The Shower of Epic Proportions II

Before we got married, my cousin and aunt threw me an enormous bridal shower.  Keep in mind, I have about 40 immediate family members, and we had 6 attendants each, and we also invited all the family friends and the members of the church I grew up in.  So that shower was dubbed the Shower of Epic Proportions because there were at least 70 people there and it took me a full 2 hours to open all of the gifts.

So this past weekend, we had what I'm calling the Shower of Epic Proportions II, because, again all of the same folks were invited more or less, and there were probably 50 people there.  It was so overwhelming to realize that there are so many people in my life who have been there to celebrate graduations, weddings, and now our new little family addition.  My friend Cristal threw the shower with help from aunts Kathy, Linda, and Kristy, and they did such an amazing job.

But, before I go into detail on the shower, I should mention the big surprise.  Mom, Seth and I went in to Memphis a little early to meet up with my aunt Kathy and Grandma for lunch before the shower.  We knew my aunt Kristy and her family were staying in Memphis (they live in Atlanta) and might come and join us for lunch, so I didn't think anything of the large number of tables Mom wanted us to push together for lunch.  Kathy and Grandma got there so Seth, Kathy and Grandma got in line to order our food, and Mom was, I assumed, keeping an eye out for Kristy's family.  Then she says, "Oh they're here," and I turn to the door and in walk my brother and sister-in-law, with my niece and nephew in tow.  I had no idea they were coming because I'd assumed that if they were they would have told me.  It was an awesome surprise!  We loved getting to spend time with them over the weekend.

Back to the shower...  It was an absolute delight to see so many folks from my church when I grew up and, of course, my best friends that I've known since junior high, and all of the family.  We were definitely showered with gifts.  Cauliflower won't be hurting for a single stitch of clothing.  Some items of note:

• Prior to the shower, we received a package from Seth's mom (Grammy) and sisters with, among other things, an adorable sweater and cap that Grammy hand-knitted.  They are absolutely precious and will be perfect for the fall/winter season.
• During the shower, we got a blanket from my mom's best friend Linda, knitted by Linda's mother who passed away a couple of years ago.  When I was a child, I very much enjoyed going to Linda's and talking with her mom and grandmother, and as a teenager and young adult, I loved getting together with Mom, Linda, and Mrs. Q to have lunch.  Mrs. Q was a wonderful lady, and it means so much that Linda has given us one of her pieces.
• Also during the shower, we received a few sets of booties, crafted by Grandma Pat.  They are absolutely adorable, in an array of fabrics and styles, and it was so sweet of Pat to send them all the way from Washington to be there for the shower.
• My Mom, who knows how to tug at my sentimental heart strings, gave me two quilts: one that my mom made when she was expecting me with my name, birthday, and stats, which hung in my room as a baby; another that my great-great grandmother had pieced together and that my great-grandmother had finished, which hung in my room as a child.  And she also gave me the stuffed animal dogs that she'd bought when she was expecting me - the doctor had told her she might be having twins, so she saw these two dogs that have arms that wrap around each other and she figured if she bought them at least she'd be prepared for two babies.  Thank goodness there was only one of me.  :)  I had named the dogs Faster and Slowly as a kid, true sign of an English teacher's daughter.

We got several other lovely things, things we very much needed, and things that are just absolutely precious.  We also have several gift cards and other forms of money that will help in a couple of big purchases we're hoping to make, like the pack-n-play for trips to Memphis, California and Oregon, a bookshelf to house the 30 or so books Cauliflower already owns now, and a new camera.

Speaking of the new camera, I would post pictures from the shower, but, as I said, we need a new camera.  I did have my brother take pics during the shower, but the lighting in the room was not stellar and our camera has a way of making every single picture fuzzy and terrible, so I'm waiting until I see some pictures from my friend Megan and anyone else who was snapping away during the 2 and a half hour event.

Seth and I are simply overwhelmed at the generosity of our friends and family, and we feel even more like this whole parenthood thing really is going to happen.  Cauliflower is definitely starting out life with a lot of support!

And! We even have ANOTHER shower the first weekend of May, thrown by the ladies at my home church in Somerville, and I think the girls at work are cooking up something too.  I can't imagine that we'll need a thing after all these showers are over (though I'm sure we'll think of something when Cauliflower gets here).