Kitchen Tables

I read somewhere that a woman's life revolves around her kitchen table. That has been floating around in my brain a few days.
I have been thinking about the
tables we have had. The first table
we had looked like this retro 1950
set. My grandmother died right before I got married and we got
her table and chairs. The chairs had been recovered in gold. Ugly but it was our first table. Meals for 2.

The next table was a hand me down too but it was wooden and looked much nicer. Table for 4. It lasted until we had 3 kids and needed more room.
The next table, Mike made and it morphed several times. This is only possible if you live with a woodworker. First it sat 6 and was rectangular then it was round and sat 9, then it morphed back to a smaller round for 4.
Weird. The table we have now, Mike also made. It has also morphed a few times. Currently it can seat 14. The tables morphed as our family grew and shrank. Usually it is dinner for 6 these days.

Life has certainly revolved around these tables. Sewing, taxes, groceries, coloring books, play dough and phonics books have all sat on my table. The kids have learned math, reading, Bible verses, handwriting and other subjects at the kitchen table. Meals, good and bad. I once poisoned my husband, accidentally, with his favorite meal on his birthday! Celebrations, holidays, wrapping gifts that we couldn't wait to see them open. On top of the morphing round table, our twins were circumcised. About 4 years later, the kids and I were eating lunch one day at the kitchen table and Mike tried to drive a bobcat through the back wall and join us at the table! Luke's eyes were as big as saucers.

We have had company eat at these tables. Friends we never see anymore and some friends we still do see. The kids have their friends around the table to eat and play games. Lots of laughing.
I remember doing a Bible study years ago with a couple who were new believers. We decided to study Hebrews (????) Mostly we sat there confused and laughed at how little we understood.
Just yesterday, we were sitting at the table watching Nate crawl via Skype. It is not as good as the real thing but it was still great.

We have fed as many as 40 here, not all at one table of course. 15 people are not uncommon. Someday, I suppose, Mike or I will sit and eat alone at the table, wishing for someone to come and eat with us. Table for 1.