Fullness

This time of year always feels so full.  Usually, it's filled with bustling around to buy, mail, cook, clean, and get all the holiday stuff done.  But this year it has felt full in a different way for me. 

It has been full of anticipation and exciting new experiences and making a new home feel like our own.  It's been filled with creating a home for someone else and moving him in with us.  And it ha been filled with many wonderful gifts -- tangible and otherwise.

I know I already told you about the fun and spooky baby shower in October.  But I haven't yet posted about two special baby showers that Grover and I were given by friends in November.  Here's to catch you up.

In early November my friend, Cathy, whom I have known for at least 15 years (the same who generously did the 3D scans of Grover), hosted a shower in her home that included friends from the Green Lake Church -- the church in which Byron and I were married nearly 17 years ago.  We don't attend much anymore, but it meant a lot that this faith community wanted to celebrate our baby boy and share collective wisdom and support with us.

The shower included a yummy Sunday morning brunch, a few baby shower games, and lots of special gifts. The generous group gift included our car seat with an extra base for the second car and several other items we had registered for as well.  Then there was the giant Teddy bear, which turns out to be Byron's personal favorite.

The group also rounded out Grover's library with dozens more books, including a beautifully illustrated nursery rhyme book and many classics like Curious George and the Velveteen Rabbit.  I also received some gorgeous blankets, including a very special quilt that Cathy and another friend, Chelle, made for Grover. 

These generous and supportive women (and a few men) showered their support, good wishes, and lovely gifts on us for a good part of the day.  I left for home feeling extremely loved and supported in this new adventure of motherhood.

(l-r) Chelle and Cathy, my extraordinary quilting friends, with me and the special quilt they created for Grover.

Me and the huge pile of gifts, including the giant Teddy bear.

(l-r) me, Janna, and Barbara.

Later in November, I was treated to another baby shower.  This time, it was a cozy girls' night with an extraordinary group of women, many of whom I had worked with in various capacities over the years.  My dear friend, Lisa, hosted the gathering in her home and, in addition to making everyone comfortable and at ease, she prepared a wonderful supper that we all enjoyed.

The menu included a gorgeous cheese plate, two kinds of homemade soup -- butternut squash and potato leek -- a salad of greens, fruit and nuts, and for dessert, German chocolate cake and Fran's chocolates!

Although I'm not going to list everyone who came, each woman in the room was truly a treasured friend and someone I admire. This special community of women included my mother, who came up from Oregon for the occasion.  My sister, Becky, who lives locally and will make a great auntie.  And my good friend, Di, who came all the way from Walla Walla for the occasion.

Grover received so many nice gifts, including many items that the moms and teachers in the group knew I would need.  Wrist rattles, toy trucks, a piggy bank to get the college fund started, warm clothes and swaddle blankets, kids' music, and the complete Winnie the Pooh. 

One of the nicest gifts I personally received was the collection of predictions that everyone made about me as a new mom.  Of course, it was my job to guess who had written each one (which was harder than you might think).  Hopefully their predictions won't be too far off. Here are a few of my favorites:

Amy will be the mom who . . . 
 . . . lets the neighborhood kids be creative in her house.
. . . teaches Grover how to compost.
. . . takes her boy to Paris for his birthday.
. . . whose son won't know that vegetables, applesauce and bread can be bought at the store.  He'll think it only comes from mom's kitchen.
. . . will do creative projects with her son and enjoy seeing the world through his eyes.

Thank you dear friends and family for helping to fill our lives with such special occasions, memories, and love.