Showered with Love

Last night a group of incredible, wonderful friends (Tara, Brigette, Susan; her daughter Madison, Kim, Lynne and Cara) completely suprised me with a baby shower on the patio at Merrick!  Words really can't describe how touched I was by each of them being there and for the incredibly sweet, meaningful gifts for Gianna.  (And oh-my-gosh....those Gigi's cupcakes!!) Of course there were a lot of tears, but all happy and hopeful ones - I'm getting so excited to have this little girl and share her with these incredible women!  I felt so pampered - Lynne gave me a silver St. Gianna patron saint necklace, and Susan gave me a pearl bracelet with a cross and Gianna's initials engraved on it.  I'm wearing them both today!  Tara gave me a beautiful pink keepsake box to keep all Gianna's baby treasures.  Brigette brought Gianna a perfect white bib with a cross for her baptism and a Willow Tree "Angel of  Miracles".  Her Aunt Cara is making sure I don't wind up dressing her in hand-me-downs from the boys and gave her an absolutely adorable tiny tutu dress and baby hairbows!  Kim gave her the softest pink crib bunny, a beautiful silver rattle and a book called "This Little Light of Mine" which I had never read before.  I read it last night before bed (with more tears of course!).  I'm probably breaking some kind of copyright law here, but here's a very abbreviated version of the story.  It's so perfect:

"We all come from a very special place in heaven.  Here, angels sweetly tell us about life on earth.  'These are your ears,' said one angel to a baby girl. 'With them you will hear the beautiful sounds of the world, like birds and water and singing.'  'These are your eyes," said another angel. 'With these you will see all of the gifts God has made on earth.  And look down here, you have two feet and ten toes, little one.  You won't believe how much you will use these on earth.' 'Okay, let's see...,' the last angel said. 'Good, little one, everything looks fine.' The angel turned to all of heaven and anounced, 'It's a girl and we are ready to turn on her light!' The little one found herself waiting in a long long line.  When she made it to the front of the line she saw God.  'Come to me, little one,' God said. 'Let me have a look at you.'  'You see this light?' God asked, showing her His bright light. 'It is for you and it comes straight from my heart.' She knew the light was special and worried out loud, 'What if I lose the light, God?' 'It's impossible to lose this light,' God said. 'On your way to earth, you may lose your eyes or your ears.  While you are on earth, you may get sick and lose all of your hair.  But my light will always be in you.'  'What do I do with the light, God?' she asked. 'You will use it to love others, and your kindness will lead you right back to me.  You will recognize the light in other people when they are sweet or forgiving.  You see, little one, I have given my light to everyone.'  'God?'  'Yes little light of mine?' 'How will I remember you?' God was happy to answer her question.  He knew this soul was almost ready to go. 'Once a year you will celebrate your trip to earth.  As a part of the celebration you will see a light,' He said.  'This will remind you of me.  As you grow and love all the people of the world, you will notice the light gets brighter and brighter,' God explained.  Seeing the birthday cake, God's light, and the happy faces on earth made her so excited she began to float. 'I'm on my way God. My light will shine for the world to see!' 'I know it will,' God said, as His little light safely made her way to earth. 'I know it will.'

Thank you friends for holding Gianna in the light and helping her to be so loved and welcomed!