Sunday started the week with a visit to an intermediate school auditorium masquerading as a Catholic church to attend Grandson Matthew’s first communion. There were about 40 Firsters there and the place was packed with standing room only. There were no photos allowed of the actual ceremony that couldn’t be taken from your seat because it would be more distracting than the dozen or so parents escorting children with active bladders out to the restroom or the other handful rushing screaming toddlers out of earshot. Oh, well. Rules are rules and you take what you can get.
We bolted right after Matthew got his turn and rushed home to start the finishing touches on the elaborate Post-Communion family party. The rest of the day was a blur of food, conversation, food, more conversation and semi-organized chaos.
Wonderful Wife and Matthew’s mother outdid themselves as usual and the event was a success in my opinion. The large, well-appointed venue we have transformed our back yard into is getting put to its intended use, which was to allow large chunks of family to gather and have a good time. That makes the time, effort and money that went into it worthwhile.
I guess the point of this post is…family. We are fortunate to have a good one with a lot of people willing and able to get together and have a good time. More than a few are also willing and able to lend a hand with dishes, bagging leftovers, folding rental chairs and all the other post-party activities that become monumental to the hosts after a long day of eating, drinking and mingling. If you have never organized and put on a party for a large group of family or friends, I suggest you give it a go. You will either find it to be wonderful and worth the effort or it will be the only one you ever do. Either way, the experience is good to have with a few exceptions that involve the police and/or fire department attending and none of your friends or family are employed as first responders.