Sunday Shower

Aside from the joy of family time together, Dave and I, with our kids and daughter in-laws, had another reason for meeting up in Wheaton on Sunday afternoon.

Two very dear friends, Sarah and Theresa, hosted a baby shower for Tyler and Lara. Or more specifically, for their soon to be born son, Judah!

Held at our JV office, which is just lovely and feels more like a living room than an office, we enjoyed the sweetest of times together "showering" them with love.

I had the privilege of sharing something from God's word for the shower, talking about five moms from the Bible and what I wanted to pass on to Lara from their lives.

After a fun little game, my devotional and words of encouragement and blessing to Lara from each woman present, Tyler joined us for the gifts!

When I'd wrapped presents the day before (all things that I've been collecting for months at home so Judah would have Czech items in his wardrobe!), I couldn't figure out how to sign the card. I ended up signing it "Love, Mom and Dad/Nonnie, Noni, Nani/ and Papa! If Judah complies, that's what we'd like to be called! :) Hopefully by the time he can read I will have figured out the best spelling for my name!

They're laughing at my signature!

What delight for me to see these two receiving gifts, knowing that it won't be long until that little guy, their SON, will be in their arms, and in those clothes!

And is there anything better than knowing your own child will be a parent? And best of all, that you have absolutely confidence in how they'll raise him?? Oh what a good mom and dad Tyler and Lara will be!

Do you see what's on that bib? We have a family joke that Tyler initiated years ago. On the way to school one day "way back when" a little hedgehog crossed in front of our car on the little country road we'd drive on to get to school. We didn't see that very often so stopped to watch him waddle across. About twenty seconds later Tyler remarked something to the effect of, "Well it's not every day you see a shrubbery pig."

Get it???!! Yeah, it took the rest of us a minute to get it too! Hedge=Shrubbery; Hog=Pig.

And thus the Patty family legend of the shrubbery pig was born! When I saw that bib at Tesco, I knew it was a keeper!

And the significance of this little sweater with the lion cub on it?

For one, Auntie Claire has already determined that she'll be photographing Judah in it when he reaches the appropriate size!

And second, the lion is the symbol of the ancient tribe of Judah from the Old Testament, as well as a term used in Revelation for Jesus. Our little soon-to-be Judah has a name of great significance!

The shower ended with two gifts from the group of JV women gathered for the shower, as well as from some who couldn't be there.

Tyler and Lara were obviously delighted with this outpouring of love over them in anticipation of Judah's birth!

And for me, it was full circle as I thought about showers given for me when my babies were born. I still remember certain gifts given, words shared, and prayers prayed over me and them. It is truly one of the kindest American traditions that exists!

"Thank you Theresa and Sarah for putting on such a precious time to celebrate this new little man coming into our Patty family! And thank you to all who came and who gave to make it such a happy event! No doubt they will remember it just like I remember mine from long ago!"