By November, fifteen months with Ida. She has a word now, a real word. She says no. She says it clearly and frequently and with complete conviction. She has said it to me about the high chair, about shoes, about the car seat, and about a piece of broccoli I offered her on Tuesday. Tyler says she is finding her voice. I say she found her voice and it has one word and that word is no. He says yes but it is a very clear no. That is true. It is the clearest communication she has ever made and I respect it completely even when I disagree with the specific application.
Gloria is better this month. The hip pain has stabilized. She is not having the surgery. She has decided. I have accepted her decision because it is hers. I make sure she has everything she needs and I do not make her decisions for her. She has been making her own decisions about her own body since before I was born. I am not going to start second-guessing them now.
Made beef stew Sunday, the long version, two-day version, where you make the broth one day and the stew the next. Tyler ate it for three days. Ida ate small pieces of the soft vegetables and made the face and opened her mouth for more. Destiny ate two bowls and declared it the best thing I had made in October. I said it was November. She said she knew.
The small Bright Beginnings Daycare in the small downtown Prattville is the small workplace. The small toddler-room teacher role (ages 18-36 months). The small daycare-worker-salary plus the small fiancé-Cole’s small carpenter-paycheck is the small two-income engaged-couple budget. The small wedding-saving has been the small two-year-project.
Tyler Clarke (the small fiancé, 29, diesel-mechanic-from-Millbrook) works at a small trucking-company. The small wedding is planned for October 2026 with Gloria walking Savannah down the aisle. The small marriage will be the small first-stable-adult-relationship Savannah has had. The small foster-care upbringing means the small family-of-origin had been the small unstable-shape.
The small foster-care-history: Savannah went into the small Alabama-foster-care system at age six after the small mother’s incarceration and the small father’s absence. The small seven-foster-placements between infancy and age sixteen. The small last placement (Gloria and James Martin in Prattville, who became the small forever-parents) since age fourteen. The small Martin-foster-parents continued to be the small only-parents until James died in 2024 at 77 from a heart-attack mowing the lawn.
The small self-taught-Southern-cooking is the small kitchen-identity. The small no-grandmother-recipes-passed-down meant the small YouTube-and-cookbook-self-teaching from age sixteen onward. The small fried chicken, the small biscuits, the small mac-and-cheese, the small banana pudding, the small sweet tea are the small staples.
The small Gloria-Martin kitchen-mentorship (Gloria is the small foster-mom-now-mom) has been the small adult-cooking-development since the small fourteen-year-old. The small Gloria-Sunday-dinners-with-Savannah-cooking-now are the small weekly-rhythm since James passed. The small Gloria-recipes (Black-Southern-comfort-food the small chain of Gloria’s mother and grandmother) are the small heritage-by-adoption.
The small Prattville-small-town-community is the small social-context. The small First Baptist Church congregation is the small church-family. The small daycare-coworkers are the small adjacent-friend-network. The small Martin-family (Gloria, James who passed in 2024, plus the small current-foster-child Destiny age 6 in Gloria’s care) is the small chosen-family. The small Tyler’s-family-in-Millbrook (Debbie, Roy, and four-brothers) is the small in-law-family.
Ida said no to broccoli on Tuesday and she said it with her whole chest, and I respected it, I really did — but it got me thinking about whether the broccoli was the problem or whether I was just offering it plain and boiled like a person who had given up. This sesame soy version is what I landed on, and while I can’t promise she’ll come around, I can promise that the rest of us at that table absolutely did. Gloria had seconds. That’s the only review I need.
Sesame Soy Broccoli Florets
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets (about 5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, minced garlic, honey, and red pepper flakes (if using) until well combined.
- Coat the broccoli. Place the broccoli florets in a large bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
- Roast. Spread the florets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they aren’t crowded. Roast for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly charred and the stems are just tender.
- Finish and serve. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 110 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 480mg