This is Harriet, my maternal grandmother on her wedding day. Isn’t she beautiful!

Harriet

And this, well, this is Harriet’s Table. The muse that finally got me motivated to write the blog I have been longing to write for some time now.

Harriet's table

The table above, I’m told by grandmother, was the very first piece of brand new furniture that she and my grandfather, Clinton, purchased after they were married. She still in fact has the purchase reciept for it in one of her photo albums.   At some point, years later, my own mother ended up with it. I’m not sure at what point that happened, but it is the first table I can remember in our house as a small child. Then the time came when I moved into my first house, and as fate would have my mom was ready to pass the table on to me. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. I needed a table, mom was getting a new one, and it was free. Over the years however, I have come to appreciate the history of the table. I am after all the third generation to feed her kids at this table. I’m the third mother to sit and teach her kids here. I am the third wife to share her day with her husband. Knowing the deep faith of both my grandmother and mother, I am sure I am not the first woman to meet her God here before the sun rises in the morning. This table has seen three generations of budgets, school projects, marital arguments, discussions of major current events, birthday celebrations, baby showers, Christmas feasts (because one thing you should know about Harriet is that she could COOK!), and meals with dear friends. It is where I homeschool my daughter. It is where I plan meals for my family, and where I spend time with them.

Last night it occured to me, as I was vacuuming underneath the table, that it was the perfect anchor for many of my thoughts and musings. Harriet has been such a strong influence on me and my current choices in life. I often put myself in her shoes. I bring so much of my life to her table. I wonder what to cook and bake and how she would have done it. I talk with my husband and wonder if she has had the same discussion here with my grandfather. I wonder if she sat at this table knocked out by the idea that she was once again going have a baby. I wonder has she sat in my spot and prayed for a dear friend. I wonder how she got her most stubborn child to eat vegetables. I wonder if she ever had to find a way to get permanent marker off the floor underneath it.

The table is a little unsteady these days, which is how I feel about starting this new venture. I hope to fix it up and turn it into something of a show piece one day, and I have the same high hopes for this blog too. I look forward to exploring and rambling on about these ideas and I hope you enjoy reading about them. Many of you have had the opportunity to come join me at Harriet’s table and I hope many more of you will over the years through this blog.