Party time!

We have been having a lot of parties at my house lately. I have never really been good at throwing parties. I agonize over every little detail, worry about the silliest things, and stress over the entire process, always thinking in the back of my mind- what if no one comes? I never enjoy the parties I host as much as the ones I am invited to at other people's houses. Thankfully, the parties I have been attending at my house lately have not been planned or hosted by me at all. My son has taken the initiative to arrange, from invitations and food to games and goodie bags, parties for all the stuffed animals in our house. He and his siblings each have beds overflowing with little stuffed friends and the parties have been in their honor and for their entertainment. I have been included, despite that fact that I no longer have many stuffed animals laying around, I guess so I don't feel left out.
Just yesterday I found an invitation on my bed to a costume party for all "stuffed things". The last party required a birthday gift for the stuffed animal of honor, this one requires a costume for all invited guests. I fully participated in the birthday party. I came with gift in hand (wrapped and everything), I played the games, nibbled on the plastic food, sang "happy birthday" to an inanimate stuffed lizard. I am only slightly embarrassed to say, it was the highlight of my week. Though I am a little uncertain about how I might dress the little "friend" I am borrowing from my daughter for the party, I am actually looking forward to the upcoming soiree as well. I can only imagine what the other guests will be wearing, what games we might play, and, most importantly, how nice it will be to spend the time with my children undistracted by the demands of my way-too-grown-up life.
What a joy it is to see them all getting along, to share in their fun, to be a kid again myself, if only for a half an hour. It is these moments that I pray I will look back on after they have all grown up and left home. I pray I will remember the rewards of being home with them all, even more so than the challenges and my inevitable mothering mistakes. I pray my children will remember these moments as well, and that recollections of our rough days and difficult times will be completely overshadowed by our many happy memories.