From Tiffany to Corelle

When Reid and I married, we lived the dream.  I registered for china dishes, everyday dishes, and even Christmas dishes.  I wanted to be able to set the table with the dishes that suited the occasion.  We were blessed with many wedding gifts filling our china cabinet with 10 place settings of our china.  Each place setting cost over $100!  As I said, we were blessed.  Our china pattern, Tiffany Weave, was beautiful.  Crisp, white, elegant.

On into married life, one son, two sons, three sons, four sons later... I noticed that I rarely used my China. It sparkled in the cabinet, but didn't sit on the table often.  There were a few special occasions when we would enjoy eating on the white plates.  Anniversaries, special "just because" nights, etc...  It was memorable for our family to dawn the china for a special meal every now and then.  However, these special meals did not happen often.  Actually, they were very rare.

  Our everyday pattern was Portmerion Pomona.  They were lovely.  Different fruits painted on the plates brightened my kitchen.  At one point I needed surgery while we were without insurance so our everyday dishes were sold to pay for the medical procedure.  They were replaced with a set from a church yard sale.   My new "plain" dishes were not as pretty, but they certainly were as functional.  :-)  Thankfully, because we sold the dishes (and some other things) no debt was incurred from the medical bills.  :-)

Now, here I am again.  Selling dishes for something more important.  A sweet couple, Dorothy and Nathan, helped list our Tiffany china on Ebay to help us sell it.  Now, it is gone.  Sadly, we did not make very much money on it - less than 10% of the current selling price for this pattern.  (It's a little harder to part with some of the sentimental things when no one sees the value I seem to see in it.  Sigh...)

So, I've been shopping for another set of dishes.  Ones to use in Africa.  Ones I can pack in a suitcase without fear of breakage.  Ones that we can afford.

Are you ready for a laugh?

I've been searching for dishes.  Corelle in fact.  They are durable and should be more study in travel than ceramic.  Where am I shopping?  Goodwill, AMVets Thrift Store, KARM Thrift Store, Etc...  Within my budget are the dishes priced between $.10 - $1.00 per piece.

I've finally found a set of Corelle dishes.  An entire set!  Guess what pattern?

Christmas Holly!  Our dishes in Africa will be Christmas Holly!  Isn't that hilarious?  Oh, the irony!

Because the entire Christmas set of 6 will not meet the needs of our large family, we have other Corelle dishes as well.   The rest remind me of the 80's with peach and blue trim around two ducks in the middle of the plate.  A few are blue and mauve with country motif.  Oh my!

Can you believe I've gone from Tiffany china to Corelle around our table?  God has a sense of humor doesn't He?  I'm glad I do too. 

We can celebrate the joy of Christmas, well, everyday!

Come see us in Ghana.  You are welcome for Christmas dinner anytime!

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him."

Psalm 34:8