On the heels of last night’s family fest, we thought we would do it again tonight, and I was glad to be able to host dinner at my house tonight. We opted for some Dion’s pizza for dinner, if only because Dion’s is New Mexico’s pizza chain, and my cousin and her husband both said they wanted to get as much green chile as possible while in New Mexico. We got a large pepperoni, Italian sausage, and green chile pizza, and a small cheese pizza for the kids.

My folks and my cousin’s family came over, and then my sister’s husband and youngest son joined us, and we all took seats at two tables in the dining/entry area, and the talk was quiet. Naturally, as the host, I felt like I needed to do something to make sure everyone was having fun. There was no TV on with a show playing in the background, or music, so whatever exciting activity would commence in the evening were solely on us- and as the host I felt some of the weight of creating fun was on me. In a short time, I realized that the responsibility for fun was not on me. And with family around the room, I needed to recall that my work to create fun would be minimal with this crowd.

The pizza was enjoyed, and quiet chat expanded into light chatter by the time the food was done. I took the kids up to the cat room to visit the cats (under supervision, if only because one of the cats gets anxious with too many people around it), and after that, my mom and sis and cousin and the kids broke out a card game. Us guys were mellow and already sitting on the couch in front of the TV in the living room, so it was natural and acceptable for me to turn on the TV and let the Cubs play quietly in the background. The card game dissolved and my nephew Grant played hide and seek with Darci’s two young children while the gals continued another game amongst themselves.

It was nice to have all of my sister’s family appear for a while, and for my mom, who had been throwing up treacherously 24 hours ago, with us in energy and joy. The evening was light and warm and casual, and just how a last night of kin visiting town should be. Comfortable and intimate and without pressure or intensity. A celebration of presence.

We had just enough pizza, no kids were hurt in the process of hiding or seeking, no cats were let out of the house to find their demise somewhere in my neighborhood, and the Cubs won their first game of the 2017 campaign.

It was an enjoyable family time tonight, indeed.