As the daughter of Italian immigrants my up-bringing was filled with culture, family, love, yelling and of course food.  I grew up knowing the meaning of family connection, security and safety. There were the regular family routines like cleaning the house every Saturday morning and big family lunches on Sunday.  My parents, like most, did the best they could with the examples that they had.  They raised us much like their parents raised them.  Growing up during the Great Dep

When I was a young girl and all my friends were talking about boys and falling in love, I of course participated.  I, like many girls, fantasized about my perfect match. At the time it had more to do with the characters I saw on TV and the whole “damsel in distress” scenario.  As I grew up and realized how disempowering that fantasy was not just for myself but for all women; that ideal quickly went out the window.  As I grew older, the conversations turned to marriage and bab