 voice of a man. Oh. My. God. The “boy” is now 26. We also met his girlfriend, a medical student who will likely rotate with Andy’s twin brother before she completes her studies. What a small and amazing world it is. And what a kind, vibrant young man my (first) cousin (once removed) has become. My love/hate relationship with Facebook was nothing but love for that hot second. I’m sure I’ll get back to hating sometime next week…just give me time.
You are still wondering about these veggies, aren’t you? Yeah, I know. I’m getting to that. I told my (first) cousin (once removed) we’d be around for another few days. We would enjoy our respective Thanksgivings and try to meet once again before my family boarded a red-eye back to DC on Saturday night (always seems like a good idea at the time of booking…).
We enjoyed a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. One guest was vegan and I imagine that in this day and age, many of us dined with someone that does not or cannot eat some food group. Gluten? Meat? Dairy? All of the above? Yes, it’s very possible. And it’s wonderful that we can all dine at a table brimming with food and there is something for everyone. Pretty lucky, right? God bless America. We toasted togetherness and each other and specifically the freedom and prosperity this country affords us.
Our table featured everything from the traditional mashed potatoes with a gallon of butter and sour cream and a 16-pound brined bird, to a vegan quinoa salad and – yes, getting warmer – a Tofurkey. Now, I had heard of Tofurkey. I didn’t know what Tofurkey was made of (mostly non-GMO organic ingredients with a lot of gluten) nor did I know how it tasted. But I knew it was out there. I purchased one in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving from the freezer section of Whole Foods. It comes stuffed with rice and you can get it with gravy, too. We made our own mushroom gravy, which was divine. It will be my go-to gravy from here forward. I ate and enjoyed it all – the bird, the sides, the Tofurkey and a taste of every one of the six desserts. But you know what my mind kept coming back to? The roasted vegetables that lay unassumingly in the pan next to the Tofurkey. How about those Tofurkey carrots? I had to know what my sister-in-law did to them. She simply followed the directions on the package, she said. Well, okay then. File that.
We packed a lot into the visit.  We even went to a college football game on the day we were to depart. I was rushing to pack up our things, but I had to see my (first) cousin (once removed) just one more time. I wanted him to meet our boys. He’d never met them and though they wouldn’t immediately understand how we are all related, I felt it was important for them to meet their (second) cousin. He arrived just as we were zipping luggage and preparing for our final lighting of candles together on the fourth night of Hanukkah. As we struck a match and said the prayer, my youngest son handed the shamash candle (the center one that lights all the rest of the candles in the menorah) to our cousin and they lit it together.
In that moment, my heart overflowed with feelings of love and family and togetherness and tolerance and equality and brotherhood. My own life is the result of a fateful 1960s Thanksgiving celebration bringing together people unlikely to share a meal in the absence of the aforementioned sentiments. And here I stood decades later with many more lives by which I am humbled and for which I am ever grateful. We snapped a photo of Andy, the boys, our cousin and me. Though we are related by our Swiss German mothers, our distinctly ethnic features point to the blending, melding and welcoming over time and through love. Was it not the perfect holiday climax that this cast of dark-haired boys (oh, how my late grandparents would have loved to see all these strong, strapping BOYS!) joined to light the candles of the menorah?
I should end this post here. My main points have been delivered. But the recipe for the “Tofurkey carrots” has not. I arrived home to DC early Sunday morning unable to form a coherent sentence. Those damned carrots kept running through my mind even still. So I dashed off to Whole Foods to find that box in the freezer section. I photographed the instructions with my phone and picked up some root vegetables. If I was going to replicate the method, I would not limit myself to simply carrots. Oh, no. I would go deep and diversify, adding color and rich flavor – just like the dynamic family from which my own roots originate. It was simpler than I imagined – olive oil, soy sauce and chopped fresh sage poured over carrots, parsnips, shallots and butternut squash. Roast for a long time. Crank up the heat at the end. Enjoy as a main vegetarian course (as I did for lunch with a friend) over wild rice and sprinkled with feta, toasted walnuts and parsley. Or, enjoy as a side dish to a simple roast chicken and green vegetable of your choice, as I did with my family later that night.
You still with me? Thanks for playing. I appreciate your willingness to travel down what has been a long and winding road. I hope your Thanksgiving provided time for you to reflect on all you are grateful for, too. Though there are still pumpkins on my porch and the menorah remains in the front window, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. I put together a Pinterest board (why did it take me so long to discover this?!) of give-or-get gift ideas.
Lots of love to you during this magical holiday season.
I loved this post. There is a lot to your story that I never knew so thank you for sharing. Happy Holidays to you all!
So nice to hear from you, Isunji! Some of the details of my parents’ meeting I only learned recently. Their story never ceases to amaze me. They are pioneers in so many ways.
Magnificent my far away friend!! What a treat to read and discover every time I check in!! I hope you are all good.
Thanks, Tricia! So nice to hear your “voice.” XO.
I am very different from you, but I have the pleasure of knowing both of your parents through our church. Your mother takes beautiful pictures in the garden, and always has an angelic smile.  They both are very giving. You are blessed. And I love your blog!
Thank you, Donna! My mom and dad are lucky to have friends like you in their lives. I’m a big believer in reaping what you sow, and this is evident when I meet the wonderful people they know.
It’s such a dear and true pleasure to know your family. Your parents inspire me by their very natures. 
Thank you, Kristen! They treasure your friendship. Thanks for keeping an eye on them and for being such a terrific friend to them.
Loved every part of your story and pretended I was sitting with you listening. Thanks for bringing a peaceful and thoughtful moment to what was an otherwise crazy day. See you soon I hope.
Happy holidays, Shannon! I’d love to see you soon…XO.
Touching, beautiful post. Thank you.
Your family. Love & miss your mom & dad dearly.
Enjoy your holidays! Can’t wait to try the root veggies!
I know they miss you, too, Robin. Happy holidays to you and your beautiful family, too.
I had the pleasure of getting to know your family in Illinois in 1980-81 as I volunteered with MVS. I believe I can picture your beautiful, burgundy, velvet flower girl dress. Your parents had a profound impact on my 18 year old self and I think of your family fondly and often. Your mother told me about your blog and I appreciate hearing about your grown up family life.
Janice, I can picture your face perfectly! And yes, you would have been around at the time I wore that dress. It’s funny for me to know that you were just 18 (!!!) years old at the time. At the age of six, that seemed pretty old to me. Hilarious. I just love that my parents left an impression on you back then during those impressionable years. Thanks so much for chiming in here.
Corey Woods aka Raekwon The Chef, aka Lex Diamonds, aka Shallah Raekwon has been a staple in the Entertainment industry since his debut in 1993 as an integral part in undeniably one of the greatest Hip-Hop groups to date, the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. Raes verbal ability took center stage early in the original cult classic Protect Ya Neck, but little did the world know as we bopped our heads in unison to the mesmerizing Wu-Tang catalog, that we were merely indulging in delicious appetizers delivered by Rae. It wasnt until 1995, when Raekwon The Chef emerged from the kitchen and invited the Hip-Hop faithful into his personal chamber and the world was privileged to partake in the perfectly sautÃÂ©ed full course meal cooked by the Chef himself culminating with the album that changed the game as we knew itOnly Built