Baby shower

I don’t know why it was so important to me to have a baby shower. It wasn’t for the gifts-not when we are non-traditionalists in that way. We haven’t personally bought the baby any toys or outfits. The baby won’t have his own bedroom. He doesn’t have a crib. We don’t own a car so we don’t even have a carseat.

I suppose I wanted one for the emotional support most of all. I wanted a group of women who would welcome me into the new world of parenthood, and a baby shower seemed like an acknowledgement of that. Several women from church offered to organize one for me, and I was so grateful.

I would have loved to have had more friends and family from the States there, but I was glad my mom and mother-in-law flew out to come. And I was amazed at how much support I received from the ladies from church.

It was “airplane,truck, and car” themed with travel postcards and games. The food was international.

When it was all over, I was speechless and a little teary that people would organize something like that for someone who was just “passing through.”

Traveling with its vulnerability means sometimes that you get taken advantage of (my cell phone was stolen here in Mexico for example) but other times that vulnerability makes you the recipient of total and undeserved kindness and it’s really wonderful to get to witness that. I just hope that I can pass it on.

 

Here’s the food with signs announcing which country they were from.

Here are the gifts, including an adorable “diaper cake.”

Cupcakes with taxi, bus etc stickers

Mom and Laura my MIL next to me as I opened presents

The ladies who came!