Dinner Table

When I was a kid my mom and dad were consistent about making sure our family ate dinner together at the table every night. Brian and I did even when it was just the two of us. I knew it was something I wanted to carry over to my family so I figured I better start setting the standard before the little ducks arrived. Some of the best conversations of my life have happened around a table with food on it.
Thursday night we sat around the Maupin dinner table and listen to Rob's dad tell stories of when Rob was younger. These stories have been told over and over. There are rhythms to them. They have been told so many times that people who weren't even there can tell them like they were there. My extended family is the same way and I think conversations like this work best around a table. It is the great equalizer. Everyone is circled up and facing each other.
Rylee had a sleep over on Friday night with her friends from school so I took Ryder, Brian and Regan out to eat at our favorite Chinese Restaurant. It is always great to eat out because I don't have to clean up so I enjoy it more. Ryder loves to read the "Chinese Year" things on the place mat. He reads them every time like he has never read them before. It always make me laugh because they never change yet he seems surprised that mine says "I would make a great parent." Every time he looks at me and says "Soooo true!"...even better is that it thrills me every time he says "Sooooo true!" like it is the first time he said it. The little guy makes me weak!
Saturday Ryder and I made a homemade Peach Pie. Ryder loves peaches and so I knew he would enjoy it. Since he is hitting puberty I reach for anything that will bring us together and this time it was a peach pie. We ate half last night and the other half tonight. Rylee was enjoying the peach pie tonight with Cool Whip on it. She said, "Me and this peach pie are tight we are so BFF!" Too funny....but so Rylee. Rylee says her sweet tooth talks to her and tells her when it is hungry.
I think that is why I love communion so much. It feels like the most natural place for a family to meet. To eat together and remember is just what family does. At a dinner table you can retell the great story and love it like it is the first time we heard this great story of redemption that is Soooo true! To love the wine and the bread so much that we are BFF!!!!! I just wish we could actually sit together each week around a great table.

Oh, the joys of a dinner table. Regan continues to be off oxygen. Praise God for good days. Monday is the last day of school for Ryder and Rylee we are celebrating by having friends over for waffles after school because they only go for 15 minutes. Crazy! I am sure there will be great conversation around the breakfast table.