My Blessings Come As Two-fers

Tonight I was witness to a blessing, and what's more, I actually was aware of it.  That's two blessings in one, and I didn't even have a coupon for a buy-one-get-one-free blessing.

Wow.

Before I left work tonight I was informed we would be having The Boyfriend over for dinner.  Since The Boy was planning on hanging out with The Newbie and not eating dinner at home, that was fine.  It just meant we'd have to eat a little later than usual since The Girl had to work until 7.

No big deal.

Then, on the way home, I got a call from Hubster.  Plans had changed.  Now it seemed as though The Boy was bringing The Newbie home for dinner.  Not only that, but Pseudo Daughter was coming as well. 

In case you're a calculating person, the amount of people I had to feed had just increased by 100% (not counting me, of course).

I would not say there was joy in Muddville.  Or Kansas City, for that matter.

Instead, I grumped my way to the grocery store on the way home and picked up another bottle of Marsala, another package of farfalle, butter, and a side of who-do-they-think-they-ARE-anyway??? for good measure.  Just to be sure I had enough.

I called Hubster and had him slice up the chicken for the Chicken Marsala.  Then I drove home to meet the smiling faces of my family, who were anxiously waiting to be fed.

So I started dinner.

It really didn't take all that long to cook, and there was pleasant conversation all 'round.  It was fun listening to the girls talk about who did what and where since The Girl graduated, even if they were showing photos of pregnant girls and baby pictures of women who should still be in school.

Times have indeed changed.

Finally, dinner was ready.  The Newbie's family owns a little Italian restaurant in a small town north of here, but since they bought it from an Italian family it should come as no surprise that the father is Iranian.  The mother is American.  They both seem like wonderful people, and they've done a great job raising their daughter.  She is a joy to be around and seems to fit right in with our family.

Conversation tonight:  "The Boy may not be able to be here Sunday night for Family Game Night, so we may have to postpone it."  The Newbie:  "Why?  We don't need HIM to have fun!"

She's our kind of gal!

She'd never had chicken marsala before, but tried it tonight...and seemed to like it.  Afterward we went out into the back yard and roasted giant marshmallows to make into s'mores.  Everyone ended up with sticky hands and faces.  The Girl played campfire music on her PC the whole time we were out there and we laughed and talked and played and ate.  Then she changed the music and we ended up partnering up and dancing on the patio together by the light of the fire.

After our turn on the dance floor, Hubster and I sat on the swing and stared at the flames and the rest of the troops, wondering just exactly how it was we'd become so very blessed as to have an evening like that. 

Family - that's our blessing.  Being able to see it grow and mature together, watching all the little intricacies that make it what it is, knowing our kids trust us to be a part of all of it.

And realizing that's the best blessing of all.