One of my best friends has a four month old baby, and because of life happening all around us, it had been WAY TOO LONG since we'd had a chance to just sit and talk. This is my favorite way of catching up, by the way, spending quality time with people I love. My love languages are quality time and physical touch. We made these plans at church on Sunday, to get together this week and spend an afternoon together, but I was inspired yesterday morning and went a little above what I had thought I would do.
First off, I had some chicken tortilla soup I had made, and there was still a lot of it leftover, so I took all of it to her house. We each ate a bowl, and I left the rest with her so her hubby could try it, and I just happened to have a copy of the recipe in my purse to give her. (I had printed it for someone else, but when she mentioned wanting the recipe, I gave her that one and will print another one for the person it was intended for.) I also took some chai tea I got from Trader Joe's last weekend with me, because it tastes like Christmas in a cup.
After we ate lunch, she put in White Christmas to play in the background while we talked. Her sweet baby was playing right near us and lasted for a while before she needed a nap. Almost as soon as Everly went down for her nap, we decided to paint our fingernails. I had taken my container with all of my Fall/Winter colors of nail polish with me. (I had a huge shopping bag, actually, filled with that box of polish, a ladel, the tea, my own little cup because it's insulated, and a couple of little gifts for my friend.) Our nails dried, the movie ended, and the baby woke up. I left soon after that. I took this picture while she was changing the baby's diaper.
I only share all that to encourage you to think of your own ways you can do something similar with a girlfriend. Maybe one of my ideas will inspire you to make up your own cozy afternoon. It doesn't have to cost a dime. I think hospitality is a real gift for some people, and you just may have it yourself. I love giving things away that I love, things like books, so I took her my favorite Christmas series of books yesterday. I will never re-read them, and I am not super attached to most things I have laying around, so why wouldn't I share? I wrapped them with a red bow, and stuck them in a little basket.
Also, it was the easiest for us to be at her house, because of the baby. I went over in my comfiest of clothes (yoga pants and my favorite twenty year old GAP sweatshirt and fuzzy slippers), and she was cozy and comfy as well. I think that we have to adapt around the friends we have, and that we should meet them wherever they are, or wherever it's easiest for them.
I also love to have dinner out with my girlfriends. I have learned the art of eating really cheap. I almost always order only water to drink, and I really like to eat Mexican, because it's inexpensive, and the chips and salsa are always kept flowing. Lunch is another great option, because it's even less expensive at that time of day, especially if it's Monday through Friday.
I have also had friends over when the hubby was away. I'll make something for dinner, and we will eat, then watch a movie together. I don't like to watch new to me movies during this time, because I like to also talk to my friends. I have done this version by going to a friend's house. I'll take my own dinner (leftovers or a pizza from Little Ceasar's), we will eat and then watch a movie. I have met friends at our church and we've eaten our own lunches from home together to talk about a book we were eating, and I have gone to someone else's house for a book club night and taken dishes to share for dinner.
There are a million creative ways to be with your friends, and you don't even have to spend money. Figure out what works best, and make this your own. In my opinion, a home is so much more inviting than a cold restaurant where the food is overpriced and not even that great. I just think it's that hospitality thing in me, I love having people over, and I love going to other's houses. If I go to someone's house, I always make sure and clean up after, as much as I can, from the time we've had together. I've heard this said so many times, but I'll say it here, too: be a considerate guest. I will also say this, because of the season we're currently in: practice humility. This is not the time to make the holidays all about ourselves. I say this because of all the family gatherings that are just around the corner.
I think of the verse Romans 12:18, and I love how the ESV translation says it:
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
If someone really needs to have things their way, I am never going to fight over that. If it needs to be a certain day, or a certain time, I will always give in to them, because of the reminder of Romans 12:18, and because even this can be another example of hospitality.
You could also host a dinner, or a brunch for friends, you could host a desserts only party and have everyone bring something, you could do a recipe exchange with friends and provide a few of your own, or you could do a gift exchange along those same lines. There are so many options! I hope all of this will help you think of ways to meet up with friends, and to think outside of the box.
Now for part two of this post, today is the birthday of someone so very special to us: my stepdad (also known as Big Daddy)! We were going to celebrate him tonight, but we postponed it a night because of circumstances out of our control. So, Bill, if you are reading this (and I know you are), we love you so much, and we thank God for you! Thanks for being the best of the best, and also, thank you for being so understanding about our need to postpone your special dinner by one night. I'll make it worth your while with a delicious dinner tomorrow night.
We have a million memories with Big Daddy at the front and center of them, but this trip goes down as my all time favorite memory ever. We had traveled to Eureka Springs for a wedding when the boys were little, and we will NEVER forget that fun and memorable trip.
Graham was ten, Drew was nine, and Jonah and Noah were six.
Drew was smiling in this picture, but this was the day he almost fell down a mountain. I kid you not, they were doing some exploring at a park we were at, and the hill was a lot more steep than he had thought, and he had to grab a tree as he was stumbling his way down the hill. I was screaming, Todd was screaming, Drew was screaming, "ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh", and then finally he stopped himself.
They were cute, weren't they? They climbed this tower thing to look at the views.
The wedding was so much fun, and the boys used to actually get out on the dance floor and dance with anyone that would dance with them. Drew caught the garter the bride wore, and then proceeded to wear it on his head the rest of the night like a headband. Like I said, we have a million fun memories of things we've done with our families, but this particular weekend and trip will forever be in my top three favorite memories.
Happy Birthday, Bill! I am so thankful to the Lord for bringing you into our family. We appreciate you so much. RAWR!
For anyone still reading this, thanks for sticking with it today, and love to all.
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