Out of order

Heather's shower
Originally uploaded by kristn1284

First comes love – check

Then comes marriage with a fabulous wedding – check

Then comes a baby shower

Then approximately 8 weeks later along comes a baby after everything has been received, properly washed, folded and set up.

Yeah, Heather never has been one for following the rules.

3 weeks before her scheduled shower, 11 weeks before baby’s expected arrival, one of my very favorest people on this earth gave birth to her first child, sweet baby Logan. We had the shower even after “the storm of the decade” dumped over 20 inches of snow on our town. I was awed but not amazed at the strength of the women in that room on that day. Heather is such a wonderful person who has definitely not had easy going of it in her lifetime. This baby, this 2 pound 4 oz. little preemie that none of us had met had us plowing though the worst of conditions to bring food, decorations, gifts and words of strength to someone who desperately needed it. Many of the women had no power at home, we couldn’t get some of the things that had been ordered due to store closings but we gathered. We gathered and we gifted and we wrote advice cards and we told Heather how very much we loved her and that wonderful boy she had brought into this world.

I felt humbled to be included in that circle. I felt blessed to call this woman my friend. I felt gratitude for my children who would grow up with her child. Most of all I was once again reminded that good begets good and when the chips are down there is nothing stronger than collective women.