HOPE

My hope for this blog is to help me stay focused on my goal of uniting my family through our different cultures and heritages.

First off, I must explain where our family heritages come from. Casey's ancestors came from Scandinavian countries. I am still learning more about my heritage. I do know my grandmother came from Czechoslovakia so that's where I will start. Our son Elijah's heritage is African American. For the longest time I struggled with how we would learn and celebrate his heritage and culture. I studied, trying to find ways that African Americans celebrate their heritage and culture in the states. Kwanzaa and Martin Luther King day were the only holiday and info I could find. I feel it is very important for Elijah to learn and celebrate Martin Luther King Day (which we have always done) but as he grows older we will help him understand its meaning as his age allows him to grasp it. Then for me a light went off. Casey and I are Americans that were born and raised in the states, however when it comes to finding out our family heritage and cultures we look to the present and the past, to where our families originated from. Since I can't look to present for Elijah, I must look to the past. At that very moment I knew we would celebrate Elijah's hertiage and culture from Africa.

I have started off by making a detailed list of ways that I can start implementing our cultures into our daily lives. Here it goes:

*history, music, and musical instruments, dance, food, geography, clothing, games, holiday's(how they are celebrated), art, jewelry, decorations(household), books, poetry, movies ( including national geographic), Roots, languages, reasons for immigration, daily routines, school, education, famous people and decorations(holiday's)Christmas tree and Nativity set.

After our move and once we are settled in, I plan on dedicating one evening per week to recognizing and living one of these cultures; African, Czech, Scandinavian. I will cook a meal from that region, play music, or learn a bit of history(current or past). I have already bought a cook book from each country and I am looking into music now. Later on down the road I would like to add clothes into the evening. I also would love to find others people that would have a lot of knowledge and experince to offer us(grandparents, college students, foreing exchange students, return missionaries, anyone that could come share in an evening at our home.

Casey and I sat down and decided that we are going to celebrate Kwanzaa this year. Dec 26-31. I am so excited. I have already study up on it and it's a very positive holiday to celebrate. I look forward to making this a yearly treat. We've already ordered our Kinora set.

I am so excited I have finally made a start. I know we have a long way to go but the beginning is the only place to start.