Sunday, August 31, 2008

Family Around the Firepit

The hot sun, the pool, the beach, dad's great barbeque, these are a few of the kids' favorite things about summer. However, the most favored thing that we all love the most is the firepit that we bought last summer. Throughout the summer, most of our dinners are cooked on the barbeque (Bobby Flay, we're ready for a throwdown), especially on the weekend. Those dinners usually end with other family members stopping by for coffee and a sit around the firepit. This summer we have been able to really get the fire roaring. The grown-ups sit around the fire and the kids run around the backyard either catching fireflies or having running races. As the fire dies down to embers, we bring out the marshmallows and the kids roast them over the embers- yum! Of all of the ups and downs that we have had throughout this summer, our pow-wows around the firepit have been probably the best part of the summer. The warmth of the fire, the coffee in paper cups, and the light conversation bring us together as a family. These are the times that make memories for the kids. Just like I always remember how special my mom always made my birthday, my kids will have joyous memories of summers with their cousins running around the backyard and roasting marshmallows around the firepit. I bought the firepit because I liked the way it looked. I really had no idea the impact that it would make on my kid's memories of summer in their childhood. Tomorrow, my husband and I will clean it out of all its soot and ash and put the cover on it. It will not be lit again until next summer. As I lay here tonight ready to go to sleep, I am filled with abundance of love of family and am grateful that some of our most precious moments are spent around that firepit. It is sad to cover it up for the season, but I look forward to many more summer evenings sitting around the firepit.
Today's affirmation reads: "I trust in my inner wisdom. As I go about my daily affairs, I listen to my own guidance. My intuition is always on my side. I trust it to be there at all times. I am safe."
I had great intuition in purchasing that firepit! Eventhough I liked the way it looked, I somehow I knew that this item would be something special for us as a family. I listened to my own guidance and I trust that it will be there with me in many other experiences that life will bring to me.
What is your favorite summer memory? How did it impact your family relationships?

2 comments:

Rev. Julieanne Paige, O.M.C. said...

Hi Maureen :)

We used to do the same thing. we didn't have a firepit but we love to bbq in Australia. Most nights if not every night we would be sitting out the back and friends and family would pop in and we would have a game of cards, or monopoly or a good sing song with the guitar. They are the great memories of summer I have at home with my family.

Childhood memories of summer? I used to love going fishing or having a picnic at the beach for dinner. It gets so hot that there is nothing better than a night time swim to cool you off.

Julieanne

Suzi said...

Maureen,
I relate to your entry in a few ways…every Sunday night ( for about the past 7 years) we have a big Sunday dinner with between 15 and 20..the same few families but there are always extras being invited…in the summer that number bumps up to and average of 25. We start off outside the kids have a wiffle ball game them we all squeeze around the table for dinner…..its crazy but great! As the summer winds down and the kids start returning to college the numbers dwindle. Last night ( holiday weekends we do dinner on the Monday) it was just 13., there was no ball game, plenty of arm room at the table. And you could hear everyone speak….talk about change.
I too will miss the summer nights and can’t wait till everyone is home again and my house is a buzz of activities…untill then…with a heavy heart ( our youngest just started college as well) I will embrace the changing seasons…both mine and the environments… feel gratitude for who and where my children and understand that missing them is a small price to pay for that.
Good luck at school!
Suzi