31 Days :: Say Yes

This week I said "yes" to hosting friends for dinner. On a weeknight. And I didn't cancel at the last minute because I "felt like I was coming down with something."
(I am ashamed to admit the number of times I have done this...)

I said yes, when I really wanted to say no. Having people over is a lot of work. I have to plan a menu, and sweep the floor, and make sure we have clean plates. And wine. And I really should finish decorating for fall so we can have a nice harvest-themed dinner and everything will be beautiful and cozy and perfect. If I do all this, I am sure our friends will go home and say to each other what a lovely time they had because the food was delicious and the wine paired perfectly, and above all else, I had a pumpkin centerpiece. Yes, I am aware of how ridiculous this sounds.

I really didn't think I would have time to pull off the dinner I was envisioning in my head, but we hadn't seen these friends in a month, despite living only a couple blocks away from each other.

So I said yes.

I made beef stew in the crock pot and threw together a salad and apple crisp when I got home for work. I didn't finish decorating for fall, but we had a beautiful bowl of end of the season tomatoes on the table, which was an equally lovely centerpiece. We miraculously had clean plates and enough cloth napkins to go around. Our friends brought wine, and we sat around the table talking long after the last of the apple crisp had been scraped from the dish.

Do you know what I said to my husband after our friends went home?

I had a lovely time. And I'm pretty sure they did too.

Even though I didn't get around to sweeping the floor.

Sometimes, I need to remind myself to not get caught up in the over planning.
Don't think, just do. Say yes.

Want to read more about 31 Days of Don't Think...Just Do? You can view the whole series here.