With so many incomplete rooms in our home, I like keeping the dining room table looking neat and like we could sit down at it. So Friday as Shane plugged away at work, I opened a box marked “Katy’s Ceramics”. To be completely honest, none of the stuff was great. It was from a summer semester I took of it, and though I was making good stuff, on some the glaze didn’t work out, running and sticking to the kiln, while others had little stones in the clay that popped big chips in my finished pieces.
So the decorating of the dining room table actually began when I flipped over the beautiful table runner gifted to me at my shower to the blue side and set it on our table. It needed something else, so I got out a lovely ceramic bowl someone else got me, being it was so lonely, off I went to the “Katy’s Ceramics” box. Pitcher after pitcher, tea pot after teapot got pulled out, and I played with them all until I came up with the ones that would stay, I added height and texture with some metal bowls, another gift, then added the bright pops of orange. Yet another gift I might add.
I went to bed that night feeling pretty pleased with my table that looked like it belonged in a home where two people live, so the next day I woke up energized and let Shane sleep in as I made some Frangelico French toast. This list of flavors added to the egg soaked bread may evoke some thoughts of the holidays, but we enjoyed it on a regular, old March saturday just as much.
Frangelico French Toast for Two
- Four slices of hearty bread
- 3 eggs, or as needed
- 1 Tablespoon Frangelico liquor
- 1 teaspoon vanilla butter flavoring
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Whisk the eggs together and the remaining ingredients
- Dip and cover the bread in the egg mixture, transfer to greased, heated pan and cook until no longer runny, and bread bounces back with a soft press
After a hearty breakfast and a nice visit from my sister and brother in law, we headed up to their property to pick out logs for our closet. We have many grand plans for our walk in closet, and we actually got really good headway on this project. I think we tackled that “to-do” list better this Saturday and Sunday, we worked together well, and even got to the painting step.
All weekend I was reminded again and again of how grateful I can and should be. I got to make our dining room table look inviting, and only had to purchase some blue flowers to finish the look I was after, we got to go pick out logs from our sister and brother in laws property, in turn, helping them clear some trees, and we patched and painted walls. In the end, we figured out where Leah would be staying when she came to visit. All of this got me smiling and excited, from the blue and orange center piece I made to the newly painted closet. Shane joked and said, “Are you happy because we finally went and picked out logs.” Yes, that made me happy, but more than just happy, I was thankful we could. I think thankfulness precedes real happiness.
Had I just been happy over the logs, the happiness would’ve faded when we came back and I realized the logs really just added one more thing to our over crowded basement. Had I just been happy over the paint, I would’ve quickly lost that bounce in my step after realizing we would need another coat. Had I been hinging my weekends happiness over dressing up my dining room table, it would’ve faded when I looked up at the dark, burgundy walls surrounding my bright little table.
I love verses about thankfulness. Some tag it in on the end, like oh, and be thankful. But I am going to include one that says in what ever you do to be thankful. I like that, because as I sit here at my dining room table, I am thankful for every piece of flawed ceramic’s, for they still look beautiful, I am thankful for each and every thoughtful gift that adds colors and textures to my home, and I am thankful for all the relationships behind each one of those gifts.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him
Angler's Wife 