“Haiti Dinner” Hits the Sweet Spot

In the summer of 2009 a blogging friend – Leslie Rollings – and I did a fun Haiti-U.S. synchronized blogging thing together (click for post here). For me, it was truly one of my most memorable blog-related experiences/posts ever. In my years of blogging, it was one of the most fun and interesting things I’ve ever done. For us J-Ms it also propelled us into what has become one of our favorite annual summer traditions: our “Annual Summer Haiti Dinner.” On Tuesday night, for our 3rd year in a row, we cooked “fancy Haitian dinner” (Steak Frites) – and it was just as special and memorable as the other two summers we’ve done it. This year, I purposefully had Kyle and Owen help me cook every step of the meal. It is a pretty complicated dinner (relative to most meals we make at home). And my hope (as I told them Tuesday night) is that by the time that they are in college they’ll know by heart how to make this meal, and that they will be making it some day for very special girlfriends or boyfriends that they want to impress for a date night.

There is something really special about this meal. For the third summer in a row, the night we made this was magical at our home. Some sort of wonderful energy flows when we come together around this dinner. The origins of our tradition are so unique; the food is so delicious; and the vibes the meal produces – mainly deep pride on the part of Kyle and Owen, and deep appreciation on the part of all of us – are just so profound.

The comments and questions and conversations that this dinner sparks are important to our family. Social class and who exactly would and wouldn’t be eating this meal in Haiti; global food shortages and food excesses; poverty and wealth stratification; the French-Haitian connection; missionary and NGO workers; blogging on the ground in Haiti; etc., etc., etc. These are all conversations that we’re having at this point – granted, at a 7-year-old-level, but still, we’re having them – around our dinner table. And to us, that is reason enough to make this meal and sit down and talk about all that is wrapped up with it. The magic, though, is that the dinner is somehow still ‘light’ enough to enjoy, despite some of the heavy thoughts it triggers. There is a glow around us as every single one of us eats every single thing on our plates.

 

And here’s another thing about Tuesday night—  Lately I’ve been really struggling with how overextended I feel so much of the time. Trying to create a full and rich home life while still trying to hold down a full-blown career is just really, really, really grueling. But on Tuesday night there was one of those really rare moments when I was able to just sit there and truly feel like we really are on the right track and it is all worth it. Everyone had finished eating and there was some serious post-dinner cuddling going on across the table from me.

My family was in its sweet spot. I felt assured deep in my soul. That moment will fuel me for a long stretch… at a time when I often feel like I’m running on fumes. And for that reason alone (not even to mention all of the other ones) I’m deeply grateful that I had put “Annual Summer Haiti Dinner” on our Summer To Do List…. and that somehow, someway, after a long day at work and in the middle of a crazy week, at the height of summer when the laze-and-daze is starting to set in, that we were able to make it happen.