Nice Surprises

I have been blessed to form new friendships with a number of ladies through work connections. I was immediately drawn to SY, who started to invite me to gatherings with the other ladies.

On Saturday night, it was my turn to host a gathering. I decided on a Chick Flick movie night complete with homemade pizza. Each guest was instructed to bring her favorite pizza topping(s) along with a favorite drink and movie snack; the first to arrive on Saturday night was GS. As planned, she brought olives and pepperoni along with two Dr. Peppers...nothing unusual about that. So, about ten minutes later, in come SY, AK and R loaded down with stuff. My first thought was, what in the world is all of this...that is a lot of pizza toppings. Well, I was SO wrong, because SY was bringing in items for a surprise baby shower. That's right...A SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!!!

SY had homemade punch, mints and baby shower cups, plates and napkins. GS bought a cake and AK helped with the diaper decorations. It was SO cute and SO sweet that I was overcome by emotion. And, to top it all off, everyone bought a gift...what a wonderful way to end a Saturday night. They didn't see me cry then, but when it was all over and I explained every detail to my husband, I couldn' hold back the tears.

My heart was filled with such joy that the Lord would grant me this experience. The thing that surprised me most was that some of these women, I don't even talk to on a regular basis or have only known for a little more than two/three months. They mostly know me through work relations or through SY. I am just so thankful that God is so good to me and can use whoever He sees fit to use. I am so happy that he is not a respecter of persons and even more thankful that I, for once, am embracing this adoption exeperience as a new mother would embrace a pregnancy.

GS made a comment on Saturday night that stuck with me. She said, "well you know that you are pregnant right now, just like my daughter". And I thought to myself, YES...you are correct. My stomach has not swollen with new life, but my heart sure has.

Thank you ladies for making March 10th a VERY special day for me; SY, GS, AW, LM, AK and R...you know who you are! Not only was it a surprise shower, but an official mark of motherhood to come!