Amy Scott's Thoughts

Sharing the thoughts that bounce around in my brain!

Family Fun: Reunion Luau Style August 21, 2013

Filed under: Family Time — Amy Scott @ 8:46 am
Waiting for the piggie to come out!

Waiting for the piggie to come out!

This last weekend, Jeremy’s parents opened their home to my mother-in-law’s extended family for a Reid Reunion. Big tents were put up in the backyard. Games like ping pong, horseshoes and the Xbox Kinect were pulled out to entertain. There was a lot of talking, a lot of playing and a lot of eating! It was fun to see Jeremy’s siblings since it’s been May since we were all together in the same place. Of course, there was a large Reid clan family photo in matching shirts. Then we got a Scott family photo and a photo all three expecting Scott ladies. Oh, the memories were documented well.

Saturday was the big day of the reunion and the meal centered around a pig that they had buried in the ground the day before. In Hawaii, I didn’t go over to watch the pig being unearthed because I wasn’t too keen on the crowds. This was a slightly smaller crowd so the viewing was better. We all marched over to Jeremy’s uncle’s house to watch them remove the piggie from his underground oven. It was really quite the sight. They had a chain on the pig, so he could be hoisted out by a tractor (yes, this is rural Lewis County). He was then transported via tractor to the table (one house over) where he was be released from his banana leaf prison and picked apart for the main meal of the day. It was an interesting process and fascinating to watch. 

Releasing the piggie!

Releasing the piggie!

At the tail end of the Reid Reunion, Jeremy’s grandma and aunt arrived from South Dakota, so now we’re hanging with the Scott side of the family tree this week. It’s been great to catch up with them. It’s so nice that we usually get a yearly visit from them. Again, there has been lots of good food and games. Today, Jeremy will take off and golf with the crew and this weekend we have more adventures planned. You’ll have to stayed tuned for an update on that.

Overall it’s been a fun weekend/week! It’s always a treat to have the whole family together and I love getting to spend with my niece and nephew (who seem to get bigger and cuter every time I see them). It’s not often that we get to see so many family members at one time, so it’s been a blessing to be with them.  The family gatherings, hanging outside and good food are a reminder to me that summer is still here. I’ve been so focused on fall and busy with work that I haven’t just “hung” out and enjoy the summer season all that much recently. I know that September is right around the corner, but I’m going to try to slow down and just enjoy things each day at a time! And right now, that means lots of family time!

 

 

Summer Movie Marathon August 19, 2013

Filed under: Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 10:00 pm

IMG_2848This afternoon and evening, my lovely friend, Jessica, and I sat down to watch the first two Anne of Green Gables movies. Yes, there is a third, but I honestly don’t like it. Now that I’ve read the books, the third movie is WAY off base with the timeline of the books and let’s just say they made the movies with too big of a gap between them… The actors are so not in there in twenties even though they try to sell it as that. Anyway, enough about my dislike of the third movie. I love the Anne movies and it brings back so many memories of being a kid and watching them on VHS. I very rarely watch both together because it’s a 7+ hour venture, but today was special. Jessica requested watching them and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a girl’s day of movie watching. Add cheese pizza, garlic bread sticks and S’more brownies and you have a dynamic combo! The S’more brownies were a first for me. We had a ton of S’more supplies around the house and I decided that I couldn’t just make “regular” brownies. You make the brownies just like you normally you would  and then you add the marshmallows and graham cracker chunks after the fact and broil them for a minute. Once you pull the hot brownies out of the oven, you add pieces of chocolate bar on the top. The chocolate bar melts a bit, but it still keeps it shape to really show off the whole S’more effect. I’. thinking that maybe S’more cookies might be next on my list of things to try. Anyway, a movie day is always better with pizza and chocolate! Perfect girl day! Love it!

 

The End is Near! August 14, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry — Amy Scott @ 9:43 pm
McFlurry Time

McFlurry Time

My guess is that August for me is what June feels like for most teachers. This month, I have taken down the bulletin board and posters in the my classroom on Wednesday nights. I have divided up all the stuff the girls have collected over the year and given it back to them as keepsakes and mementos. Tonight to celebrate our last “official” class together, we walked over to McDonald’s (in the rain, I might add… in August) and got special treats. Attendance is down in August with last minute vacations and end of summer stuff, so my group was pretty small. I let each girl order one item off the menu and they all went for McFlurries I, however, went with my standard soft serve cone. It’s a classic. We made a summer picture frame and put a class photo in it. We signed autograph books which are a lot like yearbooks. It’s a way for the girls to say something nice about each other. For me as a teacher, it’s one more opportunity to tell them how awesome they are, how much they are loved and how I’m always here for them no matter what. I closed the night by sharing what an honor it has been to be their teacher. I thanked them for making teaching so fun and I told them to come visit me often. I’m always down the hallway. They know were to find me.

