For many the heart of the home is the kitchen. It seems to be a hub of all kinds of activity. Meals are prepared and conversations are shared. Because it was the only place in our house without carpet, it was the perfect terrain for my children to scoot around on their riding toys when they were young or to have match box car races. The cupboards have proved to be an excellent resource of entertainment for them with spoons and pans serving as drum sets and cookie cutters providing the perfect tools for play dough creativity. Not only have “cooking” lessons taken place but also a variety of crafting projects like crayon and candle making, egg painting, and many more. We do most of our science experiments in there and I’m not just talking about those lost leftovers found in the back of the fridge-lol.

Over the years, the floor has been replaced, we have re-painted and re-decorated the cabinets and walls and we’ve had to replace all our appliances. My countertops are worn from years of making sandwiches and baking cookies. My cabinet doors are often reveal fingerprints and splatters. Crumbs show up in the strangest places even after the counters have been scrubbed. Despite these physical changes, one thing remains; our gratitude for a place to share not only food but also fellowship. Our kitchen is the heart of our home.

I am linking up with Garden of Learning’s Gratitude Challenge and Teaching Good Things 30 Days of Gratitude.