year, Caroline, Marcus' girlfriend, joined us.  She made something similar to what Sue made except that she had something like solar panels on the roof.

Shannon, being a now working girl, was not able to be with us - although I believe that she would have a better picture of houses that are decorated with icing since she now lives in Wisconsin.  This was the first time that one of my own children is not home to make a ginger bread house.  While Brahms is still in college and comes home during winter breaks, a time will also come when he will be bound by other commitments such as job or relationships.  Marcus has already missed other years in the past due to his job and soon Anna's time will also come.  A time will come when there will be only one child at home for both of our families.  But we will deal with it when we get there.

Amber, our transient dog (owned by the Cha Family) was with us again.  The kids love her and she's just the perfect size for our not-so-dog-loving family.

And as we watch our kids grow up we also see ourselves (as parents) grow older.  Where there was once a monochromatic hair color, there are now natural highlights trying to replace the entirety of the original hair. This year I began to show my white hair.  Reluctantly, I began to agree that the color now complements the deepening wrinkles on my face.  It might take time getting used to seeing white hair on my face but eventually this will lead to freedom.  My children are right when they say that it will look awkward for me to have black hair when their father has gray beard and hair. My only argument is that Tim wears his hair short and therefore the gray color does not show as much as it shows on my long tresses. Nonetheless, I am resolved into going along with my age - not ahead but along with it.

The village is changing and so are the people in the village.  :)