Because my class is 5th and 6th grade girls, I’ve had many of my students for two years. Relationships grow deep in two years and it’s hard to let go and watch them grow up. Even my co-teacher, who has served by my side the last three years, is leaving for college in a week and a half. It really is the end. The end of a season. A good season. That doesn’t mean the next season won’t be good, it’s just hard for me. In a lot of ways, this was my last normal year of teaching. The last time to do things the way I have always done them. Next year I’ll have a new co-pilot in the classroom and I’m super excited about that, but it will also be my first year balancing teaching and parenting. I’m certainly curious how that will pan out. So far I’ve been able to pour 110% into other peoples kids because I haven’t had my own to worry about. The dynamic of life is going to change and change can be hard to adjust to even if it’s not bad.

Even though one season is ending, it does mean a new one is beginning. A new chance to build relationships with the upcoming class. We will redecorate the classroom and make it our own. The walls won’t stay bare for long. Right now it might seem sad, but the momentum of fall will soon be propelling us forward into another great adventure. Each year it’s hard to say good-bye and watch another class move out of children’s ministries, but I am always comforted to know that there is another group of students just waiting to enter my classroom. I have a fresh, new opportunity each year to invest in lives and make an impact with the 5th/6th grade girls at Bethel. It’s an opportunity that I don’t take lightly and one that is seriously way too much fun. So as one season is about to end, another one is just about to begin.

 

Ten Thousand Gifts August 13, 2013

Filed under: One Thousand Gifts Challenge — Amy Scott @ 7:40 pm
Flowers from my mom!

Flowers from my mom!

I’ve been blogging throughout my One Thousand Gifts Challenge. It has been quite the process. It all started two years ago and I’ve officially crossed the 7,000 gift threshold at the beginning of August. Originally, I thought counting to 1,000 would be hard and take a long time. I soon learned that counting gifts becomes a lifestyle and once you build the habit, you don’t want to stop. Usually I contemplate taking a break in between thousands, but not this time. This time I didn’t blink an eye. Just keep going. With 7,000 documented moments of grace and God’s blessing, I decided that 10,000 is well in sight and I’m going to go for it. Onward, I count!

I know it’s been said before and I’ll say it again, counting gifts has been a life saver for me. It has taken me from the brink of some pretty dark places in my life. It’s so silly that I should need to count. Is a habit really necessary for me to be remember that God is good and I am loved? It feels like I should just know this. But, I so easily forget. Naturally, I get caught up in my own worldview and my own drama. From my perspective, it’s all about me and that is in no way good. Gift counting reminds me to look on the bright side. It reminds me that my life has an overabundance in it. I am in no way lacking, so why not be content? Being content leads to joy and peace – two things I want to hold on to more desperately then I can express. Gift counting brings life and my own natural attitudes bring death, so yes, I will retrain my brain. I will push beyond my own tendencies and grab a hold of something good. Because good things really are around, if I choose to see them.

I seriously cannot recommend gift counting enough. It’s so simple! Thinking through this week I can list things like flowers from my mom, emails from friends, the smell of garlic breadsticks, dinner with my hubby, a walk to the mailbox in the sunshine, packages at the door, baby kicks, camping pop tarts and on it goes. I have a roof over my head, a good job, a family that loves me, friendships that enrich my life, ministry opportunities that bless my sock off. What is there to be glum about? Well, plenty… if I choose to think about it. However, I will choose to think differently. I will see the blessings and hopefully turn around and be a blessing to others. This is my prayer!

Have you started counting? I dare you to try! It’s addicting!

 

Camping! Or something like it… August 10, 2013

Filed under: Family Time,Travels — Amy Scott @ 10:20 am
Jeremy is ready for the bugs!

Jeremy is ready for the bugs!

Usually this weekend is reserved for a conference at work, but our group decided not to go this year which left an open weekend in August. Jeremy and I had been pondering camping this summer and I will admit that I was unsure how fun being pregnant and camping would be – mostly the sleeping on an air mattress and getting up throughout the night to pee. Yes, I had my doubts. But when this weekend opened up, my hubby got really excited about the possibility that a camping expedition would now fit in our calendar! I couldn’t say no, mostly because I do love camping, so I was willing to give it a go.

