How to Avoid Post-Party Depression

My letdown after a big party combines emotions: happiness, as I mentally review frozen-in-time, warm-fuzzy moments; nostalgia, as anticipation is absent and the fun behind me; relief, at others' apparent enjoyment of the celebration, and melancholy, which accompanies physical exhaustion. How do you avoid the seemingly unavoidable post-party low?

Maybe a look at my weekend will yield some clues. Every room in the house was occupied this past weekend.  Children and grandchildren filled the beds. The frig was stuffed to overflowing. Laughter and good conversation floated on the air.

Beginning on Thursday night, our immediate family arrived in birth order,  when our son, Stephen, his wife, and two adorable tykes arrived in the darkness.

 Then daughter number one, Anna, and her husband, Marcus, arrived about noon on Friday.

 Finally, that evening after the sun set, our baby, her husband, and their baby drove up from the Baltimore-Washington Airport.

About noon on Saturday, we all gathered under a pavilion with the extended clan. My mother commandeered this event so she could have all her grandchildren and great grandchildren together.

 She succeeded; except one grandson, Mark, was missing as he is on an archeological dig in Israel.

Seeing my sisters and brother was heart-warming.

The children and grandchildren had grown so much since we saw them last at a family wedding. We all caught up, took pictures, laughed, and ate.

On Sunday, our son and his little family left early to beat the Fourth-of-July traffic around DC. However,by midday, the rest of the humongous group congregated here.

My husband had manicured the lawn. I had cleaned the barn and arranged lawn furniture.  He had set up tables and chairs, and I had decorated. When everyone arrived, the work was worth it. Highlights included: lots of laughter, splashing in the pool, and lip-smacking as we consumed two gallons of homemade ice cream.

On Monday, both our daughters and their husbands drove away to resume their lives.

Farewell waves reflected two sentiments--happy memories and fatigue.  I came in the house, crawled into bed, and slept two hours!  Tuesday, I spent the day doing laundry.  I still need to remake all the beds. But oh, the happy memories do linger.

My solution for post-party depression: sleep and give thanks for the privilege of having a family to serve!