Afternoon Tea

A few weeks ago, I was encouraged to consider that a pause in the middle of our afternoon to stop, connect and sip a cup of tea (or coffee if needed) can be a sort of anchor in our day to recenter and just breath, and as Sally says,

An aaaaahhhhhhhhh moment to save the day.

I decided that an "ahhhhhh moment" is just what this home needs most days and I implemented afternoon tea.  After nap time it is so easy to continue on with whatever I am accomplishing in the hour and a half the house is quiet and children are snug on their beds. So, having a daily tea time causes me to pause and remember to engage my children; to let them know that I missed them during the time we were apart.  I've discovered these few moments really do save those difficult hours between nap time and Papa coming home.  You know those crazy hours? 

We aren't all tea drinkers yet so it normally entails hot cocoa for Addy, water for Anna and tea for me, as well as a sweet of some sort--as simple as a bite of chocolate, or a warmed scone, muffin or cookie.

My favorite part of afternoon tea is that I really never, ever know who is going to show up until midway through our first sip or two.  Yesterday I discovered that I was in the presence of Sacajawea and Cinderella.  Apparently, Sacajawea (Addy) had given birth a few weeks earlier to Jean Baptiste and Cinderella (Anna) had just given birth to Moses earlier in the morning.  My conversation with Addy went something like this...

Did you know that Jean Baptiste is my son?

(Aha! I know who I'm sharing a cup of tea with!) Oh really?

Yes.  Charbonneau is at work. He won't be home until 8 o'clock. We don't eat until fourteen because God gave Charbonneau a long job. He gave me a short job so I can cook dinner.  He has to kill lots of animals before he can come home.

Oh really, what does Charbonneau do?


Well, I have things to shoot things and Charbonneau kills animals to make clothes.

Oh, you don't say?

Yes, I am going to show him the West mountains where I kill deer.  First, he must visit the Chicago mountains.  Actually he's never seen mountains. He's from Florida. 

(Out of character....Mama, are there mountains in FL? I responded "not really")  

Yes, he's never seen mountains only the Blue Angels.  But he works hard. I am going to the west mountains to kill a deer. I have an arrow.  Jean Baptiste is going to stay here. Ok, mama?

Oh, that would be wonderful.

Mama did you know that my name was Adaelle but now it is Sacajawea?  When I got married I changed it.

I must say, I cherish afternoon tea.  Some days it seems a hassle to get everything ready and I can't wait for the day when the girls will get tea ready themselves and we'll have a real conversation about real things.  But for now,  I want to savor each and every word.  Not forget one pause, a single inflection, to freeze time long enough to replay the conversation over and over again in my head, to engrave the words in my memory.

But they just keep chattering away and I can't stifle the laughter well enough. So I have to write it down.  For me, for her someday, but really for me.

And well, I guess for you too.

I came across this Robert Frost poem, as this week was the anniversary of his passing, and it perfectly sums my purpose in afternoon tea.  To hang up my hoe for a moment or two and chat with old friends like Addy & Anna and new friends like Sacajawea and Cinderella.

A Time to Talk

 When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don’t stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven’t hoed,
And shout from where I am "What is it?"
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.

And don't you know, you're welcome to join us for tea any afternoon? Just hang up your hoe and stop in for awhile...