A Comforted Heart
Yesterday's baby shower with all of my friends was so incredibly wonderful. It was strange and tingly to have people from the different compartments of my life altogether in one room, for one purpose. Most people there did not know one another---they just all had my friendship in common. I was a little nervous about how well so many strangers would get along, but the house was full of constant happy, friendly chatter. It seemed like everyone hit it off with everyone else right away, which made me so happy, indeed. It was a strange thrill to see my blog friends chatting with my neighbors. Or, my co-workers talking to my friends from the humane society. It just gave me a sense of wholeness somehow, and made me feel so special that they were all there in one place, united to celebrate Snippet.
Not all of them know the long road it has taken to bring Snippet into being. Some of them know everything, some know small parts and pieces, and some of them know absolutely nothing of it at all. It's not that I'm secretive about our infertility, but I prefer to bring it into conversation and relationships when the time seems right, when a good moment presents itself, and when the person seems capable and willing to hear the information. Of course, for some people, such a moment never arrives, so there are certainly people in my life who think Jake and I simply wanted to be married for 7 years before having children. And, I'm okay with that. But, the people who know our story, and can appreciate the extra spark of joy in our impending arrival, are those who hold the sweetest places in my heart.
Among them, and there are quite a few now, is one especially wonderful friend. I've spoken of Karen several times here over the years, as she was my first friend in the infertility world. She and I met in 2004 as Trying-To-Conceive diary writers, both starting to try for our children at nearly the exact same time, and both wholly naive about what lay ahead of us. She and I have coped over the years, and comforted one another, and so it seems wonderfully fitting that both of our children will be arriving in our lives within one month of each other. I'm so pleased to share such a resolution with her, and was stunned and joyful to hear that she was going to fly into town for my baby shower. I'm so humbled and grateful that she was able to be here to celebrate Snippet with me in person.
Her beautiful "Diaper Cake" at my shower is so lovely that it is claiming center stage on my living room table as a centerpiece that will be a sad shame to dismantle some day. This gift pretty much sums up the shower itself---constructed with care and thoughtful intention, radiating friendly joy and well-wishes, and bringing such a sense of comfort to my heart. To see that Snippet received so many of the things he will need for his nursery was an incredible RELIEF, beyond anything I can measure or describe.
Not all of them know the long road it has taken to bring Snippet into being. Some of them know everything, some know small parts and pieces, and some of them know absolutely nothing of it at all. It's not that I'm secretive about our infertility, but I prefer to bring it into conversation and relationships when the time seems right, when a good moment presents itself, and when the person seems capable and willing to hear the information. Of course, for some people, such a moment never arrives, so there are certainly people in my life who think Jake and I simply wanted to be married for 7 years before having children. And, I'm okay with that. But, the people who know our story, and can appreciate the extra spark of joy in our impending arrival, are those who hold the sweetest places in my heart.
Among them, and there are quite a few now, is one especially wonderful friend. I've spoken of Karen several times here over the years, as she was my first friend in the infertility world. She and I met in 2004 as Trying-To-Conceive diary writers, both starting to try for our children at nearly the exact same time, and both wholly naive about what lay ahead of us. She and I have coped over the years, and comforted one another, and so it seems wonderfully fitting that both of our children will be arriving in our lives within one month of each other. I'm so pleased to share such a resolution with her, and was stunned and joyful to hear that she was going to fly into town for my baby shower. I'm so humbled and grateful that she was able to be here to celebrate Snippet with me in person.
Her beautiful "Diaper Cake" at my shower is so lovely that it is claiming center stage on my living room table as a centerpiece that will be a sad shame to dismantle some day. This gift pretty much sums up the shower itself---constructed with care and thoughtful intention, radiating friendly joy and well-wishes, and bringing such a sense of comfort to my heart. To see that Snippet received so many of the things he will need for his nursery was an incredible RELIEF, beyond anything I can measure or describe.
posted by deanna at 4:31 PM
5 Comments:
Sounds like you had a great time! Any more pics of the fun to share?
The diaper cake is beautiful. I still have mine on my table beside my front door, never dismantled.
And I am so happy that the shower was such a special and lovely occasion for you. It should be that way.
Sounds like a wonderful shower, I'm so glad you had such a good time
Sounds like it was a wonderful day! I'm so glad that your friends and family all got along. More pix!
Reading this made me weepy...I was so happy to be there! For the record, the brown bow on the top layer of the cake was prettier before I dismantled the top layer at your house later that afternoon. The perfectionist in me couldn't help saying that. :)
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