37/365 Saturday there was a birthday party

We drove up 45 minutes East to take part in the celebration, and the boys had a blast. There were ton of kids to play with, a Little Einstein's Rocket Bounce House for the younger kids, bubbles for everyone, and just the general chaos of a lot of children running and playing and screaming and having a great time. And most important of all the 11 year old birthday boy spent the entire party with a big smile on his face.

Inside, away from the majority of the children and despite the crowd, there was discord between the hosts, with little barbs being thrown between the two while everyone pretended not to notice. Adding to the lovely atmosphere that created was a woman who constantly yelled at her 3 year old daughter for every move and breath the child took. Earlier I'd heard her sharing her self-delusions, exclaiming that if she only had more money she would love to have more children, maybe even 6 or 7! "I just LOVE children so much, and I'm so good with them!" Indeed!

When we arrived home my husband greeted us and thanked me for having taken the kids, which was unnecessary but nice. He'd had to sleep because of working nights, so he missed the fun, and he knows that there are time I can't do parties, and times that I can but it's a struggle. My social-phobia/anxiety waxes and wanes, and luckily it had been a very good day for me. And for some reason I can almost always handle something his family does. I think it's the constant chaos that helps, there is never any awkward silence, I don't even have to worry about being introduced to everyone because people just come and go and such formalities are tossed aside as if we all know each other anyway. I never have to worry about my kids behaving because it's pure madness. I just keep myself occupied taking crappy and not so crappy pictures, and then it's time to go.

Photo of the day, which has a long story behind it that can't be shared.