A Simple Fire Pit

I have wished for a simple fire pit out in our backyard for some time now. I envisioned quiet evenings sitting outside with family, friends, neighbors eating marshmallows all the while listening to the crickets and watching the stars. It was a beautiful thought in my mind and so I kept harassing my dear husband (who already has more work to do than any one man should have) and even going so far as to include it on a Honey-Must-Do List that I created in (GASP) church!!! That list included 4 items that we both agreed on early in the summer needed to be accomplished this very summer. My simple fire pit made the list and I was PUMPED!!! The other three things on the list were not nearly as urgent in my humble opinion and since the simple fire pit was going to improve our quality of life by adding peacefulness, entertainment, and simple enjoyment it needed to be done ASAP.

So, my DH got himself up one Saturday in August and declared that the fire pit was going to be constructed that very day (imagine my excitement)! Now, I was envisioning him going into the fields and gathering large rocks and some smaller rocks for the bottom of the simple fire pit....DH had envisioned all along something entirely different (imagine my shock)!!! He got in the family SUV and headed to our local outdoor & landscaping retailer who also happens to be owned by our neighbor. I did not question the man because I did not want to jinx the very likely possibility that I might be the proud owner as early as that night of a simple fire pit. He called me minutes later declaring that he had found exactly what he thought would work in our yard. I prayed it was not a little metal thing....I wanted a thing with a more natural, camplike feel, but I kept quiet (so as not to jinx). He told me it would be done that very afternoon and we'd be enjoying the simple fire pit by that night (could it BE?!?!).

My man came home within just an hour and began putting the blocks/stones in place. He said it was much like doing Lego building....he was enjoying it! I was basking in the idea of quiet, peaceful, marshmallow roasting with my placid mellow children that evening. The result of my husband's hard work that day was stunning and I am still impressed that he did it in such a short amount of time (I think it took about 4 hours including the time to go to the retailer).

Last night we enjoyed our simple fire pit again. We use it nearly every weekend and most every Friday night. We were celebrating my sweet husband's birthday last night by the fire and I was remembering back to when we didn't have a simple fire pit and recalling how I envisioned quiet peaceful evenings by the fire sitting by the ones you hold dear watching the stars and listening to the crickets....and I had to laugh!!! Let me just share that the time spent with our crew of three lunatic boys by our "simple fire pit" is ANYTHING BUT PEACEFUL!!!! Chaos reins and children pump themselves silly with Hershey bars and marshmallows until they are a frenzy of wildness. They drive around on their battery powered 4 wheelers careening dangerously close to those of us sitting "peacefully around the simple fire pit" where we can barely hear each other talk. But as zoo-ish as it is I think to myself that healthy happy kids are what I have and what could make a mom any happier? Kids running around in the dark with their flashlights and hopped up on sugar.....that is what summer nights are all about and I hope that they'll remember these nights by the simple fire pit with fondness. I know I will.