Shower!!!

Today was incredible. When I showed up at my mom's house, there were the most adorable decorations all over the table that my niece, sister, mom, friend, and her little sister set up. It was SO cute. White table clothes, banners, cupcake signs, bride and groom cake toppers, rose petals, and flowers were all over, and it seriously almost made me cry.

The guests arrived almost immediately, and let me tell you, I have never felt more love. I had old high school friends, work friends, family friends, neighbors, and family of course who all arrived, and there were probably close to thirty people there. Everyone took a seat at the table, and my friend (and bridesmaid) dressed me in a "Bride to Be" sash, white gloves, pearls, and a flower clip with an adorable veil attached, then the buffet began. There was biscuits and gravy, meatballs, fruits, veggies, yogurt, hummus, pasta, chicken enchiladas, and all kinds of other stuff to eat, and it was pure food bliss.

After eating, everyone had to draw a number, and as their number was called, they got to select a gift (a la White Elephant style), and all the gifts were hilarious, ugly, or stupidly fun items that you would find on the clearance rack of your local Ross or Tj Maxx. It was a blast to see what people were getting, and the octopus martini glass was for sure the most desired item.

After the gifts were handed out and laughed over, there was a wedding word search game, followed by a game to see who knew me and my fiancee the best. My sister had asked my fiancee and I a list of fun questions, and now she was going to ask the shower attendees to see who knew us best. Apparently I'm more complicated than I realized... because not even my mother knew many of the answers to the questions about me. But then again, "What kind of animal would you want to be" doesn't come up in conversations much. And for those of you wondering... I would want to be a Speckled Bear.

After the game, it was time for the craft. My sister bought out squares of white fabric, and fabric pens, along with little felt owls, sugar cookies, and fortune cookies. The owl represented words of wisdom, the sugar cookie was a sweet thought, and the fortune cookie was a wish. I'm a VERY sentimental person, and the craft was to pick one of the felt objects, and write a message on it, and design the fabric square that will be sewn into a quilt and presented on our wedding day. My sister gave me a little wrapped box, and said that inside was an example. Of course, it was a fabric square designed by my fiancee. I broke down crying as I read the words, "You're as beautiful as every Hawaiian sunrise we shared." (Side story, we went with his family to Hawaii on vacation and we made it a point every morning to be the first ones out on the beach to watch the sunrise. Just me and him.) He's so darn cute. I left to help my mom clean as people worked on them because I don't want to see them until the quilt is done. I had had enough crying for one shower.

We took a little break for dessert, which were delicious cupcakes of course, then it was time to open gifts.

Oh... my... gosh... I was spoiled today. People were told to bring a household item that starts with the first letter of their first OR last name, but everyone went above and beyond. I still can't believe how generous people are, and it gets me choked up right now just thinking about it. My registry has been wiped clean, and I wont need pajamas for a very long time.

The heat took us over as the shower came to an end, and it was time to say goodbye. I must say that this has been a truly unforgettable day, and my sister is to thank. She and my mom really pulled out all the stops, and after the troubles we've been having this past year, it made it that much more special. So thank you to my sister, for making me feel beautiful, special, and so incredibly loved, and thank you to my mom who spent hours over the oven making delicious food, and letting us use her patio. Also, to my friend and her little sister who got up waaay too early to drive over and set up.

20 more days.