Full House beats a Pair

As I was playing Texas Hold 'Em last night with Little Johnny Card Shark, Taylor, Flannery, and Ryan, a theme became apparent. I was clearly cleaning their clocks by frequently drawing a full house (three of a kind and a pair). As I sat smitten with my ever-growing, colorful stacks of poker chips, it occurred to me that this impromptu gin and tonic, card playing group was just that...a full house. Flannery and Ryan have been visiting since Tuesday, and Taylor has been here since Wednesday (his girlfriend, Racquel, is in So Cal, visiting her family).

It's been so fun having them all here! Endless loads of laundry (why would you visit your mom and arrive without every single dirty towel, sheet, and stitch of clothing?), food shopping, cooking, trips to Bev Mo! , more food shopping, late night and early morning chats, witty banter interjected by all (even during serious conversations about jobs, school, relocating, money, parenthood, adoption, choosing to not be a parent, politics, immigration, the economy), and just hanging out. We miss Meggie, terribly, but have had great fun thinking of names for the baby (serious and silly...so silly, in fact, I can't even put them in print).

It's been so very fun. I will miss them when they leave. I forgot how much pleasure I get out of seeing everyone around the table, enjoying a meal, waiting to see how long it will take for Flannery to get the giggles (I mean really get the giggles), and how long it will take before Taylor rears back in his chair, and waits for me to say the "mom" thing about cracking his head open if he loses his balance and falls backward, or ruining the chair by doing the whole "rearing back" thing that he loves to do and secretly, I think, loves to do just so he can see and hear me get steamed.

Yep. Full House beats a Pair, hands down.