Baby Shower in Kansas

Do you know those ladies in your life (for me they are ladies from the church I grew up in) who have known you through every awkward developmental stage, every rebellious stage, every bad haircut and just about everything else? I think there is something really special about having ladies like this in your life. And my special ladies had a baby shower for me and maya on sunday via skype! There are several things that set this apart from the last (wonderful) skype shower we had. The biggest thing was just the blessing of getting to see ladies who have known me and whom i have known for many many years. ladies who took us to camp each summer (God bless you Debi!) Ladies who celebrated my high school graduation and my college graduation. Ladies who cried with me when I said goodbye and headed for East Asia. Ladies who squealed with delight when they heard about Matt and I getting together. Ladies who were there to see us get married (and blessed us in so many ways at that time of our lives). Ladies who cried again when we left for the Middle East. Even though I haven't seen these ladies in more than two years now, I know that these are ladies who have not forgotten about us. As each lady came over to the computer to say a greeting or share a special gift for Maya or share a word of encouragement, I was so blessed to be reminded (again) that I am a part of a BIG family.

Where we live, big families are the norm, and it's common for people to get together with their families every weekend. There are times when this has left me feeling very lonely, and very much like an outsider. But the Lord puts the lonely in families! Not only has he placed Matt and I in a group of people here in our city who really love one another like family, He was gracious and kind enough to remind me on Sunday of these wonderful ladies who though we are on the other side of the earth, remember us and pray for us and love us. They are the Body of Christ, and the way they loved and served us and just celebrated the excitement of our coming baby was such a blessing. Preparing to have our first baby in a strange culture, so far away has brought me to tears more than once in the last 8 months, but the Lord has been so faithful to remind me again and again that I am not alone, and not only has He given us His Spirit, He has also placed in our lives many many people who love and support us in so many unique ways.

Check out pictures of all the fun we had on my mom's blog:
http://thecedarsofpittsburg.blogspot.com/2009/10/skype-shower-for-kellie-and-maya.html

Thank you Debi, especially, for loving me like I'm yours and for planning the whole shower. I can't wait to see that sleeper with the tutu up close and all the precious socks you girls crafted for Maya. She is going to be one stylish girl. Seriously.