Sad, maybe, or maybe not...

Gavin turned 11 this month.  11?  No way.  That just seems way off.  It's not.  My firstborn, my young man, my big kid is 11.  My kids get a birthday party with friends every other year.  At least that's how we've done it in the past.  Things may start to change. Either way, this year was Gavin's year to have a friend party.  He really wanted to have it at the bowling alley on base.  6 lanes, a whole room FULL of video game stations, pool tables, ping pong and air hockey.  Pretty much a boy's dream location.  Because I knew we'd have to transport all the guests (because we have base access and most don't), I told him he had to limit the number of guests to 6.   3 friends from church, 3 from school.  He chose carefully and selected only those boys who were really HIS friends. Not my friends, not kids of my friends, but his very own friends.

As the RSVPs trickled in, (and by trickled, I mean, we got 2) I started to realize that this could be a disaster.   I just started feeling like Gavin's big party year was going to be a sad disappointment.  I quickly brainstormed to see who we could invite last minute, but Gavin didn't want to add more kids because these were the boys he chose.  We ended up with three boys.  2 brothers from church and a friend from school.  They did bowling and games and had a fabulous time.  I am so grateful they came.  So very grateful.  It could have been sad and disappointing, but I think it was ok.  Next time, I'll let him invite 10 friends.  Then when 5 show up, it will be great.