Where's My Family?

Recently Jim went on a two week ministry trip just at the end of my parents' month visit. After they left, too, Samuel, Christina and I were alone in the house. Well, when they were around "we" were in the house--most of the time it seemed like I was alone in the house. I don't mind being alone, especially as this came after a very full of people month, but "family meals" were not a happening event at our house! At least not often.

Eating together as a family, at least with those who can make it, is a high priority for us, even at this stage of life. In fact, I've never spent time prioritizing it. It's just something we do.


"This stage" is Samuel with night classes two evening a week that keep him away right over dinner time, Christina working 4-6 p.m. or 7 p.m. three nights a week and meeting a mentoring friend for dinner another. 


So the first night after my parents left, I ate dinner alone. It's a strange thing for me to do. If it were a regular occurrence, I'm sure I'd make something, but I wasn't real motivated that night for cooking and I was busy working on other catch up projects that I hadn't wanted to do while visiting with my parents.
So I opened the fridge and found leftover green beans and peppers with pine nuts and heated them up and ate them. Healthy, satisfying, delicious, and quick!  Also lonely.


The next night both kids were home for dinner and we had a good time around the table, talking, joking, teasing, and sharing our day. Now that's more like it.

Photo Credit: Megan Von Bergen