Yesterday afternoon I had a grand cooking plan. I was going to make whole wheat empanadas as part of some work I am doing on cooking once and then using the ingredients for multiple meals (recipes and plans coming soon!). I was really excited to try out the new recipe and move forward with my project.
But then the government shutdown happened. And my husband was home. And it was my father-in-law’s birthday. So plans changed. We decided at 3pm to rush over to my father-in-law’s house to surprise him for his birthday and go out to a quick dinner. A really nice, fun, impromptu family event. But what about my empanadas?! I had already made the pastry, but hadn’t assembled them yet. So I threw the pastry into the fridge and off we went.
The surprise was AWESOME! He screamed so loudly and jumped so high that he startled the boys. And he was immensely touched. The dinner was at a great little local place. And everyone had a really nice time.
The government shutdown and my well-laid plans being put aside both got me to thinking about how sometimes you have to just let it all go. Sometimes the thing that is best for your family is flexibility. It is recognizing that the pastry can wait, that the shutdown is outside of your control, and that taking a moment to have fun, to be free, to laugh with your kids and your partner is so much more important.
So tonight for dinner? Empanadas… I think.
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