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A Marriage Like a Waffle Iron

March, 2008

By Trish Berg

We love waffles in our family. Always have.

Years ago, Mike and I received a heart shaped waffle iron as wedding gift. I thought it was cute and romantic.

We spent our weekends making heart shaped waffles, dancing in the kitchen, and walking on the beach. Well, that's how I remember it anyway. Even if we didn't live near a beach, let a girl have her sweet memories, will ya?

A few years later, it broke.

By then, money was tight. We were expecting our first baby, so I purchased a cheap, silver, round waffle iron and hoped for the best.

We had three kids over the next six years, and spent just about every Saturday morning making waffles for breakfast with that silver waffle iron. It worked, but it got so hot on the outside I was constantly worried that one of the kids would burn their hands.

Mike and the girls used to put on their "waffle hats" to make the delicious treats. Mike's was his plaid hunting hat, and Hannah and Sydney had summer sun hats that they plunked on their heads every weekend as they helped Dad in the kitchen.

After about six years, that round waffle iron broke as well. Kerplunk. No more heat.

This time I purchased what I thought was a higher quality waffle iron. It was attractive. Shiny white on the outside, and it made larger square waffles, perfect for our growing family of six.

That waffle iron lasted about eight years. Last weekend, it broke as well, just when Mike had the batter ready to cook, our mouths were watering, and the syrup was waiting.

Mike called his mom and asked if we could borrow her waffle iron. One advantage of living down the hill from your parents is all the borrowing you get to do. Lawn mowers, salt, eggs, and waffle irons.

When Mike walked in the door, I thought he was joking. He came in with what looked like an ancient waffle iron, something you might see on the Antiques Road Show or at a garage sale for twenty five cents.

It was a rectangular, silver waffle iron, as old as the hills. The cords were all exposed in the back, and it had some rust on it as well.

But boy did it work great! It made four rectangular waffles, all perfectly crisp, with no sticking and scraping. Just the right size for our family. And it cooked them so fast, we didn't have to wait in line for more.

When I returned that waffle iron to mom and dad the next day, I joked with them about how old it looked. "Well, since it was a wedding gift, how old does that make us?" asked my father-in-law with a smirk.

I didn't answer. After all, summer is just around the bend we will definitely need that lawn mower of his.

But it did get me thinking.

I don't think they make waffle pans or marriages like they used to. These days, everything is just too disposable, easily broken and tossed out for a newer model.

And all we can hope for is a marriage that lasts like that old waffle iron. A marriage built sturdy and strong on the outside, producing love on the inside that is, well, delicious.

And dad - just so you know, that waffle iron makes you old enough to know the blessings you have and young enough to enjoy them.

Someday I want to be just like you.

© Trish Berg, 2006-
Trish Berg is author to The Great American Supper Swap, and Rattled - Surviving Your Baby's First Year without Losing Your Cool! She has been a guest ABC World News Tonight, Midday Connection, and The Harvest Show.
She is an internationally known speaker for ministries such as MOPS, Hearts at Home, and in Australia on Parenting Seminars Online. She has written for Today's Christian Woman, MOMSense, CBN.com and P31 WOMAN.
For more information, check out www.TrishBerg.com

Read Trish's Simplifying Motherhood column at C'Moms

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A Marriage Like a Waffle Iron