We arrived at Takhlakh Lake and found a camping site fairly easily. We got out of the truck and noticed how peaceful and quiet it was… except for… the hum of flies. The second I was out of the vehicle, I was swarmed by all kinds of flies and winged creatures. Jeremy didn’t seem to mind. I think they were all interested in me, not him. We started setting up the campsite and as we went we noticed just how much the bugs loved us. Once we were all set up, Jeremy pulled out the bug spray and we attempted to ward off our unwanted visitors. I pulled out a magazine and tried to distract myself as Jeremy attempted to kill anything that flew with his electric bug paddle. Toby made himself at home on a towel and used a lumbar support pillow from our new camp chair to rest his head on – it was too funny! It was obvious that sitting around the camp site was going to mean a lot of swatting so we took off for a walk around the lake. I thought that maybe if I kept moving the flies would leave me alone. WRONG! Jeremy and I made jokes about how I was like “Pig Pen” from The Peanuts who had a cloud of dust and flies around him at all times.

Takhlakh Lake

Takhlakh Lake

The walk was beautiful (minus the many flies that indeed kept after me). I love the view of Mt. Adams and the lake. It’s really quite a sight. The thing that I love about the walk around the lake is it’s not too long, but I always feel accomplished once I’ve done it. I don’t often get to say that I walked around a lake, so it feels good. Once we had made our way back to the camp site, Jeremy decided we needed to take a drive to find more bug spray and more citronella candles. This excursion took a couple hours since nothing is close by, but it was a nice drive to enjoy the scenery and hang out with Jeremy.  We got back to the campground in time for dinner which is usually a highlight of any camping trip for me. We make pizza pockets every year and they are beyond tasty! I love them. This year, we forgot to pack the cooking spray which meant that my pockets stuck to the roasters and came out charred. I normally have much pride in my pizza pocket skills, but this year I was humbled. I was still able to eat parts, so don’t worry,  I didn’t starve, but I wasn’t on my game. Sad story.

Sunset at Mt. Adams

Sunset at Mt. Adams

At this point, I should mention that the bug spray we got took care of the flies, but this led to a whole new problem – GNATS! Again, we were swarmed. This time by smaller bugs, but still, we were still surrounded. I’m fairly certain that I ate some gnats with my meal because they were so thick. Jeremy and I laughed and joked around and eventually took cover in our tent. The plan was stay in the tent until it got darker and hoped that maybe the gnats would clear out in time for us to do evening smores. We enjoyed the reprieve from the bugs, but when we got in the tent, we noticed our air mattress was deflating a little faster than it should have. While I was out on a bathroom break, I came back to Jeremy telling me we had a problem… what kind of problem? While I was gone, Jeremy had located the leak and then accidentally made it a lot bigger! With no air mattress to sleep on, we decided it was time to pack up and head home!  So no overnight camping actually occurred…

The next morning, Jeremy and I went out to breakfast at a local favorite and then we decided to head back out into nature because this was our camping weekend. We took off for the woods again to explore new roads and see the sights. We stopped at a snow park parking lot to make lunch since we had all our supplies still in the back of the truck. It was extremely classy! We drove up to Mt. St. Helens. It was a nice drive because we usually don’t approach the mountain from this angle. Day two of camping weekend was still spent in nature, seeing the sights, enjoying the drive and spending time together. It might not have been the camping weekend that we had envisioned, but it was still a lot of fun and a memory that we will laugh at now and in the future. Camping with us Scotts is always an adventure!

 

Dreaming of Autumn August 6, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Family Time,Parenthood,Recollections — Amy Scott @ 10:23 am
Autumn Colors from 2009

Autumn Colors from 2009

The itch has hit! I wish it were fall! Now most would assume that is because I’m anxious for our little man to get here (and I am), but autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons! I think that might be because my work at the church revolves around the school calendar. September for me is the kick-off of the year. It’s a new beginning. The kids all move up into their new classes and things reset for another year. Not to mention the flavors and smells of autumn are some of the best – pumpkin, apple, all the those spices! My favorite foods are fall foods! And the colors, the oranges and reds – so beautiful! I absolutely love it and I can’t wait for it to get here.

