Two weeks before Christmas and I never thought the weekend would end: Part One

The parTAY Friday night was awesome. I knew it would be. That's why I got up from my nap after about 15 seconds so I could hurry and get gussied up for my friends.

And now you're about to know the kind of parTAYing I do that involves getting the kids and husband shipped off to somewhere else and getting gussied up ...

... with the ladies from my church.

That's right. A bunch of church girls parTAY like nobody's business. Every year we have a Ladies Banquet with a special speaker and presents and food. We used to all bring our favorite foods, then we decided to stop catering and cleaning up our own party and started going out to eat.

It's like my New Year starts a month early. I'm never really in the Christmas spirit until we have our party. Five years ago we had it at a local apartment complex's clubhouse, and somehow it got advertised to the apartment complex's residents as a free ladies party. We were more than stunned when total strangers walked into the clubhouse, but thankfully we picked up our jaws quick enough to be gracious and welcoming. We had a great time, and I will never forget that!

Two years ago I filed for divorce the same day as the party. It was a coincidence - I happened to have the day off (just for the party) and he who shall not be named happened to confess his transgressions the previous weekend. I said goodbye to him, cried my tears. I needed my girlfriends that night in a bad way. But, I held my head high, got gussied up, and received the words that the special speaker had for us. I looked really great that night!

It was so satisfying though, to pull in my parking lot after the partay Friday and see Mr Lemon and the kiddos pulling in at the same time. They missed me. I missed them.

But a happy Momma is a happy home, and Momma needs her Christmas parTAY.