where wednesday [amberly]
/[This week I'm pleased to have Amberly, with whom I have recently reconnected in the land of Facebook. I remember Amberly being thoughtful, kind, and cool in high school, and clearly she still is. She now lives in Arizona with her beautiful family, running her household and an intriguing practice as an energy therapist...you can keep up with her and her hubby and her kiddos on her BLOG, and learn more about her work HERE. I really like the subject of her post, and hope you do too!]
When we bought our first home six years ago, one of the first pieces of furniture purchased was a dining room table, complete with six chairs. I was so excited for them to arrive. It was as if a table made our home complete though in the decorator’s perspective it was far from it. Our dining table has hosted many guests and been the setting of many meals. It has served as the discussion ground for presidency and board meetings as well as small classes and book club conversation. It moved to the kitchen for a time when we outgrew our kitchen table and has gone from long to short and back to long again often
Growing up I recall regular family dinners around the kitchen table. Every night we made an effort to eat together as a family. As I think about how busy we were, and now as a mother how busy my family is, I realize what an achievement that was- that we were able to eat together so often. I loved gathering there. It was a place to partake in delicious food and also to engage in stimulating conversation. It was a place I remember having my thoughts challenged and being introduced to new ideas over dinner conversation. It was a place we laughed, played games, did homework and worked on projects. It was a productive, engaging, comforting place to be.
During my first married years we did not have a kitchen table, per se. We had a folding card table that followed us from southern Utah to New York City and got pulled out when we had company or needed extra work space. I didn’t realize how much I missed having a table to gather around although we laughed and bonded with friends over student-quality sofas and ikea rugs.
The same table now sits in a new kitchen. Well, a kitchen that is new to us but actually about 30 years old. It is a dark wood table that clashes with the honey oak flooring but it is our space. It is where my children gather for breakfast and where we do learning time. It is where they color and draw and where homework gets taken care of. It is where we spread out projects and sometimes race through dinner. It is the place where we have gotten to know new friends as they share meals with us. It has seen play-dough, water color paints, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, grilled shrimp and brownie trifle. It has had silverware pounded on it and endless crumbs cleaned off of it. I has had thoughtful elbows lean on it as chess moves are contemplated. It has had tears shed on it as discussions turn emotional.
While I am not attached to this particular table anymore, I love what it is for our family. I love the place it provides for learning, conversation and activity. It is located next to a wall of windows that overlooks our backyard and I can see my children run and play while working on whatever the current project happens to be. It’s our space. And I love the memories and experiences it has the potential to provide for my children.
Where Wednesdays are a regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk about places that are important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor spaces, sleeping spaces, places we visit, places we live, places we drink coffee, etc. etc.
[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]