Because I’ve been a little impatient in my waiting, I’ve switched all my Scentsy scents over to cider smells! My house has that yummy apple and cinnamon smell that I adore! I also made pumpkin waffles and pumpkin bread last week. I couldn’t help myself! A lot of August is prepping for the fall season to start, so I guess that is why it is at the forefront of my mind. Hunting season starts in September which is a major autumn event in our family and there have already been many conversations from excited hunters about heading out into the woods in hopes of bringing home a deer or elk. All these things spur on my excitement (not exactly bringing down of Bambi) and have increased my level of anticipation.

Plus, it’s hard to not be excited for this next phase of life as Jeremy prepare to welcome a new member to our family. Now I know that babies are rarely born on their due date, but our due date – October 12th – just happens to be the day that Jeremy emailed me almost 9 years ago asking if we could get to know each other better. If you want to read our story, click this blog post – Small Beginnings. Since Jeremy and I started our dating adventures in the fall, that might also play into the romance of the season for me. We had no clue when we started those phone calls and emails in October of 2004 where we would be in October of 2013. Our journey together has been an amazing adventure and it’s only going to get better! I’m sure!

While I’ve had no major food cravings, now that it’s getting towards the end of summer and those back to school sales are going on and the world is preparing for another season, I’m right there too – ready for the next season. I’m ready for those autumn months with their amazing goodies, lovely scenery, cooler weather and special memories! I can’t wait for the new memories that we will create just around the corner!

 

Ducky Day August 5, 2013

Filed under: Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 10:01 am

Yesterday, my mom and sister hosted a lovely family shower for my extended from Puyallup. The theme was ducks with a blue, yellow and white color scheme. My little sister, who loves Pinterest, did a great job decorating and making the theme come to life. Even the snacks matched the theme. There were ducky cookies, blue and white checker cookies, blueberry cobbler and lemon bars! April even went to the trouble of making homemade lemonade (which included juicing 24 lemons without a juicer). She added some blueberries to the top of the lemonade just to keep the color scheme going! Plus, because it’s summer, she got a yummy ice cream cake from Dairy Queen which I loved, but also gave me a massive sugar high!

Since this was a smaller shower then my last one, we played a few games. There was the traditional “Don’t Say” game. The ladies couldn’t say the words boy, diaper or adorable. I was exempt from the game so it was fun to have no restrictions on me. However, I did hear people say the words often and it was hard for me not to steal their clothes pin! The second game was quite the challenge. My mom joked that because Jeremy and I don’t have a baby name settled yet, this game would be inspiration. All the ladies went around in a circle and added a name to the list. Each lady had to remember the whole list as it continued to grow. If you messed up the ordered or forgot a name, you were out of the game.  It turns out that my cousin, Charlotte, won both games and went home with a lot of goodies!

Another fun element April added was a bib decorating station. Throughout the shower, people took turns decorating white bibs with fabric markers and puffy paint! I think if there was a winner for bib decorating, it would be my Aunt Monica. The shower was a duck theme and my husband is a hunter, so she combined these two things to make a bib with a hunter shooting at a duck with the word “DUCK” on the bottom. I’m not sure if that was a warning for the duck to “duck” or just a label of the bird on the bib, but it was too funny! Jeremy really appreciated it when I showed him the creation.

Because most of my extended family lives up north, it’s hit or miss how often I get to see them. I try to make it to as many family events as possible, but it can be hard sometimes with the church calendar. I really appreciated a chance to hang out with ladies for the afternoon. They are so supportive and encouraging. It was also a lot of fun to catch up with my cousin who is due just a few weeks after me. There were a lot of questions we had for each other and since this is her second little boy, she shared a few tidbits of mommy knowledge with me. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I will admit that it seemed pretty fitting for April to throw a duck themed shower since one of my nicknames for her is “April Ducky” – this came from a strange hide and seek game where I was trying to make her laugh in order to find her. Ducks and April just go together now!

 

Ducky Day

 

 

 

 

Home Alone August 2, 2013

Filed under: Simply Me — Amy Scott @ 9:49 am
Hanging with Toby!

Hanging with Toby!

