best. weekend. ever. (part trois)

"shower" just doesn't cut it.  my dear friends, kerry and dawn, went out of their way on saturday to throw what can only be rightly referred to as a baby deluge. 



when kerry first asked me about doing a baby shower to celebrate micah's coming arrival, i was just coming off of the diaper shower from these sweet friends, and our family had been tremendously blessed with a closet full of diapers, wipes, and formula.  so we shifted gears a bit and turned the shower into a donation party to gather some desperately-needed supplies for acacia village (where micah lives right now in addis).  as i was putting the guest list together, my heart warmed as i realized the diversity of those the lord has brought together to surround us in love and support us throughout this journey.  mine and josh's families, other families i used to babysit for, decades-long friends from college, photography clients, and our real estate agent - it almost has the makings of some goofy television sitcom.  but the lord has grown each of those relationships into some of the most dear ones in our life.  



and one thing i've learned about dear friends and family is that they care about what you care about.  in some big, big ways. 



in case you're not getting the full effect there, let me quantify it for you.  what you're seeing is 760 diapers, almost 1,600 wipes, enough formula to make 108 bottles, outfits for 15 of the older kids at acacia, and enough disposable gloves, baby wash, bottles, antibacterial hand soap, and diaper rash ointment to stock every babies 'r us store in the southeast. 

and it's all going to ethiopia.

that touches my heart and humbles my spirit.  oh, and it should tell you something that the shower hadn't even begun yet when i started crying...thanks to this beauty that kerry asked a friend paint for micah's room:



not only does it pull in the meaning of micah's name - "who is like our god?" - but the red leaves of the tree are made up of the fingerprints of so many of the people who are loving and praying our baby home.  (by the way, i'm keeping it handy for a while longer because there are definitely some fingerprints missing.  this boy has been adopted by far more hearts than just our own.) 

so come on over and stamp away!  i'll leave it by the front door while we're in ethiopia.  :-)

oh girls, i am so thankful for you.  each of you.  and i praise the lord for his loving gift of family and friends.