How I Found My Village One Friday Night at a Time

When our son was just an infant, we started having dinner with a group of friends on Friday evenings. We’d generally go to a local family-friendly restaurant and spend about an hour and a half decompressing from the week and enjoying dinner together. It became something we all looked forward to because it was easy to grab dinner and then still get the kids in bed at a decent hour.

As our son got older {and baby brother came along}, we have managed to keep our Friday night tradition, though it looks a little different now. For the last two years, we have moved “Friday Night Dinner” into our home. Changing the venue from a restaurant to our home has added so much value to the evening. Our kids are able to run around outside if the weather is nice, make a mess of the playroom, or have a movie night. And while the kids play, the adults are able to have a drink and catch up while keeping a watchful eye on the children.

Finding Your People :: One Friday Night at a Time | Houston Moms Blog
Even Jose Altuve has made an appearance at Friday Night Dinner.

The idea is simple: gather at home and share a meal. It might sound old-fashioned, but that’s the whole idea. Step away from the hustle and bustle and step into community. However, what we have shared goes beyond dinner and play time. We are finding community with our friends. We have found our people, our tribe, one Friday night at a time. We are able to have more meaningful conversations when we are seated around my kitchen table, rather than at a loud and busy restaurant. I loved what this family started out of their home, and we’ve tried to model “Friday Night Meatballs” in our home.

There are weeks that we will go the convenient route and have dinner out. Sometimes, that’s just easier. But our favorite times are when we have our friends over and can really connect. The menu changes each time, depending on what we are in the mood for and what the weather is like. We have served everything from burgers to brisket to spaghetti & meatballs. Some weeks, we’ll even just order a pizza. It’s usually a paper plate kind of event, as we are no frills kind of people.

Friday Night Dinner isn’t stressful. We usually spend no more than an hour picking up the house before our friends arrive. We prepare as much food in advance as we can during the week so that Friday doesn’t have to be a mad dash to get everything ready. If we are relaxed and welcoming, our guests will follow suit and feel comfortable in our home. Each week, we extend an invitation, and everyone brings something like a dessert or a bottle of wine, or they bring nothing at all. There is no expectation, as the most important thing isn’t the food, but the fellowship.

Finding Your People :: One Friday Night at a Time | Houston Moms Blog
These are some of our people.

I challenge you to try it. Try meeting your neighbors. Try getting to know the people in your life in a more meaningful way than in formal settings like the workplace or worship. Invite others into your home and into your life. Find your people. Chances are, they are looking for you, too.

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Brittney F
Originally from Louisiana, Brittney has called Houston home for nearly all her life. Brittney graduated from Houston Baptist University where she was a member of Phi Mu and a four-year cheerleader. It didn’t take long after graduation for her to meet her husband Jeremy on the sand volleyball courts at Memorial Park. She jokes that when marrying Jeremy, she also married LSU because she tied the knot with the most passionate Tiger football fan. Many weekends in the fall, they can be found in the shadows of Tiger Stadium at their big family tailgating party. Brittney has a Master's Degree from LSU and works in secondary education as an administrator and a cheerleading coach. Brittney and Jeremy have three boys, Connor {Nov 2012}, Parker {Nov 2014}, and Ryan {May 2018}. Brittney is a big baby-making, food allergy fighting, NICU surviving mom. Though she grew up surrounded by hairbows, pom poms, and lots of pink, Brittney now embraces being a boy mom. She loves raising her three boys and learning all about superheroes, baseball, and the pain of stepping on a lego when barefoot. In her kid-free time she enjoys working on craft projects, getting lost in a good book, and watching Grey's Anatomy.

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