Dinner's Ready! (Week #1)

Since the surgery, and subsequent pain issues, dinner has been something that I have not really been up for. Sure I do the easy hamburger helper, frozen things, sandwiches, cereal, etc, but have not truly cooked. And, although I might not be the best (it is genetics from my mom's side!), I do enjoy it and I know that doing something, anything that I enjoy is very important. So, I set a goal:

Once a week (at least), I want to cook a real dinner. And not just something that requires very little work. I want my creativity to be tested and to feel like I am doing something good for myself, husband, and family - even if it does result in an increase of pain.

I am so incredibly fortunate that my family does not mind 'easy' dinners. That my husband will prepare his own dinner without complaining. I know that this could be much worse. That there could be complaining. That they could make me feel like a failure or guilty for not taking on this task daily or even every other day. . .

So, here is what I did tonight:

thinly sliced 1 red, green, and yellow pepper and 2 small onions

cut 4 hoagie rolls in half

sauteed the onions first - removed from pan and added the peppers - then added the onions back to the pan to with *COKE* to caramelize (plus, to add another layer of taste and color)

grill the sausage

toast the hoagies on the same pan

assemble --> hoagie - peppers/onions - sausage

Now, I know that this is easy, but for me it was more than that. It was actually creating a good, satisfying meal that we enjoyed. (And boy did we enjoy it!) It was doing something that, while it brought me physical pain, it brought me even greater internal joy. I enjoyed every minute of preparing and cooking this meal. Of doing something for my husband that would allow him to relax and not have to cook for himself tonight. It felt great!

I hope to keep this up and to record it here. That way I have to hold myself accountable and can not just take a week off with simple easy meals that do not require planning.

And, regardless of the physical discomfort of standing on my feet in front of the stove, I know that I will be doing something for my family. Something that will be another outward sign of my unending love for them.Something that will help me feel better about where we are right now. . . And that happening, will be an incredible gift. A gift for my husband, children, and myself. A gift that will help us to regain our sense of normalcy. . .