Our friends Tara and John & Helen and Maurice gave us a couples shower at Helen and Maurice's house in Lawrenceville on Saturday. Tara and Helen are so sweet. They put on a wonderful party and I felt so honored and flattered that they wanted to do that for us.
We enjoyed sitting and talking with our friends who we hadn't seen for a few months and catching up on all the news. We also really enjoyed munching on all the good food that Tara and Helen had prepared. Opening gifts for baby Joey was a lot of fun. Seeing all the cute clothes and little things a baby will need or wear is amazing. Such small socks and shoes I just can't wait to be slipping these over his cute little feet, although I think there will be moments early on that I will want to take them right back off so I can marvel at his tiny little toes. We received so many cute outfits! This little boy is going to be very well dressed. We were also given some handy gifts and good advice that should really help in his care early on. We can't thank you enough.
Once we left the shower we went to James and Rhona's house to wish their children Matthew and Kathleen Happy Birthday as they were having their annual combined birthday party. It was a wonderful party for two great kids. It was houseful! There were lots of teens there, but James and Rhona are so inventive and creative they had it all under control. We enjoyed seeing the kids and catching a moment here and there to talk to James and Rhona but eventually we had to say goodbye and head back to Peachtree City.
When we got back to Jamie's parents house Christie was there and we got to spend a few minutes talking and catching up before we all crashed for the night.
Sunday was another big day. We had Warren's birthday to celebrate, another baby shower for Joey, and church to attend all making for one very full day.
We started off our day at the Peachtree City Church of Christ. It was a really nice morning. We enjoyed the church service and seeing lots of friends after the service was over. Then we headed to lunch with the family at a neat little Asian Bistro.
After a very short rest, went back to the church building for the second shower. There were already so many women there. I walked around saying hi for a couple minutes and hugging friends then having a look at the table that was set up with the finger foods and cake. Jamie's Aunt Janet made the cake that was so cute! She makes amazing cakes and this one was adorable, it was iced in white and decorated in blue icing, there were two tiers and the top tier had a wide eyed blue teddy bear cake iced and up there as a topper. The cake also had Joey's name on it! I'm not sure on this part but I think that Jamie's Aunt Lynette made the letters that went on the cake and maybe some other decorations that went on the cake as well, I know she made the shower mints.
We took pictures of Jamie and I goofing off behind the food table comparing his sympathy belly to my belly in profile, then a photo at the table with family and then one with all the ladies who were present who helped to throw the shower. After that I had a seat and Ms. Anne Ingram who was heading up the shower started things off telling a story about Jamie's childhood. She talked about how he was the smartest child in her Sunday school class for the two years she taught him and how she decided he was so smart had to do with how he talked non-stop throughout her classes. It came out about how he'd say "why should I try to get the quiet award?" He knew that his friend Keith would always get that award. But she went on to tell about how every nine weeks she'd have a review and Jamie despite his talking could answer every review question she asked. It was a really sweet story and drew a few good natured laughs. Then Ms. Anne asked Aimee Richardson to say a prayer to bless the food and really start off the shower. It was a beautiful and touching prayer. It was evident in the things that she said that so many know how long we've wanted a child and what a wonderful event this is for us all, family and friends alike.
Following the prayer I sat in the "seat of honor" (they brought a glider and gliding foot stool from the nursery at the church) and I began to open the gifts that everyone brought. It was quite a large room and there were a good number of people there so I would open and hold up the item and then we passed the things around the room. The gifts were all absolutely precious. Such adorable little clothes and wonderful things to help care for the baby and to set up the nursery with. After a bit I took a break, I enjoyed this time, going around saying hello to friends and hugging so many people I hadn't seen in a while, and I did stop to enjoy some food too.
Then when everyone had a chance to have a bite to eat we started back with the gifts again. I continued opening and passing things along. It started to make for such a mix of emotions. This was possibly the largest shower I've ever been to, I'm not sure but I think there may have been 30 or more friends in attendance. The sweet things that were being given to our son and the thoughtfulness of all those involved in putting this shower together was so touching. I was surrounded by such wonderful women Linda Davis, a close friend of Elaine's was helping clear the clutter of the wrapping paper as we went along. Cleo Young helping to keep the gifts from the table shifted towards me so I could reach them and helping with much appreciated cues to when it might be a good time to take a break. As the shower was nearing an end and the last gift was opened Linda suggested it might be nice for me to say something. She helped get the attention of the room, she knows I'm soft spoken and would never have spoken up loud enough to catch everyone's attention. I told her I would say something but I hoped I could get through without crying because I was so touched at the moment, I think she got Jamie waved over so he could help me if I needed it and she stayed close by.
I couldn't help it I did cry, my heart was so full. We've wanted this for so long and I was and am so overwhelmed at the support and love shown for our family. I can't begin to express my gratitude and the love that we feel for these people nearly as eloquently as I'd like to. The best thing I can think of is simply the joy that we'll have when we introduce them finally to our son Joey. What better way to share love and joy than to share the love of a baby?
We ended Sunday celebrating Warren's birthday, singing Happy Birthday and enjoying cake and ice cream. I do hope it was a good birthday for Warren, we were certainly glad we could be there to celebrate it with him.
Monday we returned home, taking our time doing so, after what was an amazing weekend.
(Thank you to Jamie for helping me edit this post, the third time is a charm right? Apparently a lack of sleep and pregnancy brain had me quite befuddled and saying things like this took place in August.)
Jamie and I comparing bellies, he's exaggerating, I'm not.
Grandmother, Elaine, Jamie, Me and Christie.
Lynette, Cleo, Janet, me, Anne, Marian, Carolyn and Judy.
