I Know What You're Thinking (or:Yes, I'm Crazy)

Okay.

So, I had this thought right before Christmas break.

I was thinking how sad it was that one of the ten-year-olds from ballet would be spending her break at home alone with her older brother while her mom worked, and I was thinking that it would be nice if I could have her over to our house at least once. Just to....you know....give her a change of environment.

Generally, speaking, I think about doing a lot of things, and then, I don't do them. I am the queen of good intentions, often getting caught up in stuff and forgetting that I want to have a friend over, host a paint ball party for the boys, make some banana bread for the neighbor, or (pick one of a million things that run through my mind on any given day).

So, I thought about having this little girl over, because I really like her mom and I really like the little girl. They moved here from China about six months before Cheeky arrived, and Hong/Mom has always been so sweet and loving to my daughter, always so helpful and kind.

Plus, Hong makes really, really, REALLY yummy spicy noodles.

I have good reason to know this, because Hong is a single parent. Both her kids are involved in activities and it is sometimes difficult for her to coordinate pickups and drop offs. Once in a great while she has honored me by allowing me to drive her daughter home from ballet while she picked her son up from swim team. This was after much begging on my part, Please, let me help you if you need it. You live five minutes from my house and I pass your place on my way home.

She didn't want to put me out, you see. She is that kind of person. But, a couple of times, she's really needed a ride for her daughter, so I drove her sweet girl home. The second time, I did this, I was rewarded with noodles.

Noodles.

Sigh.

Cheeky loves them. She would eat them morning, noon and night. The entire family loves them. Michelle's entire family loves them.

So, anyway, there I was at ballet, my belly rumbling for noodles that were out in my car, and I had this thought that I should invite Hong's daughter over during the break, and instead of doing my typical think and dismiss, I thought and did.

And, then my mouth...it just kept opening and I just kept doing.

Next thing I knew, I'd invited eight girls over to my house to make flowers to wear with their ballet buns. Invited them for the Wednesday after Christmas no less, AND invited several of their brothers to come hang out with my sons. 

At this point, you're probably thinking, "Shirlee, you are nuts. No woman in her right mind would EVER have a bunch of kids over to her house to make complicated hair pieces right after Christmas."

Obviously, you are right.

Obviously, I am nuts.

And that is exactly what I was thinking right around Monday of this week.

I mean, my house was in a state of chaos what with Christmas and deadlines and just pure laziness on my part. I was exhausted, too (probably for the same exact reasons). 

Plus, I had thought a lot about trying to make one of the hair pieces that I found online instructions for, but I hadn't even bought the supplies.

Tuesday, I spent quite a few hours buying materials and creating prototypes. I printed out patterns for the petals and cleaned my house. I thanked God for the fact that my dear friends Leticia and Susie (who is also going to be my jazz instructor come Tuesday of next week. Oh, yes, people, I'm taking jazz classes) had offered to come and help.

I woke yesterday morning absolutely certain that I had been an idiot for planning this thing. This get together. This meeting of the ballet girls and hanging out of the brothers.

Absolutely certain.

Then, the girls and brothers and moms began to arrive. My friend Michelle showed up with her ballet daughter Natalie...such a wonderful and happy surprise.

And, we all just went to work, tracing and cutting and enjoying these moments of friendship and laughter.

It's true, flowers were made.

And a few adult fingers were singed.

And pizza and noodles and cookies were eaten.

But even more true, even more lasting were the memories we made together. Me and my kids and their friends and my friends, all of us just enjoying the crazy zaniness of being in one place at one time doing this thing together.

At one point, one of the ladies said, "Memories are all we really have."

I think that she is just exactly right.