At any given moment, on any given day we never know how many kids, friends of kids and assorted family members will be sitting around the dinner table. You see we have a huge dining room table. It’s an old oak table that has been handed down through the generations and is well over 100 years old. It has been through more Thanksgiving’s, Christmas’ and birthdays’ than I can count. This table has EIGHT, count them, EIGHT leaves. It opens up big enough to seat 8 adults comfortably, and 10-12 of us elbow to elbow. And if we have a few late arrivals we can easily squeeze in a couple more.
Our dinner time is precious time. We have three kids in college, and a married daughter with her husband and our grandson all under one roof!! So if you’re adding that all up we have 8 people around the table without any extra invites. This is a special time of day for me as we can all catch up with each other on the days happenings, and listen to our grandson, who is almost 6, work really hard to try and get a word in edge-wise surrounded by all of these grownups. The food in this instance is just a bonus.
If the kids have friends dropping by, or if our niece bops over we just squeeze everyone in around the table and get the food and conversation going. The conversation can go on for long periods of time. Somedays the conversation is so funny or full of love and life that you don’t want dinner to end. Everyone enjoys each others antics and company, and is always glad to have the time to slow down at the end of the day.
You never realize how wonderful that old dining room table can be until you have everyone you hold dear to your heart seated right around you in one room.
Renee's Revelings 
I love our dining room table too. There has been a lot of happiness and some sadness there, but always lots of love.
Beautifully said. Makes me miss the warmth of your house, the family, the good times. I’ll be back before long.
Wonderful launch for your blog! That old table came down to me from my Great Grandma Amelia Juhrend who lived in Highwood, Illinois. I called her Grandma Great so this is the Grandma Great table. I remember many holiday meals around the table with aunts and uncles and cousins packed in. I love seeing it at your home and being part of the family circle. What a wonderful tradition for Evan to experience.
Gotta love that ol’ table. That is really a time to cherish. The stories and jokes told, meomories made all make it one of the best times of the day! Truly blessed with the family I was given.
What a great post, and a great story! I love the history that our family keeps sharing, and learning more and more about us all each year. I do have to say, though, Evan doesn’t struggle too much to get a word in because so often we’re all waiting anxiously to hear what amazing things are going to come out of his mouth next 🙂 Love you guys!
Great post! These are the times that make our lives.
I miss sitting around that table with you guys…
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This is beautiful, Renee. It’s for such reasons I’m reluctant to get rid of our big, ol’ heavy dining room table. Too many good times around it. Sweet post. Thank you for sharing it on the GRAND Social!
Thanks Lisa. It’s always heartwarming to share a little fo your family history.