Yesterday would have been my dad’s birthday and this year it landed heavier than expected. Losing my mom earlier this year seems to have shifted how the grief shows up. Quieter. Deeper. Less dramatic and more lingering. So I did what felt possible. I slept. I got a video up for my P.F. Chang’s collaboration and would love if you gave it a little love. I read. I accidentally fell into a chocolate cake debate on Threads. I took a bubble bath. I let myself remember the way we marked my dad’s birthdays growing up, often more enthusiastically than he preferred. A VCR one year. His favorite movie wrapped separately. A shirt on his birthday and pants at Christmas because the dates were so close together. Practical. Thoughtful. Very him. Dinner stayed simple. A brick panini cooked right in the cast iron, crisp and comforting in a way I needed. Today feels forward-facing. The day before our Christmas. Chad works on Christmas Day, so tomorrow will be pierogies, dinner, Christmas Eve service, and presents. Which means today holds cookies and chocolate candy, a church cookie potluck, a little last-minute shopping, and planning the big day. Some days are for remembering. Some are for preparing. Both deserve a place at the table. Gracefully yours, 🫶🏻 Jeanie Jo LTKdayinmylife LTKfoodie LTKHoliday