Tea Parties at dinner

I can be all over the place...within minutes. Sometimes I painfully admit that I am just like my father. On time, annoyed at others lack of respect with my time, planner, and a life that follows protocol. Then, somewhere in the mists of it all I can't make a decision to save my life. Ideas and creativity running rampant. Worry about the smallest of details. Throw caution and Ellie's schedule to the wind.

Take last Tuesday for example.

I knew that I wanted to set up a tea party for Ellie's Big Sister Reveal. I found something similar on pinterest months ago. Well, then life happens. I have been sickly and super sleepy with this first trimester. My grandfather had a stroke and then passed two weeks after. Then it rained... rained for DAYS. I have never seen such a rainy summer. 

So last Tuesday, I decided today is the day and I want to post the images the following morning. With nothing put together leading up to the shoot, I was obviously a disaster. My two personalities collided. The one that had to have it done that night (perfectly I might add) and the one roaming around the house coming up with too many ideas and not enough time before picking up Ellie from school...By the time I actually got it all together, it was dinner time.

Yes people. Ellie was eating cookies and cupcakes right smack dab in the middle of dinner time. And she loved it. Half of me cringe knowing she wasn't eating her daily amount of veggie right on schedule. I even commented to Lyell afterward how disappointed I was at myself for forcing this tonight and messing up my little girls schedule. 

He said, Look, she is fine. She had fun. 

I laid in bed that night telling myself not to rush around so much and then I realized something. I literally work at a funeral home. I watch people say goodbye to their loved ones all day. I see families loose that piece that's been holding them together. I see families laughed at the funny memories that will never be forgotten. I watch them lean in for that last touch. I see  wives break down. I see men cry. I see Heros get lowered into the ground. I see moms bury part of their heart. 

People, I do that. Everyday. And I think that's the part of me that says...Yep, today is the day that we will have a tea party at dinner time. We will buy balloons. Dress up our teddy bears. We will not stay on schedule. We will be silly. And no, it does not have to look like a pinterest image.

Life is too short, too hard, too scary, too big, too important not to have tea parties at dinner. 

And I leave you with this gem...