It's Coming Together!

Sometimes we learn and gain appreciation more when we do something for others than when we accept what others do for us.  Most of the time it is much more exciting to give than it is to receive.  It is that giving that tempers our soul and adds depth to our hearts.  I am really seeing that in my daughters as we collaborate to host a baby shower for my nephew and his wife's anticipated additions.

When the shower idea germinated, immediately the girls began to offer up ways to make the day and the gifts special and memorable.  We settled on a color scheme based upon the decorations in the nursery and incorporated the traditional 'little boy blue' because we are looking forward to twin boys.  I shared a little preview HERE yesterday with the supplies Bridgette and I had sent text messages and emails back and forth to one another as we were coordinating our shopping and early planning.  Today I have a further preview.

I suggested that we create a garland for the mantles.  We have a somewhat rustic one in the kitchen with a rock hearth and chimney.  Bridgette agreed to share part of her creativity by stringing a garland of her craftiness together.  She has appliqued the babies' names on a onsie and crocheted each a hat.  Isn't this just darling?

This will be strung across the mantle in the kitchen for the shower!

Here is a closer shot of the adorable little hats.  (If you'd like your own personally crafted one, you can contact her by clicking HERE.)  Won't the little fellows look like a little fluffy teddy bear in these?

On the opposite side of the open fireplace is a more classic mantle and hearth.  So, I took my scissors, a Sharpie marker, a hole-punch, and some ribbon and stretched my crafty self for that side...

I know, I know - not the depth of talent or craftiness as the one for the other side but I thought that was about all this old girl had left in her!

I was inspired by a blog post with a tutorial found HERE to create a crafty door decoration. Bridgette took that idea and ran with it in decorating for my granddaughter, Lillie's birthday party as you can see HERE.  She even made one for Mike and I earlier and I shared my addition HERE.  My rendition for a baby shower is this:

Why am I sharing these previews?  Because I am notorious for getting caught up in the last minute preparations and then in the celebrating and forgetting to take photos!

I think the most humbling thing for me that has come out of this was shared in conversations with the daughters this afternoon. 

One daughter is feeling poorly and aching badly with an injury.  Yet, rather than beg off or put up an excuse for why she couldn't do this or that, she let me know that she would be glad to do some shopping and pick up several items which I did not get when I was on my grocery mission.  She offered to do a task I don't really like and something I probably don't need to take more time doing if I'm going to get this place cleaned and ready for company. 

Another of the girls is sniffling, coughing, and generally feeling yucky and she let me know how she had planned and paced out what she intends to do to complete her promised contribution toward making the day special for all our guests as well as the honored family. 

The third of the girls told me of her shopping trip to gather simple diapers for creating part of the centerpiece which we will also give to the mom.  Since she doesn't have children - yet - she was not aware of how expensive diapers are and what an impact they can make on a budget.  Her final words on the topic were pure, genteel, southern woman and seem to express all of our feelings - you know, the ones of practicality and reality?  Those feelings that run beyond the, "Aw, aren't they cute!" and dig deeply into that knowledge of middle of the night feedings and crying and spitting up and the day-to-day responsibility for the care and nurturing that is required for one baby and multiplied when there are twins.  She simply said, "Diapers are a bit expensive.  Bless them."