You see, there's a problem with having to come up with a title for each post. That is that some bloggers are kind of dorky and will come up with a series of post titles like, "Sophistication", "Justification", and "Aspiration". Or they just can't decide between two super clever titles, so they use them both. Today we've hit a low. I've done both in one post title. But you know what? I'll just bet I keep rolling out these awesome titles anyway. Oh well. They should offer a class, "naming blog posts 101".
But today's title isn't referring to my aspirations to some day be able to make good post titles! Oh no! I'm referring to the fact that we're having company this week and I don't know how to be a hostess. We have visitors SO rarely that I can only imagine what kind of hostess I'll be. Now we live in a house(ish) and have an entire apartment downstairs for visitors (and English classes when there are no visitors)! [Here's the part where you take a hint and decide to come visit us. But if you're going to, don't read on.] We are hoping people will come and stay with us more often. A few weekends ago we had our first visitor...but more about that later.
I have had the opportunity to stay with soooo many people and see all different styles of hostessing. There was a certain family living in Krakow who let us (me, Greg and 1 year old Ewelina)stay with them nearly every weekend and made us feel so at home. There's a family on the East coast who we visit all the time because I have never once felt in the way there, even when the house was full of 4-6 adults and 7-9 children for weeks at a time. Then there are those living on the other side of the country who go out of their way to make sure everything is as easy as possible for me and the kids, and who are willing to plan my entire vacations for me. I also remember staying with people who have a list of rules and are sure to let you know if you aren't following them. That's not very fun. BUT I'M AFRAID I'M ONE OF THOSE KIND!
So our visitor came (travelling MANY hours (12 each way, I think) across the entire country to spend about 24 hours with us and then go back!) on a Saturday evening. We had been sick all week and I hadn't been doing housework, plus the downstairs apartment hadn't been cleaned since we've never used it, so I had to clean that as well. Needless to say I was up to my ears in work. Then I start organizing the toys in the playroom and accidentally start to REALLY organize them (like weekend-long-project organize). By the time I finally finish that, I have about 1/2-1 hour to vacuum the entire house, do laundry, make dinner and clean the kitchen. He arrives while I'm vacuuming and the kitchen has stacks of dishes and the dinner isn't started. Then Greg starts showing him around the house and I realize (too late) that the kids beds weren't made and their pajamas were on the floor (which would have been remedied in 30 seconds if I had done the vacuuming upstairs like I meant to) In the end I ever-so-graciously suggest, wouldn't it be fun to have a late dinner? But you know what? We had a great time with him! We ate dinner (even though it had broccoli and he wasn't a fan) and had lots of fun looking at pictures of his family and video from the days he and Greg were roommates at BYU and were huge dorks. I thought later, that was so fun! Why was I so stressed earlier in the day trying to make everything exactly how I wanted it?
Why do I cringe at the thought of having house guests without everything having been vacuumed and scrubbed the very day they come? If I had tried to make sure everything was just at least tidy when he came, it would have been tons better. Why do I need people to think that I have a sparkly house? Why am I afraid of dirt? Why do I stick so stubbornly to my ideas of how something should be when it just stresses me out and makes me yell at my kids for no real reason?
I hope one day to get it together. My house looks clean enough, and I am able to sit down with the company and visit. I don't apologize over and over that the food didn't turn out or that I meant to do something or whatever. Just leave things as they are and enjoy the company!! Greg's parents and sister will be coming and staying for a few days. I'm writing this posts to encourage myself to be a little more like some of you guys. Thanks for your examples and hospitality!
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