We were always hugely social -
And then we got married.
Suddenly, as much as I didn't think it would, we LIKE staying home. We ENJOY sitting on the couch (which we did plenty of BEFORE marriage). We sometimes bemoan obligations or things we've committed to - to the extent of asking the other if we HAVE to go (usually he asks me & I say yes, we HAVE to go).
I tell people married life isn't so different - except for my last name and new address. And he has throw pillows now. And clean clothes. And sheets. And dishes.
The weekend we got married, we had house guests. Everyone went home on Sunday with the exception of his brother & sister-in-law, who spent the night with us before they headed home on Monday. Since then, we've hosted no one. No one came for dinner, no one visited for the weekend... Our friends broke in to deliver a belated wedding gift (our new TV!) which was embarrassing because the house was still in transition - which they were all understanding & non-judgmental about (like good friends are).
Still, we hid out in our little haven of a home because it was cozy & our dogs never complain.
Until 2 weeks ago. The organization I work for was hosting the annual dinner & auction and my parents wanted to come and attend. "Sure! I'd love that!" was my initial response. Then I realized that meant they'd stay with us. In our home. Our home that has a guest room AND a guest bath. Both of which needed cleaning & organizing.
Fortunately, I had time to get it together. And I did. And it was actually wonderful - not a stressful visit where I worried about who would sleep where and for the first time, I could have guests and not give up my OWN bed!!
We had a blessed visit, a great weekend, and all I had to do when they left was wash the sheets because Easter weekend, Calvin's dad came through town and spent the night with us.
For what seems like the last 2 years or so, Calvin's dad Brian has been in & out of Dallas doctor offices dealing with his replacement knee. Every time he comes through town, he has to stay in a hotel. Now that he's finally got a good thing going with this knee, he's approaching retirement and beginning construction on their new home on a chunk of property in Missouri. He was going to drive through last night & today to spend the week at the property when Calvin suggested he stay with us. Since that hadn't been an option before, it was a welcome offer. I tidied the house and planned out our Easter meal.
The meal in itself was worthy of it's own blog entry, so I'll not go in to many details. I will, however, post a photo of my successful & delicious tenderloin:
We even ate dinner at the table! Brian was excited to see a peach cobbler on the stove for dessert. After, he told me I could spend the next 20 years or so perfecting it whenever he was around :)
Brian left this morning when Calvin went off to work. I have sheets to clean again since we have more house guests arriving Thursday!
In all this, I've realized what a blessing it is to have family to entertain. To have a home with a spare room, to be loved enough for people to want to visit. When I was growing up, I never understood why washing sheets, having food in the pantry, and keeping a tidy home was such a big deal. Now, I get it. I want our home to be the kind of place ready for friends to gather at any time. I want the bathroom to be clean, the kitchen to be tidy, and the living room to be free of clutter so we can invite people over after church if we want, or host guests any weekend at a moment's notice.
Calvin's mom & her husband will be with us this weekend so we can attend his granddad's 80th birthday party together. I'll be baking the cake and am looking forward to experimenting with more recipes.
The weekend after, his sister, brother-in-law, and our niece & nephew will spend Friday night with us. I'm sure the kids will be asleep by the time I roll in from the airport, but I'll get a few fun minutes with them Saturday morning before they leave.
Growing up & doing this whole "domestic" thing has definitely been an eye-opener. I thank my mom more often now for teaching me about laundry, cleaning, cooking, and entertaining. My husband thinks it's cute when he comes home to find me dirty, sweaty, and gross, cleaning our bathroom. He thinks it's cuter when I'm trying a new recipe and getting excited over how things taste in the process.
I never thought I'd be the woman who enjoys lighting candles and grocery shopping but here I sit, in domestic bliss. But the goddess part? I don't know about all that...
