Here I am embarking on a bi-annual adventure - the extended family post-Christmas Christmas. When Mom & Dad moved out of their big house and into the retirement community, Danny and I took on the gathering, since we had the second-biggest house. At our old house, there was lots of room, but sound carried like crazy and I was constantly hushing people. 8 kids and 10 adults for 3 days, with an additional 4 for the big dinner and gift-giving extravaganza. Add to that my wonderful, creative, ADD husband cooking up a storm but not managing the clean-up, and lots of hurt feelings from the people I was asking to be quiet. Migraine central, no?
So we moved out of the big noisy house into a smaller, more compact one. And hosted the shindig again two years ago, two months after moving in. Danny and I killed ourselves unpacking enough to have company, and had the company with boxes still packed and no curtains up. Maybe not migraine central, but somewhere near it.
Last year we declined the big gathering, had a few people, inadvertently hurt some feelings. No Christmas migraines. This year we're trying again. One aunt and uncle on a Caribbean trip, one cousin in California and another in Georgia, we will be "only" 18 (including the 4 who live here). And "only" 14 of those staying in the house.
Am I completely nuts? There's a reason my Dad named me Nutmegan when I was small?
The good news is, the house is in good shape. Well unpacked and relatively organized. Even somewhat tidy! More good news - most of the kids are teens and keep themselves occupied, and even look after the toddlers most of the time. We have delegated a lot of the cooking and Danny and I are taking this afternoon to do some cooking ahead, so we shouldn't have a kitchen mob scene. I am committed to getting some alone time each day, taking naps if I need them and getting away from the crowd even if I don't think I need it.
Tomorrow is predicted to be an "8" on the aches and pains index. That's not such good news for me, but I'm trying to do all I can today, pacing myself, taking it slow and steady, so I can lay low tomorrow if I need to. When it's all over we'll decide if it was worth it. Wish me well!
- Nutmegan
