Krista's Kakery

Gather ’round the table

Last week, my niece and nephew stayed with us here in NOVA.  Ever the dutiful aunt, I snapped pictures galore, probably driving them bananas.  I had a plan for them, though.  I know that my niece is a huge fan of scrapbooking, so I opened up all of my scrapbooking supplies and let them have at it, chronicling their visit here for the week.

While they were busy working on their books, I placed some of the pictures I have been collecting over the years into albums.  Admittedly, I got a little teary-eyed as I looked back at my family pictures.  I thought about how much everything had changed, how much everyone had aged, how big the kids were now, and how I could never go back to those times.  I also thought about how those were some of the happiest moments of my life, and how I was too ignorant to realize it, and how I’d taken it for granted.

One thing that I noticed repeating its presence in picture after picture, was our old dining room table.  It seems that so many of the pictures were of my family, sitting around that old table.  Meals, playing games, birthday parties, homework, crafts, talking, visiting…that table was like a divining rod for our family and friends.  I really thought about how many happy times we spent with our family and loved ones at that table.  How some of them would never sit with us at any tables ever again.

When the family started growing with marriages and grandkids, my parents got a larger table.  I am not quite sure whatever happened to that old table we sat at for all of those years, but I found myself wishing I had asked my mother to set it aside for me.  If there were any item of furniture in our house that could tell the most stories, that table would be it.  I still miss it.  Not because it was beautiful in any sense of the word, but because of what it symbolized in our family.

The new table has taken on the mighty job of becoming the familial divining rod just fine.  It has already seated many of our loved ones, extended families, friends, and hosted its own collection of parties and crafts.  It may not get its fair share of homework like its predecessor, but I am sure it will be well loved nonetheless.

So, the cool thing is now Beau and I have our own table…and we are already making memories with it.  Dinners with friends, crafting with the kids, decorating dozens of cakes and cupcakes, intimate dinners for two, game nights…you name it.  It’s a small, newlywed table: it seats four…six on a stretch.  Eventually, our table will get bigger so it can hold all of our memories in life.

 

I think the table is very favorite piece of furniture in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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