I Am Loved

I don't have any pictures to post--yet--of the shower...but it was so wonderful.  I was so busy visiting with friends and family that I didn't even have a chance to pull out my camera until we were saying goodbye to the last few family members to leave--and even then, I realized that I don't have any way of moving them from the camera to my computer (where is my computer-nerd husband when I really need him?).  My sister-in-law designated my niece to take a ton of pictures on my brother's camera, but they left for their vacation at the cabin right after the shower, so he didn't have a chance to get them to me either.  But I promise that I'll post them--eventually.

I'm so glad that I made the trip up here to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our Baby Girl with all of our friends and family!  It was definitely worth the trip to see so many people who have supported me through this journey.  I know that I am loved--but more importantly, I know that this Baby Girl is already loved.  As part of the shower, my sister-in-law organized for each guest to be able to decorate a plain white onsie, and there were a couple that simply said "I Am Loved"--and it's so entirely true!  There are so many people who share in loving, caring, and praying for this Baby Girl, and I'm glad that I got to share my joy with them.

We were adundantly blessed in the gift department.  In addition to gift cards and items purchased from our registry, we also received some very special and personalized gifts.  My grandmother made two quilts--and these just aren't your ordinary quilts!  Every year while I was growing up, she made me a dress for the first day of school and Easter, and a set of pajamas at Christmas.  About ten years ago, she made a beautiful quilt in a "flower basket" design, with each flower being made out the leftovers from a former dress.  Little did I know that she had enough leftovers to make baby quilts as well!  One of them also has the same backing as my flower basket quilt, so it's almost as if our Baby Girl has a miniature version of the one in our room.  They really are beautiful, and I'll share pictures once we get home.  And speaking of pictures--another woman is a photographer, and will be in our area to visit her parents in October, so she blessed us with a gift of a free newborn photoshoot, once our Baby Girl arrives.  And last but not least--part of the reason why I drove here was to bring back the cradle.  I knew that my dad's friend had made it, but since I was born in Southern California, and I remembered this man and his family from our days in Northern California, I just assumed that he had made it for my brothers, and not for me (which would still make it special--just not nearly as significant).  But I totally hadn't recognized that he had actually grown up with my dad, stood up as my dad's best man at the wedding, and had been insrumental in getting my dad to move to Northern California.  So the cradle had in fact been intended for me all along--thus increasing its significance!  And it's just absolutely beautiful!  (Again, I promise pictures.)

The shower was such a beautiful reminder of just how truly God has blessed me with so many wonderful women (and men) who love me and support me, and will love and support our Baby Girl as well.  It really was everything I had dreamed it to be--and even more.  I am so so so abundantly blessed!