Seventeen days ago I posted about an upcoming project I had in mind.  It was an idea that floated around my head for years. Why not publish a children's book? Specifically about the Polish tradition of Wigilia (Christmas Eve) as seen through childrens' eyes.

There are more Polish people living in Chicago than in Warsaw, the capitol of Poland. And.  I believe that there are millions more that are just like me, people of Polish descent trying hard to hold onto every tradition they have and handing it down through hearsay to their children.  This book is THE biggest Christmas gift to my children.  I'm incredibly proud that my footprint, my story, will be filed away in the Library of Congress and Amazon and Barnes and Nobles for my children to see.  Forever.

I've been a little busy these last two weeks.  The book is done.   It's with my greatest pleasure that I give to you, a sneak peek of one of the illustrations.  My  illustrator's rough draft:

Our final product:

Pretty, no?  Jillian Dister, my illustrator, is a local Cleveland mother. She's amazing and I can not wait to show my children the final product.  My only goal....

I hope that my children will be proud enough of this book to show their own children.