Thursday, February 7, 2019

for the love of cheese

I love cheese.
If you’ve spent any amount of time with me, you already know this.
A wonderful and dear friend of mine dropped off a wedge of cheese and some crackers to go along with the cheese and I nearly cried. I’ve never read about the Five Love Languages, but if cheese is not one of those languages, I think the book should maybe be re-written.

I come by this love of cheese genetically. I have fond memories of my Pa (aka my dad) cutting off a huge slice of Colby jack cheese and sticking that piece half in, half out of his mouth while he gnawed on it and continued to help out in the kitchen. I think I might have expanded my palate a bit further than he did, but I like to think that if he was still hanging out with us on earth that he would join in with all the fun cheese tasting I’ve done.

Not only have I developed a taste for an aged cheddar with crystally crunch (if you’ve had it, then that makes sense to you) or a caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, but I have now introduced my kids to these not-so-inexpensive cheeses. My son will eat a block of creamy havarti in one sitting, if I don’t watch him. And my girl likes to keep in touch with her Dutch roots by eating smoked (not plain) Gouda (which I just pronounced correctly in my head, for all you true Gouda fans. It’s “How-dah,” pronounced with a little spit in the back of your throat. Don’t laugh. It’s the truth.)

Green Thunder, Red Fox, White Fox (yes, they are related), Manchega, Dubliner, Camembert, Scamorza, goat, sheep, and cow cheese... guys, the cheese possibilities are endless. I’ve had cheese soaked in red wine, cheese covered with a lavender and ground espresso bean rind, cheese that tastes and feels like thick peanut butter, 5 different blue cheeses (that each tasted completely different!) And I have had the stinkiest cheese ever (Epoisse - it’s French) which smelled 10 times worse than it tasted, and it really didn’t taste that good so you can imagine how bad it smelled!

(Oh my goodness, I am apparently infatuated with cheese! 😳)
(Guys, I just got distracted on Amazon for a minute and added 5 different articles of “cheese” apparel to my wish list. There’s a shirt that says, “Ban shredded cheese, make America grate again!” HA!!)
(And for my dairy-free friends: there is dairy-free and vegan cheeses out there. I just haven’t ventured out into that arena of cheeses yet!)

I keep trying to think of a good moral for why I decided to write about cheese and all I can think of is this: being passionate about something is a good thing. It makes you interesting (or weird). So go be passionate about something and don’t be afraid to tell other people about it. I’m not! I’ll talk to anyone about cheese!

I think of our kids in school and how often times they get teased for being different. And that is SO discouraging and frustrating. Those things that make your child unique should be celebrated! After all, the different passions and strengths that we have make this world work! We wouldn’t survive if the world was full of just athletes.. We need artists and musicians and farmers and techy computer people. And we don’t need just the straight A kids. We need kids who care about animals and about cooking and baking (and cheese!) and about other people.

I think it is so valuable to push your kids to pursue their strengths and passions (even if it is making slime - future scientist, I hope!) Someday, maybe not while they are in Jr. High, but someday that passion will be a source of self-confidence for them. For me it was playing the piano. And look at me now! It’s a career! Well, it could be if I had the time...
LMaybe I should make a career in cheese.

Once upon a time I hosted a cheese-tasting event and it was the best night ever! I think it’s time to host another. Who’s in?!

KC

Monday, February 4, 2019

dear child

Dear child of mine,

My heart breaks when I listen to you complain about what you don’t have or what I don’t allow you to get. This person has one and so does everyone else you know. So why can’t you?!
Because I am making a wise and healthy choice for you.
And jealousy doesn’t look good on you.

And you complain about the unfairness of life frequently.
Yes, it is unfair but the sooner you realize and accept this world of “not fair,” the easier it will be to deal with it.

I know you have hopes and dreams and you want them right now. I get it.
But do you realize that you are learning large amounts of patience in your waiting and that patience will prove to be invaluable in your lifetime? And perhaps waiting makes the “getting” so much better! And maybe, just maybe, I’m waiting until the perfect time to give it to you...

You are frustrated with the people around you, your friends who bring the drama or bring you down.
But what an excellent lesson in understanding and sympathy you are getting! Perhaps you are even learning how to create healthy boundaries. Boundaries are a good thing to learn at a young age.

Your irritation when I ask you to do things, as if it is an inconvenience for you to help me, is disappointing. I’ve done so much for you. Getting you to do a little something for me (without complaining AND with a cheerful attitude) is practically impossible. Child, when will you learn that the greatest rewards come from doing unto others?

And then there are the hard things that I push you to do that you fight me on. Do you know why I ask you to do them? It’s because it makes you stronger! It creates a more amazing you! I have high hopes for what you can do with your future, but if I don’t push you now, you might never step out of your comfort zone, there on the couch, watching Netflix.

Dear child,
I know it might take years for you to get just a glimpse of how much I love you, but know this: my love will always be there, running deep, just for you.
Love,
Mom

*When I wrote this, it started out as a letter to a whiny child of mine, but as I kept writing I realized that this could very well be a letter from God to me. Or maybe to you? Have you been whiny like me?!