Little House, Big Table

When I received my First Communion in second grade, I got more money than my eight year-old self could have imagined. $25 checks rolled in from the relatives with blessings and congratulations on the significant step I had made in the Church.

In total, I probably received about $300 - an amount that afforded me the pick of the litter at S.W. Randall in Squirrel Hill. I imagined building out my Barbie Collection, buying every Crayola pencil, pen and crayon, replacing my scuffed up tap shoes with shiny new ones, and sporting the rabbit fur coat from Newmans's that I always wanted.

The endless possibilities of a kid in 1990 seem completely dwarfed when I look at $300 today. It seems like nothing. It's not enough for the new cocktail dress that I want, not even enough for one of the pair of Manolos I've been ogling. It's not enough for two round trip tickets to Pittsburgh, my wisdom teeth removal, or a month's worth of gas. And when it comes to home repair and decoration, $300 might just get me an end table.   

Our wedding was like my First Communion times 1,000 though. That life step's earning power far outweighed that of my reception of the Eucharist. And just as the gifts seemed to hold the key to making life a little sweeter back then, so to did they in September. But given some uncertainties, after the wedding I grappled with costs, priorities, and future plans before making an investment, and put the money into our savings account, on hold for the perfect purchase decision, just as I ended up doing in second grade.

On Christmas Eve, when we asked eleven people to sit around a makeshift dining room table, we concluded that given our lifestyle - our love of food and entertaining - we were going to make a big investment in a BIG dining room table. Out came the savings and all the Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma gift certificates - and yesterday, into our house came a brand new dining room table and six suede chairs. In a house full of hand-me-downs and the best of our apartments, condos and dioramas past, it is our first new piece of furniture - one that combines a bit of the brewer and a bit of the bee. A piece that makes our home sweet ranch home so much sweeter. 

With as much joy and prosperity that the reception of Sacraments has brought me, I knew the table needed one of its own - a Christening. Perhaps, a weekend's worth of christening. Its first diners - Bob and Melissa. Its first meal - slow roasted glazed ribs, over tuscan baked beans and kale gratin. Its first laughs - those hearty kind that come from Bob's ridiculous stories. Its first spill, ironically enough, a little water from the pitcher.

Love the table.
Looking forward to the company.
Thankful for the unbelievable generosity of friends and family on our wedding day that made this table possible. (And cornbread.)

Lo.