7 Things I Learned From Having a Party – Part I

Yesterday I had a five women to my house for a Baked Potato and Dessert Bar. Here are few of my thoughts:

1. Run don’t walk to the phone or your computer and invite your friends to your home.

(flowers on the bathroom sink)

It was so much fun to laugh and talk with friends that I can’t urge you enough to take the plunge and have a party. If you’re reticent to have a full-blown gig, call it a gathering or a get together. Have one safe, comfortable friend over for coffee. But just do it.

2. You learn things that you never knew before.

I learned one of my friends from church is a diabetic – I didn’t know that. It was interesting to hear her personal story on how she found out and what she does to control it. I also thought this friend was rather quiet but she knew another one of my guests and boy, was I wrong.

3. People feel loved when you go the extra mile.

One of my guests commented on the table decorations as she walked into the kitchen and said, “awwww, that makes me feel loved.” Taking time to think through what I already had on hand and how I could craft my party made a difference.

I also sent home with the ladies a small six pack of flower plants that they got to pick out from a bunch of them. Spending under a dollar a piece and seeing their faces as I offered each of them one, was priceless. I think it made them feel very special and unique and that I was glad that they came.

4. It’s fun for others to share food with each other.

People like to share their individual family recipes. Their dish is part of them that they’re sharing.

5. Showing people around the house could have been embarrassing but instead it was freeing.

I invited a few women who hadn’t been to my house before so when they arrived, I gave them a quick tour. I hadn’t been upstairs in awhile and when I went up there with all of these women trailing behind me, I was rather shocked how messy our old playroom was. (My two older kids live upstairs and I don’t go up there because it makes me crazy…) Oh well…my comment to my blind friend was, “This room looks like a huge purse was dumped out all over. It wouldn’t be safe for any of us to walk through it.”

6. Don’t believe any lies in your head about why you shouldn’t have a party.

This is similiar to #1: I believe if we listen to lies, we won’t reach out to others and will stay isolated. We, human beings are meant for community.

7. That I’m planning a party for next month for all the homeschooling moms at the charter school.

I learned from this Blogathon that I had to openly commit to having a party or I would have never had one. So I’ve already FB’d my dear mama friends and am committing to another one. Boo-yah.

Tomorrow I’ll have Part 2 on what else I’ve learned from this special time.

I’m so excited that I’ll be having a book giveaway next week. So please stop by next week.

What have you learned from having friends or family over?