The Family Table

It had been a long day.  The kids were crazy.  The excitement of the holidays is was getting to be too much.  My husband was trying to help me in the kitchen and it wasn't working.  I might have even snapped at him a little!  Sorry honey!  We sat down to a simple meal of "scramblewitches" with sauteed bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado and sweet potato fries.  It wasn't anything special, but as we sat down, I realized how special it all was.  All of the stresses of the day seemed to melt away.  The girls entertained us with their mealtime antics and a wave of peace came over me.  I became grateful to have this table and most importantly, the special people I share it with.  Even when ten minutes in, like clockwork, Marley announced her need to visit the bathroom.  

My mom and stepdad blessed us with this table when we got married.  It has already been through a lot.  The chairs are slightly crusted from the kids food.  There are scratch marks and burn marks.  Sometimes I feel bad we haven't taken care of it, but I know my Mom and John are happy we use it the way we do.

When I studied nutrition in college, the numbers and percentages didn't sick with me (that can be looked up in a book).  What stuck with me were the emotional aspects of food, one of those being how important it is to share a meal with people you love.  We embrace this in many ways in our lives.  I personally have many memories of great food celebrations with friends, family and co-workers.

I appreciate my husband shares the value of a family meal with me.  I look forward to many more meals with my wonderful little family!