Tuesday, February 20, 2018

The Table is Full, Momma


Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

Our son is away at college, although "away at college" equates to only 60 miles.  I know I am lucky because I get to see him more often than most college parents.

Although my daughter still lives at home, my husband and I have slowly adapted to a quieter house, lower food bills, and less laundry.  But it is still difficult to see one less plate at the dining room table.

Our dining room table has been our gathering place. We have laughed and cried.  We have rolled out cookies and played board games.  We have carved pumpkins and completed homework.  We have written research papers and filled out job applications. But nothing gave my husband and I more joy than sitting down and eating a meal together.
Life happened at our dining room table.

Our dining room table has changed.  I have moved to my son's spot, and books and papers are stacked at mine.  My husband and I eat meals together, just the two of us.  Now, I grade papers by myself instead of helping the kids with homework. The baked cookies are now half-batches because they go stale before we can eat them all.

Yes, the dining room table has changed.

Recently, Ethan came home for a Sunday afternoon visit, (and if the truth be told, a home-cooked meal!) As we all sat down to eat, we shared stories and laughs, just like we always have.

My husband looked at me and said, "The table is full, Momma!"

Yes, it was.
Life still happens at our dining room table.

11 comments:

  1. Oh, Leigh Anne, this is beautiful! Thanks for sharing--so heartwarming!

    ReplyDelete
  2. How nice to have Ethan home for a visit! That's lovely that he can come home and go back quickly. (I went to school three-and-a-half hours away from home, so pop-ins weren't possible.)

    Enjoy the full table whenever and however you have it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tables are the gathering spot. What a great feeling to be able to say, "The table is full."

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love when our boys and their families come home. The house is pretty quiet when it's just Greg and I and Chloe. You are lucky he's close enough to come home like this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We treasure "full table" times. They were part of our home as our kids grew up, and now our grown-up kids share memories from those times. When our family began to expand with daughter/son-in-laws and grandkids, my husband bought an Amish table that can stretch through the archway into our living room for a full 16 feet. We use it a lot because two of our kids and their families live "next door."

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nothing like a full table to warm a mama's heart.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hear your voice in this piece, so thoughtful and insightful. I also enjoyed the form with the repeated line on the right margin. A true slice of life.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm looking forward to a full table this weekend, when all 3 of my children are due to be at home. Nothing feels better. Thanks for sharing this slice!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It appears that the table is always full, just differently. What great stories your table can tell. Mark

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the title and how your slice evolved, Leigh Anne.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree, so much life happens around the table, especially when it's full! I loved reading your post Leigh Anne!

    ReplyDelete