Tea Time

 

My sisters are coming for tea next week. I'm thrilled! I adore simple things and having tea on my porch fits right in with that. Keeping my fingers crossed for warm and sunny, unlike today's chilly and rainy. For months I've been on the search for unique tea cups. I've looked at Goodwill, antique villages/malls and small gift shops. I got lucky and found all I needed at a new small vendor consignment shop in my town. A hole in the wall kind of place that you can lose yourself in all day as you take in all the old items around you full of a past of their own. Each booth within the store was different from the next. Some with themes and some with a random collection of items for sale. I loved it and was so glad I had chosen to stop in by myself that day. Savoring it all on my own. I slowly moved along the narrow path in the store and took it all in. I knew I was on the lookout for the tea cups, but there were so many other wonderful things that kept grabbing my attention. I think the things I like the most are the old pitchers and basins, along with old jewelry.

My mother used to have a large white pitcher and basin in her room. I was very taken with it as a child. Why she never used it puzzled me, how it was always just displayed. The funny on that one is now I have a large white pfaltzgraff great bowl that just sits a top my kitchen cabinets on display. Giggle on me on that one. I adore it but I use it maybe twice a year for homemade German potato salad and Asian slaw. I guess at aleast I use it. Now as for the jewelry, I love to think of the woman that wore it before and the things she did and what it had meant to her in her life. I have an old necklace of my Grandmother's. It's a long gold link chain with amethyst like stones. It means a lot to me and I wear it proudly. I love to think of my Grandmother wearing it and going about her day. I love that it ties me to her.

I guess I'm just a girl who loves things that come with a story! I like simple things. An old farm kitchen table (can't wait to find one of those one day and make it mine), flowers in an old pitcher, whimsical flower pots on a porch, simple pretty jewelry with a story and tea cups with a past. I wonder who the ladies were that sipped from these cups before my sisters and I? Did they dress-up and wear their best hats while enjoying tea in the garden? Did they giggle over stories on the porch? Did sip alone, cozy as the morning greeted them? Or possibly over a good book by the fireplace? The wonder is endless. I ponder if someday someone else will come across these same tea cups and wonder about their journey. How delightful that now my sisters and I will be added to their story. They will have been witness to our moment in time with one another. Our chatter, giggles and hugs; and our treasured moments become intertwined with the others.

I'd take something old over brand new any day, well unless it was a sweet new baby...

Here's to a simple tea and sisters! Two delightful things indeed.

Little Man Quotes of the Day

I often have others tell me I really should journal the things Little Man says to me each day. A keepsake to show him some day when he is grown. His insights range from hilarious to very wise at times, and for a six-year-old very deep. I often find simple moments of grace in the things he says. His words laced with the beauty of a child's view of the world, and often there are undertones and whispers of the Holy Spirit, nudging me in my own life through his gentle comments.

I happen to have the blessing of getting to drive him to afternoon Kindergarten most days. As a working mom, I really savor this. I know most women in my situation, don't have that perk. I love how he runs down the path of his morning sitter's house and jumps in the car each day. His eyes twinkle, and he is always delighted to see me. He chatters about his morning activities and the things still to look forward to in the day. I carefully take in each word. As we drive, he comments on the things we pass along our route, like favorite landmarks and houses we like. He often asks questions too about things on his mind that he wants to understand better. I absolutely adore our conversations each day and our time together, just he and I. It is all so special to me, something to savor and tuck away deep in my heart forever.

Here's just one of our little conversations. It actually happened just this week. I took out the actual names. I never like to use their full names in the blog for privacy reasons.

Little Man: "Mommy, did you know my real name is ____ ____ ____ ____, and my LUCKY name is ____?" (Yes, the poor boy has two middle names. We couldn't part with either, so just gave him both. And his lucky name, as he describes it, is his nickname, what we have called him since birth.)

Me: "Yes, I did know that was your real name. But how did you get that lucky name?"

Little Man: "Mommy, you're silly! You gave it to me."


I love how his little mind see the world. How very interesting to think of one's nickname as their lucky name in life, and that I was the one to help him get that lucky name! Very endearing indeed. My cup runneth over. My cup runneth over.

As he jumped out of the car that day, grinned at me, shouted I love you Mom and ran to get into line with his friends, I pondered his words. What really is in a nickname and why do we feel like we need to dish them out? Am I as attached as he to my nicknames? Have they been lucky in my life?

nick·name/ˈnikˌnām -
A familiar or descriptive name added to or replacing the actual name of a person, place or thing.

Recalling my own nicknames bestowed lovingly over the years - ones given by my parents, my siblings, my college friends, my husband and even my children, I do have to say out of all of them my favorite is by far Mommy.