The Chair

A couple of weeks ago, Ace and I were cleaning out our house, as we were packing for our upcoming relocation to Blanchard, ID. We took several trips to the D.I. and the dump (which by the way, I've got that system down!).

We only had a couple of disagreements about what should be tossed and what we should keep. This chair was one of those. Ace suggested that we get rid of it...(or in his words, "Why are we keeping this?)

I took this chair from my parents house when they got new ones to go around their table. This chair is older than I am. So naturally, Ace thought it was of no use. To the naked eye, yes, this chair doesn't look significant at all. In fact, it's a bit heavy and seems to do nothing but take up space, but it's more than that. Much more.

It clearly made under the table the best hiding spot in the house. (Yep, that's me...)

Any family activity that required a hard surface (i.e. gingerbread men, board games, card games, etc.) took place around the table and in those chairs!

My first ever birthday party with friends at 8 years old would have been a bust with no where to sit!

Many holiday dinners were spent surrounding that table in those chairs. I don't remember ever seeing an empty chair during those special family times.

Most birthday dinners were had sitting in those chairs. We used to say something we appreciated or liked about the person who was celebrating their birthdays. Those were fun times.

Other things I remember about those chairs that I don't have pictures of are:

*Sunday "Study Hour's"

*Family Home Evenings (including the ones where we made responsibility charts, Oscar's naughty words poster, and Thumper's "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" poster.)

*Interviews--I can't say this chair was always super comfy...one on one interviews with dad when I knew, he knew, I did something I shouldn't have!

*Reading scriptures

*I did SO MUCH homework sitting in this chair, but it was always much more bearable when my mom, dad, a brother or a sister were sitting next to me .

*My mom french braided my hair before several of my sporting events while I sat in that chair. It was never done in silence. We had great converstations!

So all in all, this chair may take up space, but it's too meaningful to just toss. It represents more than most items I own. When I see this chair or sit in it, three words come to mind to sum it all up:

LOVE AT HOME

So, thanks Ace, for letting me keep the chair.

And thanks dad and mom and my brothers and sisters for making this chair represent exactly what I'm trying to instill in my family.

(p.s. If mom and dad ever get a new table, I've got dibs on the one that's there now! :)