Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Anticipation and Excitement Ahead!

Although I am not what one could term as being super active in my church or some groups and committees there, I do try to help out wherever and whenever I possibly can.

One thing that I am though is the Chairperson of our Social Ministry Committee and I do like the various things that group is responsible for providing for the parish.

One thing we as the Social Ministry group provides is a service to new parents within our church so it keeps us waiting for new birth announcements. This group is then responsible for the provision of two full meals to be delivered to the family of the new baby on the day the mother and baby come home from the hospital and then again, on their second day home from the hospital.

Recently, at our last meeting, it was decided that we would set up menus to be used as a standard for these meals and that we would break the menu up so that one person will fix the main dish, a second will provide a salad and rolls or bread and the third, will take care of fixing a dessert. We also set up a standard menu for the first day consisting of lasagne, salad and bread and a dessert. The second day's menu is for the person cooking the main entre to choose a meal with either chicken or ham and then the other items being fixed somewhat accordingly then.

Sometime next month, we will get a chance to put this new plan into effect as a young couple from our church are awaiting the birth of their first child -a boy -due in mid-June. The grandmother of this new baby is also our church organist and it will be the first grandchild for her and her husband as well as the first great-grandchild for the grandfather' Mom too. So, you can just imagine I bet the anticipation level at their homes waiting for this blessed event.

I have to recruit people to fix the items for the Day 2 menu and have them ready to do their thing as soon as we hear that the baby has arrived and getting this part set up shouldn't be that difficult as most everyone will jump at the chance for an excuse to go see a new baby and to extend congratulations to the parents, grandparents and great-grandma as will be the case here.

However, it just dawned on me the other day that I am the one responsible to prepare the lasagne for the first day meal and I also have a big day of my own coming up on June 14th too -a trip to Pittsburgh where I have not just one but three doctor appointments all lined up to take place that day. Plus, after those appointments, the likelihood that I will be having surgery very shortly thereafter is also looming on my horizon so I am just worried now that this baby may decide to pick be born just before I have those three appointments and that he and his Mama will come home that day -or worse, that he will arrive while I am in the hospital having or just recovering from major surgery.

In the event either of these situations comes to pass, I'm thinking now that I better get things set up so if I am not here, unable to do what I am slated to do or to get the word out to the others on the committee, that I have someone lined up to take my place and see to it -in my absence -that these meals all get prepared and delivered in a timely fashion.

This is something fairly new that we are doing in our church and I remember when Maya was born, as well as Kurtis too, that on those occasions, someone from this committee brought us a full meal for the entire family the day Mandy came home with Maya and the next day -same with Kurtis -and what a blessing it was not to have to worry about trying to get them both settled in adequately and trying to fix supper for the rest of the family at the same time -and keep in mind, that was a blessing to me and I wasn't even the new mother!!!

Just think for new parents -first-timers especially -how much appreciated it would be to have your meal delivered on those two days -both of which are really a huge, huge adjustment time for the new parents.

I love this program and what it offers to the family and also, the joy it brings to those of us in charge of preparing these meals for them too!

6 comments:

Sandee said...

Lasagna freezes well. Just a thought in case the two events are back to back. Now I'm hungry for lasagna. Go figure.

Have a terrific day. :)

Suldog said...

Jeni:

My apologies. I may not have been paying attention at some point in the recent past. What is the possible surgery for? Whatever the case, I just said a prayer for you.

CiCi said...

This is a lovely caring giving thoughtful gesture for committee members and I applaud you all for wanting to do this.

terri said...

After my youngest was born, some of the neighbors brought meals over for us, so we were set for most of a week. It is a wonderful gift for new parents!

Smalltown RN said...

What a lovely idea for your church to do that! When you mentioned that you might not be able to meet your obligation I thought well lasagne freezes well....that is something you could make ahead of time. Just a thought.

I never had anything like that. As a matter of fact when I came home with my first daughter I was entertaining my mom and her husband at the time who was very sick with cancer. Long story, but needless to say it was stressful.

I think that is a wonderful way to keep the congregation connected and to know that others are thinking about you and that you are all part of a family....the church.

I hope you manage to get someone to work on Day 2 menu. Keep me posted re all those appointments!

Hugs my friend!

Jocelyn said...

Ah, just when you get a sensical menu pinned down, you know you're going to get vegetarian parents and have to learn how to make falafel!

Good luck with your surgeries; freeze a bunch of lasagne for yourself, too, so you have it waiting.

I know I would have ADORED having people help us out each time we had a kid...