Friday was a delightful and relaxed day of girly-ness: we hit IKEA (did you know they have free coffee before 10am?), hit the Midtown Global Market, lunch at Noodles & Co, and some meandering around uptown. What sticks out in my mind from uptown (besides the wild stores, the stop at Penzey's, and a delightful coffee and sea-salt caramel break at Lucia's) was a lovely conversation with a cashier/make-up artist in a make-up store. I perched myself on one of the comfy chairs, and she came up to talk and went on and on about being pregnant and having children - she was so interested, and so encouraging and engaging. Again, people are so nice to pregnant women, it continues to amaze me. Her name is Collette and she said to bring baby in sometime. I just might!
The girls at IKEA - Hillary got a pineapple plant - how fun is that?!?
Friday evening we had a pizza party at a table set for 10, where Trevor's parents and our niece Courtney joined us and my parents and cousins for a nice dinner and time of reconnecting - it was wonderful to have all our families here at the same time, the first since we moved here. We cherish them all so dearly and those times together are special to us.
Saturday was the event that prompted all the togetherness . . . a beautiful baby shower, where we were again humbled by a shower of love, creativity, memories, and gifts. My dear friends Nikki, Alyssa, & Beth hosted the morning and it was beyond what I could have expected! (I must interject - to a certain "YG" mom who reads this blog, you were spared being invited because there's a plan for a double YG shower!) The theme was "Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice (because that's what little girls are made of)", there were splashes of lavendar in all the decor & flowers, there were spices and sugars, an array of splendid sugar-y and spicy foods, spicy tea, & cinnamon sticks as favors. I was blessed (on behalf of Trevor and Baby K) to have so many dear family members and friends join the celebration and again it's hard to even begin to express our gratitude. I can't wait to show Baby K pictures someday and tell her how loved and prayed for she was before people had even met her! She is already one blessed little girl.
Some Shower Memories . . . (more pictures to follow in a separate post)
I will always remember the start of the morning when Trevor and I sat in the nursery together in the peacefulness of a sleeping home to fill out the "baby traits game" - we had a list of traits, ranging from personality to eye color, and we had to say which of us we hope our daughter to take after for each trait. They were surprisingly easy - Trevor's eyes and confidence and sense of humor and height and lips, my nose and hands and interpersonal skills and creativity. What I loved about after we played the game at the shower (and everyone had to guess what we had put down for answers) is that Nikki pointed out how amazing it is that God already knows all those things - what she looks like, what she'll be like . . . and then she read part of Psalm 139 (which is a psalm I read every birthday, and one we hope to read at Baby K's baptism. Nikki is a true kindred spirit!):
I will always remember the start of the morning when Trevor and I sat in the nursery together in the peacefulness of a sleeping home to fill out the "baby traits game" - we had a list of traits, ranging from personality to eye color, and we had to say which of us we hope our daughter to take after for each trait. They were surprisingly easy - Trevor's eyes and confidence and sense of humor and height and lips, my nose and hands and interpersonal skills and creativity. What I loved about after we played the game at the shower (and everyone had to guess what we had put down for answers) is that Nikki pointed out how amazing it is that God already knows all those things - what she looks like, what she'll be like . . . and then she read part of Psalm 139 (which is a psalm I read every birthday, and one we hope to read at Baby K's baptism. Nikki is a true kindred spirit!):
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Another meaningful moment was time spent in prayer for Baby K, as well as prayer cards that people wrote out and then gave to us . . . all are beautiful, and a theme from a couple of them very much stood out and touched my heart - perfectionism. A couple prayers written:
- Neither of you will be "perfect" parents but may God grow you up to be more and more like Himself
- Remember, nobody parents "perfectly"
I cherish those affirmations especially, because it's so easy to think (even now with Baby K in my belly) that I somehow have control (or could somehow mess up) the pregnancy, the birth, the parenting. Perfection is unattainable - and as Trevor would call it, boring. So, here's to being NOT perfect, to learning from mistakes, for being honest on the journey.
There were other fun games as well - everyone guessed how much I measure around (Aunt Debbie was right on!), there was baby-food flavor guessing, and of course the dirty diaper game (thanks, Beth!).
The shower was also a tangible reminder of the abundant family and community God has blessed us with - we are so thankful. And thankful also in a way that our worlds could "collide", that our families would come all this way to celebrate and that our friends here could meet them all (and vice versa!).
Festivities continued on Saturday evening with a big bbq at the Pope household, filled with Popes and Pandolfo's (14 combined, to be exact). The evening was gorgeous so we all ate outside, celebrated Father's Day and recent birthdays, pondered some questions from a game that we have, and soaked in the summer night in good company. We took out our "question game", a contraption filled with all sorts of conversation starters. The first was "how old is 'old' and what is the secret to staying young?" Courtney (our 9 year old niece) answered, "Well, 65 is old, and the secret to staying young is wrinkle cream!" She is an amazing young lady, and our Baby K's first cousin - it'll be fun to see them together, and Courtney will be a wonderful role model to her.
This week Trevor and I spent some more good time in the nursery unpacking generous gifts and organizing. It's hard to believe that a BABY will be in there with us so soon. We're terribly excited.
There were other fun games as well - everyone guessed how much I measure around (Aunt Debbie was right on!), there was baby-food flavor guessing, and of course the dirty diaper game (thanks, Beth!).
The shower was also a tangible reminder of the abundant family and community God has blessed us with - we are so thankful. And thankful also in a way that our worlds could "collide", that our families would come all this way to celebrate and that our friends here could meet them all (and vice versa!).
Festivities continued on Saturday evening with a big bbq at the Pope household, filled with Popes and Pandolfo's (14 combined, to be exact). The evening was gorgeous so we all ate outside, celebrated Father's Day and recent birthdays, pondered some questions from a game that we have, and soaked in the summer night in good company. We took out our "question game", a contraption filled with all sorts of conversation starters. The first was "how old is 'old' and what is the secret to staying young?" Courtney (our 9 year old niece) answered, "Well, 65 is old, and the secret to staying young is wrinkle cream!" She is an amazing young lady, and our Baby K's first cousin - it'll be fun to see them together, and Courtney will be a wonderful role model to her.
This week Trevor and I spent some more good time in the nursery unpacking generous gifts and organizing. It's hard to believe that a BABY will be in there with us so soon. We're terribly excited.
Trevor unwrapping a "diaper cake". Mmmmm, tasty. It was an adorable cake, and its contents are going to come in very handy when I'm sure we'll be adjusting to cloth diapers and loving the convenience of these beauties.
And tonight . . . we welcomed home "Brother Tay", Trev's youngest brother who was just in China on a 6 week mission trip. It's been a joy to see him take that opportunity and we loved hearing about his travels and experiences building relationships with the Chinese people he met and spent time among.
The brothers (well, most of them) - or should I say the dad and uncles?
Please notice Taylor's amazing mustache and comb-over.
And now, we're ready for a long weekend - happy 4th of July everyone!
ha ha. I love that you mentioned me in the post (I assume I am the YG mom although there could be others reading this too). I had heard about the shower and assumed as much. The shower sounds fabulous, I love the theme, I love themes.
ReplyDeleteYour family sounds so fun. I love that you play dutch blitz when you get together and read questions from the question game. We just sit around and stare at each other while my dad watches CNN and my brother solves the rubic's cube. :)