big party day

Today is the celebration of Paul's parents' 60th wedding anniversary. That is a long, long, time to be married. They live a few towns over, in the summer that is, winter is for Florida. Anyway, they are having the party in their yard, with tents, catered. Paul has one sister and 3 brothers, and they have 1 or 2 children each. And my mother-in-law has lots and lots of friends. I'm not so sure about Grampa, but I love him. He is a truly nice man. A sit on the porch and pass the time of day, easy to talk to man....

Anyway, with all the brilliantly beautiful weather we have been having, it's a bummer to have a rainy day for their party. Hurricane remnants, I guess....

I want my kids to behave today. I don't want anyone to throw a fit, or bite someone, or pull hair, or throw food, or announce they hate something or other on their plate. I don't want them to spill their drinks, or wipe their hands on their clothes or their mouths on their sleeves.....or burp loudly at the table, or worse. I don't want Camille to do a gross spit-up, or a superpoop, complete with leakage.....I don't want anyone to pee their pants, or have gross noses....I don't want them to cling to me, or be whiny... I don't want the older kids to be disrespectful, or sit there with their MP3 players on, or be mopey......or hoggy, or appear blatently bored.....so basically, I guess I need to hire a group of professional actors for the day......

Actually, some of my older ones are dreading this party. Because they know people will be commenting on them, and looking at them....but so what? Anyway, this has been the basis for some pretty funny dialogue here this summer....they want to go dressed as bums, they want to go dressed in costume....they want me to wear the hideous huge orange t-shirt that Joseph put in my cart a few years ago in Wal-mart, and I unknowingly purchased, and now wear every once in a while just to punish him, and all the other kids that think it's so funny....(I had it on the other day, and they were asking me if I was wearing it to the party, and I said "of course, I just need to get some pizza sauce on it first..")....I guess the older kids have a love/hate thing about being in a large family: they love each other, and have so much fun, you just wouldn't believe it....example: last night, they made home-popped popcorn for the first time (I usually do it....), then sat around in a circle, 7 or 8 of them, on the living room floor, and talked, fooled around, and ate popcorn.....then they watched "My Best Friend's Wedding", and laughed at the huge phones....(it is a stupid movie)....anyway, the part they hate about being in a huge family: the assumptions that they have no life, just live to help with the little ones, that we are so organized, that we are like Mennonites....see, these kids get teased on the bus....(I wonder why, with 9 getting on and off each day)....they get called The Brady Bunch....see, teenagers like to be different.....they like to be individuals....and to be thought of in a lump, is hard for them....but I say: deal with it. Bless Gramma and Grampa, go to the party, behave, be nice, be polite, and deal with it. When people fuss and comment, they are not being rude. Just curious. I myself realize that God has trememdously blessed us, and try to make sure that people understand that these kids are from Him, and good (if they're being good!) because of Him....

By nature, I am the kind of person who likes to just blend in. When I am by myself, or just with one or two of the kids, I am the lady nobody looks twice at. Just a lady in birkenstocks. Which is fine with me. Heck, when there's only one or two, they can even fool around in the store, run around a bit, and no one seems to notice. But bring 4, 5, 6, 10, or 14 , or perchance all of them somewhere, and uh-oh, everyone is looking. Especially when 4, 5, 6, or all of them start fooling around.......and I say, "Do you WANT everyone to stare at us?"..


Anyway, here I sit, on a cloudy, rainy Saturday morning......all of the little ones are rolling around the floor with Camille....the tv is not on.....I have to get moving......Paul and all the big kids are sleeping in......what shall we wear to the party? Do I dare put the little girls in their matching dresses? And Joseph is NOT wearing his skull t-shirt.....