Pondering a Family Weekend as the New Year Begins

A weekend away with family used to mean such a different set of circumstances. With two children under three, venturing out to anyplace not your own babyproofed paradise is...a challenge. There is no relaxation lest your two year old break a precious snowglobe that belongs to your sister in law into a bazillion pieces while your ever gracious MIL attempts to pick up every last piece of glittered glass and your eight month old tries to eat glass fragments. This is only a slight exaggeration of one of the many mishaps that occured in a short three day weekend to visit Scott's sister and her family.

So I am left wondering what I can do to make my family more host friendly. Meaning, how can we become a more flexible family that is actually a pleasure to have as guests? Perhaps when the kids are older it will be easier. For now, I find myself completely slave to my rocking chair for nursing, a crib for containing Wyatt, two separate rooms for my children, a bathroom in our room, a thermostat I control, and the walls and door of our house as a buffer for the noise we create so I don't feel guilty.

That said, I have never encountered a more hospitable environment, especially considering our rude guesthood (I know it's not a word)...delicious meals that never ended, drinks and snacks abounding, clean towels and sheets at every turn, no chores, no dishes, and ever entertaining conversation, a lovely home full of laughter and excitement, beautiful clean air and views of horse pastures and open spaces. Thank you Sean, Julie, Sierra and Matthew for loving us just as we are (sorry about the snow globe). Thank you Grammie and Papa for helping us feel at ease and reminding us that this stage will end. (And we will probably miss it, let's be honest. :))

God is good. Blessings surround us. Peace be with us and with you as the new year begins.

-The Haners