Turning 40 & Having a Baby Shower

I've got about two days left in my thirties, people!   My Instagram account handle is "In the Twinkling of an Eye" because, for me that's how fast life flies by, and I want to remind myself of that fact.

I've mentioned now quite a few times how harrowing it was to be uprooted and moved across the state during the last year.  The hardest thing for me was leaving the people, the women and Mom-friends who've been such a huge support to me over my child-bearing and early-rearing years.  They've comforted me, brought me meals, and most of all advised me.  I miss that.

Despite all of my lamenting here on the old blog, I have been incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a large group of extremely giving, caring, and compassionate women both in and outside of the church in my new community who have helped me so much along the way during this pregnancy and since we moved here.  The Lord knew that I would need a lot of hand-holding, so he sent me to a place where there were apparently a lot of people selfless enough to want to do that for me!  And for that I am most grateful and contantly amazed at their kindness to me.

Earlier this week, my friends threw me a baby shower. I used to feel weird about getting gifts from people at baby showers, but over the years of baby showers I've come to understand how powerful it is to come together as women and express love and support for one another in this way.  It is not at all about the gifts.  It is about the words that are said, the laughter, and sometimes tears.

My last baby shower was special to me in that there were ladies there who've known me since my oldest was 18 months old and have seen me through so much.

This baby shower was special to me because the room was filled with new ladies in my life who have stepped up to be by my side when they didn't have to.  Some have watched my children, brought me meals, talked me off proverbial cliffs and assured me that everything was going to be ok.  And in short order, I've come to love and so appreciate their presence in my new life here in Pittsburgh.

Some of those women I'd put in that category have been some of you reading this post right now.  I have so appreciated how perfect "strangers"--at least people I've never met in person--have felt to reach out to me over the last year (or earlier than that) to say thank you for your post or I felt like sharing this with you or I want you to know you're doing great, etc.

It means so much.

In my youth, I used to want to have a lot of friends.  But as I've grown I've realized that having just a few really good friends who help me in my journey towards Christ is all I really need in life.

And luckily, I have been blessed with just that!  So thank you!

Thanks for reading and commenting and emailing me to show love and support from afar, and thanks to my friends for showering me with their love right here in Cranberry!

40's, here I come...