Last Christmas we went back to the east coast to visit with our families as well as to attend the baby shower that Nikki's family threw for us. Unfortunately, living 2,800 miles away meant that it was not something we were able to be surprised with having. All we really knew was that there was going to be a shower - all of the other details were kept secret, which was perfectly fine with us.
The shower turned out more beautiful than we imagined it ever would. It was held in this art studio in downtown Lancaster, PA, which is where Nikki grew up. Her family chose this spot not only because it was a terrific venue but also because of my background in art. They decorated the walls with framed photos of flowers that, if you looked around the room, made a rainbow from start to finish.
All of our decorations matched the rainbow theme that has come to be so special to us and to what it means for this child. A "rainbow baby" is what some people call a baby that is born following a miscarriage, and aside from Nikki's life-long love of rainbows, it seemed very fitting.
These were on each table. It reads:
"Rainbow Baby" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not
negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the
storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with
its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full
of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds
may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy, and hope.
As you can see, the rainbow theme permeated all of our decorations.
We came from a long ways away, but we certainly were not the only ones who traveled far to come celebrate. All in all, over 50 family and friends came, sometimes traveling for multiple hours, and it brought us to literal tears to have had such support.
True to the name, everyone showered us with gifts - so much so that most of it had to be shipped back separate as we couldn't fit all of it in the spare suitcase we brought.
It was such a special day for us, one that we sometimes questioned if it would actually ever happen, so to have so many people take time to come out to see us is something we'll never forget.
Obligatory gorgeous-pregnant-wife photo.
I'm in tears. Your families went over and beyond. What an incredible shower! The "rainbow baby" message was perfect. Do you have any extra cards? If so, would you send me one? I'm overjoyed that you'll be snuggling this precious little life in only a few more days.
ReplyDelete