Monday Musings

What a weekend it's been! Again!

Starting Friday when I found out I was the Ultimate Shrinkvivor, the last three days have been a whirlwind of activity and emotional highs! For the rest of the day after I viewed the Results Vlog, I was pretty worthless as far as getting anything done. My biggest priority was trying to find a way to most effectively thank the many people that supported me. My other priority was talking on the phone and reading emails and almost swooning over the seemingly impossible win. If you haven't seen the list of prizes, go here. Can you believe it? I really can't yet either!

Adding to my emotional giddiness, Eli's baptism was scheduled for Sunday and several family members would be in town and staying with us. Dave, one of my identical twin sons, and his wife Patty, along with their four amazing children were driving in from Burke, Virginia a suburb of Washington DC.

Amy, our second daughter and her two youngest were heading in from Belleville MI with her older daughter and two grandsons. Oh happy day! We were going to have a houseful of people again!

For the last three Christmases, our family has rented a large house along with guest cottages in Beachwalk here in Michigan City. We just became too large for our very modest five bedroom (worst of all one bathroom) house to accommodate everybody. Because of that it's been a long time since our house was filled with the happy, chaotic bustle of a large number of houseguests. Occasionally, we might have two families here at a time but never three. And finally, this weekend, we had fourteen people overnight. One bathroom is a challenge for so many but just as we had to do when our kids were all home, the bathroom is for showers and bathroom necessities. Hair drying, styling, and make-up can all be accomplished in bright, well-lit bedrooms.

I had forgotten how much I loved having a large group here. With air mattresses and sleeping bags, we can make a lot of room but that large air mattress better be deflated and put away as soon as possible so that the playroom can be a playroom again. Otherwise all those toys and books are going to be all over the place. I love how everybody pitches in for meals and the only drawback about the whole situation was that it didn't last long enough.

Saturday night we had a late birthday party for Zachary.

who obviously wondered why he was getting a birthday party over four months late.

But then, decided to just roll with it and enjoy the bounty.

Then we had some preparations to do for the baptism on Sunday which was one of our excuses for staying up a little too late Saturday night; but thanks to setting our clocks back an hour, we were there in plenty of time.

Eli seemed eager to become the newest member of his church and cooperated flawlessly through the almost two hours that he was in church.

Just prior to the actual baptism, his new, loving Godmother makes the sign of the cross on his sweet forehead.

And he remained interested and cooperative throughout the ceremony.

He didn't even mind posing for pictures afterward.

All too soon the ceremony was over and everyone was in a joyous frame of mind.

The festivities continued at Beth & Brian's where they served a delicious luncheon and where Beth dressed Eli in this ridiculously cute shirt and tie which matched what his big brother, Noah, was wearing.

All too soon, everything came to a close. The visitors piled into their cars and headed for home and Mr. Right and I were, once again, watching our favorite shows on TV in a very quiet house ..... which in itself has it's own merits.

But my most overriding thought? I can't wait until Thanksgiving when we have a houseful of family again!!!