I’m not sure how many Home Alone movies they eventually ended up making – 3 or 4? But this was my home alone week. Now I was not forgotten by my family and abandoned over the Christmas holiday, but I was home alone… a lot. This week was summer camp for our kiddos at Bethel and I sent Jeremy off without me. This is the first summer camp in 7 years that I haven’t attended. It felt very strange to load the kids all up on Monday and not go with them. In fact, this is the longest stint that Jeremy and I have been a part since we’ve been married. We’ve done weekends apart but most week long trips involve both us. Why did I stay home? Well, there is the matter of camp being extremely draining. The schedule is nuts and the accommodations aren’t so great. I usually come home from camp dead tired and this year I just decided that being pregnant and all, it would be too much. Plus, it allowed me to cover for our receptionist part of this week while she prepares for her wedding this weekend.

I haven’t done much blogging this week – partially because it’s been a quiet week and partially because I have a great fear if I mentioned I was home alone some scary internet stalker would show up at my house and try to kill me in my sleep. Did I mention I have an active imagination? Especially when I’m left alone for long period of time? Yup, it’s true! I’m the type of person that prays every night before I go to sleep (when I’m on my own) that a murder or robber doesn’t try to break into my house and that I’ll be able to sleep and not worry. Anyway… back to the quiet week and enough about my crazy fears!

The week was a very productive one – at both home and work. It’s amazing when you’re by yourself how much you can get done in a day. I had no one to distracts me which was nice at times and kind of sad at others. I got a lot of projects taken care of, I went to dinner with a student, ran some errands in town, watched movies, did some baking, took the doggie on daily walks and read a lot.  After three nights of being on my own, my sister came over yesterday for the evening and spent the night. It was nice to have her company by the end of the week because at least at home – I’ve been the only human, so it was great to talk with someone other than the dog!

The doggie has been my buddy, but I can tell he misses his man. I’m kind of boring and despite all the walks and play time, I know that I’m just not cutting it for him. I really miss having a man around the house as well. In a way, it felt like I was house-sitting my own house because I did many things that I don’t normally do – like take the trash cans out to the road and back to the house on trash day. I watered Jeremy’s garden and greenhouse. I was on night duty for the dog. Normally, Jeremy is the one that goes outside in the middle of the night with the pup and it’s something I’m very grateful for. Again, it’s scary to be out in the front yard alone at 2:00am (I do live in the country – lions and tigers and bears – oh my). I really appreciate all that Jeremy does around the house and I will be glad to be doing house stuff again as a team and not just me.

Overall, I just missed my man, despite my productivity. I will often say that I am good at entertaining myself and as an introvert, I don’t mind quiet alone time. This is true, but let me tell you, one week is too much! I got a few chances throughout the day to talk with Jeremy, but he was in camp world and I was in Lewis County. It’s almost like two different plains of existence. It was good to chat with him and I am thankful for each moment I had on the phone with him. I will be thankful and not take for granted the joy of having him come home after a day of work. As much as I am little chatter box, I will be grateful for his conversation and the way he can make me laugh by being silly and goofy. I am too serious and too quiet on my own. I need this man this liven up my life.

So anyway, that is my home alone story! I am counting down the hours until my hubby and I reunited! I can’t wait! Normally Toby will glue himself to Jeremy when Jeremy has been away for a long time or has been busy and unable to focus on him. I think I might follow in Toby’s footsteps today (or paw steps). There is a good chance I’ll be glued to him as well!

 

84+ Months July 29, 2013

Filed under: Children's Ministry,Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 8:25 pm
I am blessed to do what I love!

I am blessed to do what I love!

A lot of my summer focus at work has been preparing for my maternity leave in the fall. There are a lot of details to make sure are thought of and taken care of. I want Jeremy to be as prepared as possible for his sidekick, partner in crime and  administrative assistant to be gone. Part of this process has been finding someone to cover my Wednesday night class of girls for roughly 6-8 weeks. I love this class and I’m finding that even for 6-8 weeks, it’s hard for me to imagine missing that much of their lives and being away that long. However, I think it’s important to take a little time off right after having a baby…

I’m fairly certain that I have a plan in place for having the class covered, but I will be honest, it’s hard to get someone to commit to a weekly activity for 2 months. I started to think about why it’s so hard and while I came up with reasons, I still really don’t understand. The big picture started to come together for me as I thought this whole situation through. I have taught this 5th/6th grade class for 7 years. That means for 84 months, I been the teacher to this group on Wednesday nights. Every year we have a few Wednesdays off for holidays, but I’ve never taken a break – never taken a leave of absence – never a sabbatical. I think the most I’ve missed is 2-3 weeks in a row. For 84 months, I have been committed. I love this class and I will admit that I have deep ownership in it. It’s my favorite thing about ministry. The relationships that I build in that classroom extend way beyond those walls and those few years that I’m a “teacher” to those girls. I am blessed to be friends with many of the students I taught at the beginning.

