A Road Less Travelled

Yesterday felt like a busy day. I am not sure if we were actually busy, but it felt slightly hectic for most of the day. We were having a family over for dinner and we were cleaning the house, cooking and trying to figure out how to squeeze eleven other people into this shoebox we lovingly call home.

The MacDonalds (this family of eleven)  moved here from Texas a few weeks ago for several reasons foremost of which is so that Mr. MacDonald can pastor a church here. We are going to be joining this church and so the elders were coming over last night to talk to us about us.  The plan grew to include the entire MacDonald family (minus the eldest son who is still in Texas) coming over for dinner. So we were scurrying around the house cleaning and I went scurrying over to the Lansberry house to borrow plates and chairs and a table. Around three we get a phone call from Seth. I had a lot of fun listening to Crystal’s side of the conversation. It went something like- “Hi. Okay. What? Really? Oh, yeah, I guess. Well, okay. Do the MacDonalds know? Alright. Okay, then.” Somehow in the middle of this riveting conversation I managed to figure out what was going on. The plan had changed now to us, the MacDonalds, the Lansberrys and the Evans (Mr. of whom is also an elder in the church) meeting for dinner at the Samaritan building. After I got over the whiplash I was rather pleased with this scheme. This way we wouldn’t have to squish into the Apartments and everyone would be a lot more comfortable. We finished up our food, I ran to the store and we loaded everything and everyone up and headed off.

It was a very pleasant dinner. When we got there the Evans had already gotten tables set up and were working on putting plates, cups and silverware out. The MacDonalds came and Crystal welcomed them into our home.  The Lansberrys decided not to come at the last minute because Theresa was just too tired. After dinner we made the mothers sit down and I blinked once and most of the cleanup was done. We went down to the family lounge and the younger children ran around and played and the older to grown children played ping pong. The third elder arrived and they and Seth and Crystal went into another room to talk and after I put Justice down to sleep in his Pack n’ Play (God’s second greatest gift to man) I joined them. We didn’t leave until about ten, but I didn’t feel horribly tired. I felt a little physically tired, but emotionally I felt fine. Between three families there were twenty-eight people there, but it didn’t actually feel like a large crowd. I don’t know if that is a commentary on me or the people who were there.

I am very glad dinner ended up the way it did. I got to sit and eat with people I haven’t eaten with often (though that will probably change), the children had a chance to run around and play and our house got cleaned up very nicely. I would say that dinner last night was an all-around good thing.