Church Baby Shower

This last Sunday was the shower that my church put on for me. It was fantastic! It was so much fun, and like my other showers, I felt so loved and blessed, and saw that Tadpole was already loved by the people there and also blessed. The shower was held after church, so many of the women who attended brought a dish to share and we had a very delicious potluck. There were so many different dishes! I wanted to eat a bit of everything, and barely had enough room on my plate to do so. I ate a lot of really good food, and wish that I had room to eat more.

Krissy, Rebekah, Kelly and Kate helping out in the kitchen. There were many other helping hands too.

Check out the food choices! I don't think I could decide what dish was my favorite

When I was done with my plate I tabled hopped. I wanted to make sure I spent time with each of the women there who came to celebrate Tadpole’s life. When mostly everyone else was done eating two women shared some wise insight as mothers. The first to share was my friend Ellen, who became a mom last year. She shared about some of the challenges she faced, but that God was always there with her and she knew she could get through anything with God. Ellen also shared about the joys of her little girl that measure so much more than any of the challenges she has faced. 

Ellen sharing

Laurie, a mother I look up to who is the mom of some of the kids I have the joy of teaching at church, was the second to share. She focused on foundation of the family/home. She gave a great reminder that even though you’ll want to become wrapped up with your little one when she is born, Tadpole is not the foundation on which I stand, and on which my family is built. She reminded me that God comes first, then Andrew, and then Tadpole and any other child who might come in the future. What’s cool is I was thinking about that earlier that morning, so it was great to hear it from Laurie and have her read scripture that went along with it as well.

Laurie and Sharon

After that, Kate introduced the craft that everyone participated in. On each table there were squares of paper that each had a different letter of the alphabet. Around the room there was one for each letter. Individually, or working in pairs/groups, everyone was to draw pictures that corresponded with the letter they had and on the back write a message to Tadpole and/or Andrew and I. Sherry later took it home to bound all the squares together as Tadpole’s first Alphabet Book. It’s so cool! I would love to show you each and every page, but that would be 26 pictures. So here are a few to show you a taste of what Tadpole’s Alphabet Book is.

Alisa working on one of the letters. You can see a few of the other squares.

If you click the image to see it larger, you can see some of the alphabet squares. Everyone put a lot of creativity into them

Krissy made this one. She drew our friend Gifford and at the top wrote "Google."

Dessert was served when everyone was about half done. You can tell these women know me. Dessert was mini homemade chocolate chip cookies, strawberries, and dairy-free ice cream! Three of my favorite foods, all on one plate. Hehehe ^_^ I love that there were chocolate chip cookies in some variation at each baby shower!!

So good! The ice cream was scooped right before it was served, thus it's not in the picture.

While people where eating their dessert and finishing up the Alphabet Book I started opening the gifts. I had my own little group of helpers too. ^_^ My friend Krissy was my secretary. And then two kids from my Sunday school class, Hailey and Hikari, helped me open all the gifts. Hailey’s older sister, Rehgan, was the “manager” and made sure the younger girls put the wrapping paper in the recycling bag, and then she put the opened gift on a different table. It was so much fun to have them all helping me out. I didn’t ever have to reach for a gift, and the kids were so enthusiastic about it!

My little helpers. ^_^

They were so excited to pull the wrapping paper off the big gifts! I was a little afraid their excitement would make me drop the gift on them.

 The men came back from lunch and hanging out when the gift opening was about done. I love this picture Anna caught of Andrew and Jeff waiting to be let in. And thank you Anna for taking all the pictures!

"Please let us in. You ladies look like you're having fun."

 We were blessed with many adorable outfits, great books, and some much needed items! We even received four big group gifts: a Baby Bijorn carrier, the rain forest play gym mat, the space saver high chair, and the car seat Tadpole will use when she grows to big to fit into her infant one. Our little family has truly been blessed by so many women and their families at our church, along with all the women and their families from the other showers! Thank you all so very much! Very soon little Tadpole will be able to use her gifts, and each time she does, we’ll remember how loved and blessed she is.