Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well, I can't say that I'm being very festive on this fun "holiday".  I'm not even wearing green.  I don't drink, so the concept of heading off to a pub to indulge in green beer is lost on me, but I do eat, so I spent some time over the last week researching recipes to try out today.

For lunch I made Mini-Shepard's Pies

 (http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Mini-Shepherd-s-Pies).  My 5 year old couldn't wait for lunch because the house smelled so yummy, but restrained herself from coming to the oven to come and peek because she didn't want to "ruin the surprise".  I had to come up with a biscuit recipe as well because I didn't have any store bought dough on hand like the recipe called for, and seeing as they were so simple, I doubt I'll ever need to buy that stuff again anyway. (http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Fluffy-Biscuits)

Later I'm going to try Irish stew for supper, but seeing as we're not big lamb eaters, I'm making it a beef version.  Hopefully it's a good as lunch was.  (http://www.tasteofhome

.com/Recipes/Irish-Stew-2)

Until this year I haven't taken much time to make each holiday special, but I have decided this year to change that.  So why St. Patrick's day?  Why not wait until Easter?  I had intended to make a big deal of Valentine's day too, but having my husband away on business trips for most of the month, special Valentine's cookies was about all I could muster with a 4 month old, 5 year old and a 10 year old at home to keep up to.  I was hoping that Anya would be more predictable by February, but not quite, but now, being almost 5 months old, there is starting to be a little bit of light showing at the end of that tunnel.  

Again, why St. Patrick's day?  Personally, I think we've lost the zest for celebrating holidays.  I remember fondly wearing appropriate colours of clothing for different special days.  But there's something special I feel for St. Paddy's day, maybe somewhere down the line part of my family was Irish, who knows.  I realize there's little but myth about leprechauns, lucky shamrocks and pots of gold, but to a child it's a world of fun and imagination brimming with possibility.  I want my girls to find this intimate knowledge of imagination.

So today, amongst the hustle and bustle of mixing biscuits, and making Irish Stew and gold jello, I took a little time to reflect on the Shamrock.  A bold symbol of St. Patrick's Day, but what does it mean for me?  It is meant to symbolize the holy trinity.  Oh how thankful I am to have all three here with me, helping me be peaceful in mixing ingredients (thankful that I have food in the pantry to cook and bake with); helping me be thankful to be sharing it with 3 beautiful, healthy little girls; helping me honour ancestors past in tasting and sharing a little piece of Irish tradition.

May you find a moment to take a little time and find the life in the Shamrock.