Somewhere around two months ago, I seem to recall C. asking me if R. and L. and their baby A. could stay with us while in Chicago. Sure, I said. When? Early March? No problem, I said. That's months away, I've got plenty of time to prepare, not a big deal.

Then I forgot all about it.

Fast forward to this past Monday. Wait--can I do that? Yes, it's my diary. Bear with me. Suddenly, it's Monday, two days before our guests' arrival, and it's just hitting me. FUCK! I have a lot to do before they get here! Cleaning and meal planning and--oh crap--our other friends will want to come over and hang out and and and I'll have to plan a dinner party. The color drains from my face as I make the list. Fuuuuuck. So much to do.

Somehow, it all gets done. How does it happen? Well, the kid watches a few more videos and I don't get to bed before midnight on Monday and Tuesday. I greet our guests already exhausted (a bad idea--imagine that!) but excited too. We have not seen them since I was seven months pregnant.

The next two days are a blur. The inevitable dinner party the night of our guests' arrival turns out fine. Okay, maybe I panicked a little when one of my side dishes wasn't even begun and guests were arriving, but thankfully everyone in our group is used to waiting for food. Also, our good friend S. (who was the minister at our wedding) stepped in and helped me in the kitchen. The menu was perfect. Guests brought some of the food, so it wasn't all on me. We had fancy cheese and crackers, a gorgeous roast beef (courtesy of Reverend S.), homemade baked beans and baked macaroni, a lovely salad, and a chocolate pie and a homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was a feast.

The only thing I was chagrined to realize was that I did not have enough of almost anything dish-wise, and what I did have was mismatched--plates, bowls, silverware, glasses...I was embarassed at the time, but now I am working on enjoying the charming inconsistency of it all.

By ten o'clock that night, nearly everyone was gone and I was off to BED.

Next morning we had pancakes and sat around the house, admiring each other's kids. Then L. and I went to IKEA while the menfolk watched the babes. That was fun. I kind of bonded with L. over amazingly cheap furniture and such.

Not much else worth reporting, really. They stayed another night and were gone by 9AM today. I am looking forward to going to bed early tonight, and tackling the weekend with gusto.

I am both happy and sad that they are gone.