Being a stay-at-home mom, sitting at the dinner table as a family is essential. But what happens when a very key piece or person is missing? For us that means, while my kids enjoy the food at the table, I hover around making sure everyone has what they need, and my husband works. While he is working, we eat dinner at a table with an empty chair most nights. The kids have grown used to it and I feel very perplexed toward it. I know that his classes and clinicals won’t last forever, so I am lucky that our family dinners will become more and more available as time crawls on.

About two months ago we bought a new kitchen table. It is the most beautiful kitchen table that I have ever seen. We bought it for a steal, and I have always wanted a new kitchen table. Every table we have ever owned has only ever been a secondhand table. Meaning it has held many suppers that were not just ours. But this table that we were finally able to purchase now only holds our suppers, our marks, our love and our prayers. Seeing the chairs full brings me joy and happiness in a way that I don’t completely understand myself.

Last night we were able to have a family supper with everyone all together for the first time in months. I didn’t mind cooking, while everyone else was playing. I prayed over the food as I peeled potatoes, cut brussels sprouts, seasoned the roast, sauteed the onions and mushrooms. When finished, we were now able to eat together as a family. The love that we radiated was bouncing off of every corner of the table and the laughter was filling everyone’s souls. Rosie, the 18-month-old, screamed the entire time. Because she’s a strong independent woman who doesn’t deserve being buckled in the dreaded highchair after crawling on the food-filled table six times.

During supper, we chatted about the day and how exhausting it was. The kids happily chewed their food and ate so much. I am forever grateful that we were able to enjoy this dinner as a family. The sight was a lovely site, especially seeing the chair at the head of the table full. In its place is a man that makes sure our hearts and our lives are as peaceful as a sunrise on an early morning. I am so grateful that we were able to have this opportunity to eat together.

This morning I sit here at the same kitchen table and reminisce on the wonderful family full supper we were blessed to have last night, and I realize one thing. I realized that years to come, this table will hold so much. It will hold suppers, like the one last night, along with finances, paint, crayons, tears, suppers with new boyfriends and girlfriends, homework, and so much more. I mean, who knows, maybe even grandchildren. What I know for sure is that this table will grow with our family and will hold so much more than food to nourish our bellies and warm our souls.

Would you look at that? Little footprints on the table from the littlest Cotton, it is a headache now. I know one day these footprints will no longer be on this tabletop and they will reside on the floor. But the memory of these footprints are etched into this table like a river is etched into a valley. For that I will cherish them forever.

A dinner table is not just, a dinner table. A real dinner table is about the love that comes from in. It’s not about the food and the money spent on the meal. It’s about the family that is gather around it. The warmth that comes from every belly laugh or prayer that is said. Embrace the family that is present now, because one day they will go their separate ways and family dinner will be scarce. So, look around your dinner table tonight and see the tiny details that are so small you could miss them if you blinked. In the words of Kenny Chesney “Don’t Blink” especially at the dinner table.

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