I am not a party person. I do not like being around lots of people, although I am fond of talking to strangers. I am not fond of organizing and conducting parties of any kind. It causes me anxiety. I have to clean my house (major anxiety) make food (small anxiety because I like cooking) and send out invitations (which I lose). That being said, I needed to have a little shower for Emily. My daughter is having a baby girl next month. Baby Ruby (dare I hope, Ruby Jane) will be my first grandchild. We are beyond excited. We are also stressed because people are leaving on missions, people are working and never home, and money is a little tight.
Have I ever mentioned I have a ton of wonderful people in my life? Yes, I am so fortunate to have many talented friends who know how inept I am, and will come to my aid. Debbie Sherry, creator of the world's best chicken salad, made me sandwiches. Suzanne Colvin, my wonderfully organized friend, bought my paper supplies and made me cookies with a B for Baby, and some party favors. Jessica Taylor, my creative and interior decorator daughter-in-law put together some cute decorations and bought fresh flowers. (no worries, Jess, about the helium balloons dying!) Carly Taylor, my other daughter-in-law, arrived early to help, and sat patiently for two hours writing down guests and presents. Bethany and Rachel cleaned and ran last minute errands!
It was a great shower, and Emily got some fabulous gifts. Thank you everyone for coming! I had a difficult time deciding who to send a invitation to because everyone I know is a friend, but showers make me feel as if I am soliciting gifts. Which, in essence, is correct! Saturday was not the best day for the shower because it snowed, Dora Curtis had her funeral, and I tried to pack into too many other activities.
Dora Curtis, our friend and ward member, passed away at the age of 96. She was one of the most remarkable people I have ever known. I expect to have her visit me when she is up a few levels in the hereafter. She worked until just a few years ago, was to church a short time ago, and loved life and lived it to the absolute fullest. She knew everything there was to know about music and last month was in front of us in her wheelchair leading us in song in Relief Society. I am sorry to have had the shower on her celebration for her homecoming to heaven, but I am sure she would have loved the fact we were partying just up the street from her. She was such an example for enduring to the end and making the most of it. We love you Dora! She made it to Emily's wedding shower, and I am sure would have loved to have partied yesterday, although I am sure she is attending several celebratory get-togethers in the spirit world.
Emily looks ready to pop with just five weeks to go! We are anticipating the departure of two boys to the Mission Training Center next month, and the arrival of new baby Ruby!
We needed to work in a little more anxiety for the day, and so I scheduled family pictures. We are not always together at the same time, so in spite of Dora's funeral and the snow, we were going for it! Ben has been a whiner since the age of nine months, and did not disappoint on Saturday. We all trudged up to Beus Pond to meet the fabulous photographer Amy Herrick, of Amy Herrick Photography. Check out her blog! She is another good friend who makes me feel incompetent in lots of ways. More on Amy later!! Sorry, Amy, if you are acquainted with me, then you are talked about!
She texted me that upon arriving at the pond, she was immediately hurtled into a Hitchcock Horror Flick where ducks and geese were surrounding her car. I giggled, thinking she was exaggerating just a bit. When we got there, it was no exaggeration, believe you me!! Wow...about 90 ducks and geese (small exaggeration) were honking and quacking and following people. I believe they were expecting food. As we slid down an icy slope and went to stand near an icy pond for our pictures, they followed us flapping huge wings. Ask Amy for her Geese impersonation, it is really good. We kind of wanted them in the family picture for a little novelty, but they saw a woman with a small dog coming down the path and went to terrorize her instead. Then a man with duck food came to cause additional havoc, and the geese got a little vicious. You could really see the "pecking order" as some of the giant ones nipped at the smaller, shyer ones.
I wanted some last family pictures of everyone because we have four of the family leaving soon. Although next month they will be outdated with the arrival of Baby Ruby, I hope that we have fond memories of a snowy February day where we laughed together. I will post the pictures when they are ready, hoping they will not look too odd, being that we are not the picture perfect family. Perhaps we can go for the "awkward" family photo website. (your skills are great, Amy , but you can only do so much) Oh, and yes, we know, Ben and Jess, you are the photogenic members of this family!!
A day of anxiety was actually a fun day, and as the day of departure for Matthew and Mark draws a little closer, we hope they remember it as a fun day too!!
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