Guest of Honor

We love having people over. I think it's a genetic thing because I can remember our family always having someone over when we were growing up, too. We love the visiting, the sharing, the playing, the fun! When the boys were smaller, they would always set an extra plate at the table for supper, "just in case someone comes." On Sunday mornings they almost always ask who is coming for lunch that day. I can see that it's becoming a normal thing for them to have guests at our table, and that makes me happy!

This is a picture of the most recent family that we had over for a fun time! Jorge and Nancy are both originally from Argentina, so during the meal we laughed and talked about all the things we had just experienced in Paraguay and compared the differences between the two South American countries. We had so much fun together.

One of the traditions that we also have in our family is something that was sort of inspired by my sister, Liz's family tradition of having a special birthday plate for the birthday person in their family. I always liked that idea, but since we didn't have a specific plate that said "Happy Birthday", I decided to improvise. Actually, I decided to not really do it for birthdays at all, but to have a Guest of Honor whenever we invite another family over for a meal. I tape a piece of paper with a star or a smile face on the bottom of the plate and then randomly set the table. We never know who is going to get to be the Guest of Honor because we don't know where the marked plate is set. (Ok. I confess. I always make sure that it is NOT where Fred or I sit, but the rest is totally random!)

Well, sweet Marsha was our Guest of Honor this time! Dylan tried to peek under the plates when he came to the table to sit down because he remembered this from the last time they were here and HE was the GOH, but it didn't work! Marsha won that honor! Marsha got to drink out of the wine glass that has gold stars all over it. She got to be served first. She got to have dessert first. And she got a little prize bag that she could take home. (I think that Nancy secretly wished that SHE would have been the Guest of Honor because there was a package of Pop Rocks in there and she ate almost the whole thing herself!)

I love this family tradition that we've established because it blesses someone else. The boys absolutely LOVE the excitement of wondering who is going to get the honor and then they just bubble over explaining what it means to the recipient. Every time we have someone coming, they ask if we're going to have a Guest of Honor again. We don't always do it, but usually when it's a family with kids we do because the excitement level is great. It's fun, it's a blessing, and it's definitely creating memories!

Speaking of family traditions, what are some traditions that your family had or has that are special to you? I encourage you to continue the ones that work because they will be wonderful memories for your family for years to come!