Wednesday Nights

Every Wednesday night here in Fitzville is spaghetti night. For the past 3 years or so, I get up early, and make a huge crockpot full of homemade sauce and meatballs. It started as just a couple of friends coming each week to dinner. Then a few more started to come, and then a few more. Now we have 5-6 people who come just about every week, and then a whole crowd that shows up occasionally. All our friends know the door is open that night, and there is always room at the table. some nights are quieter, some nights there will be 15 people or more squeezed in. We usually feed the kids a little earlier, and then the big people sit down. It always ends up in loud laughter around the table.

And some nights, if we are lucky... people will start to break out the instruments. This past Wednesday, our friend Ricardo stopped by with his fiddle, and before we knew it we had a full on jam session in the dining room. Our good friends Kate and Mike had come by as they are still awaiting a new oven, and Mike surprised us with some awesome piano playing. As they jumped right into a loud, raucus version of "Friend of the Devil" I wondered if any of the neighbors would call. No worries, there was plenty more meatballs and wine to give them too!

People are always shocked when they learn we do this. "You have 7 kids, and you have a big dinner party each week???" I know they think we are insane. But the truth is, Wednesday nights are what keep me sane. As tired as Fitz and I might be, whatever has gone on during the week, we never fail to start smiling sometime around Wednesday afternoon. It's our one night to put evrything else aside, and remember why we love this life. Whatever struggles life may throw our way, we have been incredibly blessed with some amazing friends. It's nice to be reminded of this every week.