חֲנֻכָּה

Liz and I were up late last night, so this morning was a boys' morning. I decided to do something a little special, so I got up early and planned a little breakfast. Though we are a little late for this year, we learned about Hanukkah, the festival of lights. If you don't know why Hanukkah is celebrated, you can do your quick and dirty learning here, but I encourage further study because it is a beautiful tale of captivity, liberation, faith, temples, and miracles.

For our celebration this morning we enjoyed sweet potato latkes with eggs and read a story about he interaction between George Washington and a Jewish soldier at Valley Forge. It's based on a second-hand record, but I like to believe it's a true story. Not only is it beautifully told, but the author draws parallels between the two wars to help illustrate the struggle of a nation and the sweetness of liberty. We read from Hanukkah at Valley Forge and talked about the Maccabees, the miracle of the oil, and the symbolism of the Hanukkiah. Our book is also beautifully illustrated in lush watercolors that paint the story; we like pictures.

I learned this morning that Daddies never do it the way other people do, and the opportunity to share themselves with their children is a too infrequent delicacy. Joyful morning.