Songkran Celebration (Thailand)

Almost a year ago, our three year old joined the family just the day after Easter. There was an Easter basket with his name on it, the usual pastel candies, some socks, and a pair of pajamas that matched his brother's waiting for him as we brought him back to our hotel. This last year each holiday has been an adventure in explanation and rationale with a language-limited newbie to our western, Christian ways.  At a recent egg dyeing event at Grandma's, Suki made his way through Happy Birthday, Happy Halloween and Merry Christmas before we could settle him on shouting Happy Easter:)

Tonight we added a new holiday to our family repertoire, Songkran, the Thai new year. We ate dinner with items meant to bring prosperity in the coming year at a local restaurant that entertained us with four (of 300!) regional Thai dances, a water blessing, and a Thai boxing demonstration. We learned that Songkran is a water festival because this is the hottest time of the year in Thailand, a fact we sweatily remember from our trip last May. Water is also a symbol of cleansing and purity. We ate our spicy noodles and swayed along to the music for an enjoyable night.

Another occasion that we will soon be celebrating for the first time this year is Suki's Family Day. This is the anniversary of the day we spent our first night as a family in our home, May 7th. This will be our first with Suki, but family day has been around awhile. Ian has his family day in June, and we have built some special traditions. We usually eat out for a traditional (ET or, now, Thai) meal with whatever extended family members are available with dessert at home (cupcakes have been a popular choice thus far). We talk about the day we became a family, the day we met, the time we spent getting to know each other and our memories and knowledge of first family. And of course we take pictures!

We are still making our way as a family with a mixture of traditions and celebrations, as well as a family of varied personalities and temperaments. We are stretching and growing, a process not without its pains and scars, but we are nonetheless open to creating the space for love and trust and respect one day, and holiday, at a time. It always helps when there is delicious food involved;)