SURPRISE!

So, very much to my surprise, my bunco ladies threw me a baby shower last night!  We play once a month and have a great time just having time out with adults to talk to.  We always try to celebrate whenever one of us has a baby because we’re all young moms and that happens quite often.  Well, I didn’t know if people would think of our Laila the same as having a baby but my lovely ladies did :)  And I cried, of course.

I was busy getting Laila ready for a night with daddy and getting the other two settled and was visiting with my sister who had come over to sub for our group so of course came early for some Laila snuggles :) and I didn’t even notice that my friend Kat had brought in a cookie cake and some decorations.  By the time I made it downstairs to the basement I was shocked to see all the decorations in my house!  As the ladies trickled in each brought something to decorate like balloons, wall ornaments and even “It’s a Girl” pencils for us to keep score with! 

My Manda caught wind of this shower and decided she needed to be a part.  When I wasn’t looking Kat said “oh, we needed another sub so I hope you don’t mind who I called….” and I turned around and there was Amanda who had driven down from Michigan!  She also brought along Stephen’s mom which was very exciting for her to get to meet Laila and see where we live.  And I cried.

When it came to present time there was a little gift wrapped in Sesame Street paper with some familiar handwriting on the card.  Kat had contacted my Jenni from Colorado about the shower and Jenni sent a gift for Kat to give to me at the shower.  It was so special for me to have her be able to be a part of this because we miss her so much and it just isn’t the same having a new daughter without being able to share her with her.  We’re hoping to work something out for her to come visit soon though!  And I cried.

Amanda pulled out a little flier and handed it to me and I realized that she had given it out to our friends from church in MI telling them that she would be coming down to this shower in case anyone wanted to send gifts so I also got to share this with some very special people from Michigan via Amanda as well.  And I cried.

It is amazing to feel the love that people have for our special daughter already.  Our family devotion at dinner tonight was all about an adopted little girl and how her parents taught her how special she was because of that but mostly because she had been adopted into the family of God by accepting Jesus.  What a wonderful and amazing thing.  I feel like I have this great big, huge family that extends as close as down the street and as far as across the country. 

Thank you all for being a wonderful part of our journey, not only now with our new daughter, but always.  We love you.  And, I cry ;)