Week 29: Togetherness
The joy of family and a juicy steak…
Each Sunday, my wife and I prepare, cook and eat a meal together — intentionally. Every Friday, I’ll be sharing our experience here in this space. I want to see the growth that will come in our marriage because of this. I hope you enjoy our story. You can find last week’s post here.
If you’ve read Cooking With Sarah for any period of time, first let me say thank you. Sarah and I appreciate you so much! You’ll also understand how important Sarah’s parents (Dale Susan Schoettle) are to us. We made Cajun Foil Packets for lunch at their house, we celebrated together on June 5 (when Sarah and her mom share a birthday) and we couldn’t have made Creamy Chicken Carbonara without them.
This week, we found ourselves at their house once again. For some reason, we had gone months without making the trek up there. Thankfully, we had rectified that by coming up in consecutive weeks.
I always wonder about this stigma there seems to be about going to your in-laws’ house. It’s a shame more people can’t have the experience I’ve had. There’s something peaceful about being with Sarah’s parents. We were having another relaxing day in Michigan when we decided that we’d cook together for dinner. We tossed around a few ideas until Sarah’s father came in with the winner.
“Let’s have steak!”
I didn’t need any further convincing. Sarah started getting the potatoes ready, Mom prepared the corn, and Dad and I went out to the grill for some manly cooking. Well, he did all the cooking. I just learned from the master.
As I stood there, the Michigan sunlight bathing the yard in golden rays, I felt content. It was a beautiful day, I was with my family, and we were about to eat a fantastic meal. What more can you ask for? Especially when this is on the menu!
Once Dad finished grilling, I at least did my part by carrying the steaks in on a plate. Hey, at least I did something! While we were displaying the wealth of our manliness, Sarah and her Mom were busy preparing the rest of the meal, and…mmmmmmm! That’s all I have to say.
We laughed and shared a meal together around the table. The same table Sarah grew up eating around. The stories that table could tell! Our steak dinner was the latest of its greatest hits.
After dinner, Sarah was the one to come up with the great idea this time. We needed dessert. You all already know about Sarah’s famous Strawberry Dump Cake. This time, she decided to add a twist — use apples instead of strawberries. It was…well, just see for yourself.
Yeah, be jealous.
With a scoop of ice cream, it was the perfect treat to top off our day. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate relaxing weekends. This weekend had been a breath of fresh air. It was a relaxing time with Sarah’s parents. My stomach was full, but my heart was filled even more.
As we drove home through the Michigan countryside, the last of those golden rays were shining out over the horizon. It was one of those days you didn’t want to end. But, at long last, we pulled into our apartment complex and came home.
Good food is enjoyed for a while, but digestion takes care of that. The good memories, though? Those last forever.
