A Sweet Baby - Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Last Saturday, my dear friend and former workmate, Elaine Martin, invited me to Fairfield to her sister, Janelle's bridal shower.  I was delighted to see her again as she is like family to me.  Since our job ended seventeen months ago, I don't see nearly enough of her although we do have lunch together from time to time.  Elaine and I always introduce ourselves as sisters when we meet new people.  Sometimes they are a bit taken aback as she is African American and I, of course, am Caucasian.  As is often the case at functions I attend with Elaine, I was the only Caucasian present.  I never feel uncomfortable because I am always made to feel like part of the family and I feel welcome.

Anyway, it was a lovely shower except for the heat in Fairfield.  My heart, however, was totally captured by a sweet baby girl, the daughter of one of Elaine's friends, also an RN, who works, occasionally, in the ER at San Francisco General.  I guess having three sons makes me melt whenever I see a sweet little girl.  I hope  I have one in the family someday soon!!

Lovely Laura, The Bridal Shower on 4-10-2010

Last Saturday, I went to Sacramento for the bridal shower of the very special girl who is going to marry my son, Alex.  Laura has been part of his life since they met when they were both studying fire technology at American River College ( both hoped to become fire fighters ).  They had their first date six years ago.  In April 2009, they bought their home, adopted my two granddogs from a Yolo County animal shelter and, with his grandmother's diamond solitaire in hand, Alex asked this beautiful young woman to marry him.  When Laura phoned me, second's later and said, "Hi
Mom," I couldn't stop crying.  She is an incredible person, a wonderful partner for him, a hard worker ( she is a paramedic ), loyal, beautiful and  so thoughtful.  I was deeply touched when she called and invited me to go with her and her maid of honor to shop for her wedding dress.  She commented that, since I had three sons, I might not ever have the opportunity, otherwise! 

The shower was given by her maid of honor, Mandy, who did such a beautiful job of decorating the house.  It was a girl's only event and Mandy's husband, Dave, seemed happy to vacate the house for a few hours.  We played fun games and I loved meeting Laura's grandmother and aunts and friends.  Of course, I knew her mom and a couple of other relatives, some of who were at Alex and Laura's for their first Thanksgiving dinner in their new home.  Alex and Laura just flew to Georgia with my other son, Jeremy, and his girlfriend, Katie, so they could meet the boys' grandmother.  Sadly, of course, she won't be at the wedding.

The beautiful table

Mandy, maid of honor, hard at work

Beautiful Laura

Laura's engagement ring which was my mother's

Laura and her mom, Christine

Laura and her grandmother ( don't they look alike?

The gifts pile up

Laura and Trish

Wrestling with a box

Laura's only lingerie gift - from Grammy - who said, "I may be old but I'm not senile!"

Aunt Shirley and Aunt Patt

Lots more to open

A beautiful cake plate

Laura, with her ribbon bouquet

The cake expresses all our wishes for Laura

Flowers in Mandy's window box

At home after, flowers in Laura's new bridal shower vase

The groom-to-be, Alex, Taffy, and my oldest son, Shawn, listening to the shower details -

Alex is trying to understand why they need another set of mixing bowls when they already had two - I will be interested to see if Laura convinces him!