I guess it’s a bit of a head scratcher for me why 2 months would seem daunting when I compare it to all the joy that 84+ months have given me. I’m not trying to brag or puff myself up as the super teacher. That is not the point. I just love this class so much. I can’t imagine giving it up. I can’t imagine not teaching these girls. I feel on mission and on call when I’m sharing about Jesus, God’s Word and what it means to be a Godly young lady. It’s just so important. They have good questions and they are struggling with hard stuff and these moments are precious and formative. The coolest thing is that God allows me to a part of their journey, even if just for a short while.

So yes, 2 months is a long time. I agree. Actually being out of the classroom that long will be hard on me. This class has been my “thing” for so long that it is taking some trust conversations between God and I. It’s never really been my class, it’s his. It’s not something great or special because of me. Someone else can and will do a great job with it. Letting go is hard, even if it’s for good reasons. Trusting that God will take  care of the girls while I am gone is a huge lesson for me and one I hope that I succeed at.

It just put things into perspective for me. When you love something, you give it 84 months of your life. You don’t quit, you don’t stop, you don’t look for something more glamorous or something that gives you more acclaim. I do it because I love those girls and because I love God and because I feel like I make him happy when I invest in these young ladies and that makes me happy. I would gladly serve another 84 months. It’s certainly has been time well spent!

 

Shower Season July 28, 2013

Filed under: Parenthood — Amy Scott @ 4:46 pm
The details!

The details!

We have now entered shower season. It’s not weather related. It falls between the end of July and the beginning of September. What kind of shower season? Baby shower season! With just two and a half months to go until the the arrival of our little man, I can now celebrate with family, friends and good food!

This might seem strange, but yesterday was the first of three baby showers. I know some would say that is excessive. It  feels a bit strange to me, but each shower has a different group, a different theme and a different flow. This first shower was one for my church family. I have another one next weekend with my extended family from out of town and then the final shower will be a joint shower for my sister-in-law with my husband’s side of the family.  Each shower will be unique and each I’m positive will be a blessing.

This first shower was hosted by two of my lovely friends, Vicki and Danielle. Vicki was on staff at Bethel for a long time and Danielle works in children’s ministries with Jeremy and I. My biggest concern about this shower was the fact that a lot of people were invited. When throwing a church shower, it’s hard to leave anyone out.  In our case, this meant the invite went into our weekly program and everyone was invited. This caused some concern for my gracious hostesses because they had no clue how many people to expect. In the end, it turned out to be a great gathering. Not as many people as I expected, but I was okay with that. It was more mellow and less overwhelming than I anticipated. I love being in leadership and ministry, but being the center of attention at a large event was slightly panic inducing. However, no panicking was necessary! Praise the Lord!

About to cut the cake!

About to cut the cake!

Like I mentioned before, each shower has a different theme and flow based on the hostesses. This shower had a woodland animal theme that was inspired by our nursery decor. The tables had mason jars with twigs sticking out of them and owls on the twigs. It was super cute. Apparently, it was an idea Danielle found off of Pinterest. My wonderful friend, Julie, made a cake that was covered in trees and forest animals! It was almost too cute to eat. I felt bad cutting into it! Vicki, did a devotional time that was so sweet. I’ve been a little nervous about raising a boy because I know so little about them, but Vicki’s talk was so inspirational that it took the edge of my nerves. I am reminded that I’m surrounded by many ladies that have successfully raised boys and I am sure they will be a wealth of support and encouragement to me when I feel clueless and unsure of myself.

Overall, I felt extremely blessed. It’s not really even about “gifts” and “presents”, which of course, are a highlight of any shower, but more than that, I felt supported and loved by my church community. I know that I won’t be a perfect parent and that there will be lots of eyes watching me as I learn by trail and error. I know that the people surrounding me are rooting me on and that they are super excited for all that is ahead for Jeremy and I on this journey. It was great to have some girls attend the shower that I taught many years ago and they are now teenagers and almost adults. You also had the church lady crowd – the seniors with their white haired crowns of glory. I had moms of kids that are currently in our ministry and their elementary school aged daughters. All age groups were represented and all were there to celebrate with me. When I think about that, how can I not be blessed beyond belief? It was a sweet reminder of how loved I really am. I am grateful!