Baby Shower #2

All we can say is we are overwhelmed..... Overwhelmed by how lucky we are to be surrounded by the MOST amazing group of wonderful friends and family. The love and generosity that we were showered with yesterday was more then we ever dreamed of. We now know why they call it a Baby Shower... It is not because of the shower of wonderful gifts that you get when you are expecting, but because all of your loved ones who come together to celebrate with you in the joy that you are experiencing. Riz and I commented to each other through out the day how awesome it was to have all our friends (well most of our friends some could not be there) in one place. We had family, old work friends, new work friends, adoption friends and what we affectionately referred to as "REGULAR" friends all in one place at one time. I was emotional all day and was frequently brought to tears by the words and love that people showered over us all day long. We can not express how grateful we are to everyone that was there and to those of you who could not be there in person, but who were there in spirit for everything, most of all for being there for us through the past 28 month. We can not wait to share Sophia with all of those we love.........

OK, so, now we have to share the details of the shower.....

It was a warm, breeze, sunny day and our friends Pat and Denise opened their home to us for a wonderful Baby shower. They decorated their home and yard with white lights, pink, white and red Chinese lanterns. My Brother in Law Chris and wife Tabby brought a truck load of balloons and filled the yard with color. My mother decorated the tables with Chinese food boxes filled with rice and little white lights, fortune cookies, chop sticks and red rose petals. My wonderful Mother and Father in law and mother helped to get ready for the day by setting up with Pat and Denise. There was yummy Chinese food from our favorite Chinese restaurant (Tops China). My mom made cute favors for everyone to take home when they left. (My oldest Brother John)

Small Chinese Food take out boxes with candy and a "Red Thread Legend book marker in them. The cake was FANTASTIC! and all thanks to my wonderful best friend Lisa. She arranged to have a ladybug cake made and what seemed like a gazillion cupcakes that were the cutest things I had ever seen.. Small Sunflowers each with a tiny little ladybug and they were delicious too....Everything was delicious and beautiful.....

and then the gift giving began ....OH MY!, I don't even know what to say. We received so many wonderful gifts for Sophia. We feel so fortunate..... everything from toys (that we needed, no toys in our house) to Oh! so cute clothes. My mother in-law made Sophia a beautiful hand made pillowcase dress, embrodered with colorful flowers. Wendy gave us "THE" little white dress from Strasburg kids, I can't wait for beach photos in that dress. The Doctor Riz works for gave us a beautiful Irish wool cable knit sweater and A Kilt in the "official" Stewart tartin.... There were so many adorable things that I can't wait to put on Sophia. We received some really sweet sentimental gifts and some really great baby necessities like a stroller, baby monitor, Diaper pail and a baby swing. The generosity of Riz's Uncle Michael and Aunt Lurel will afford us to purchase the car seat we need (and want). We also received things for Sophia's room like sheets and blankets, toiletries, and hooded bath towels sets. The numerous gift cards that we recived will allow us to do a little shopping for a few more of the baby things we need .

Last but not least we were blessed with generous donations to our China baby fund from both Riz's parents and my mother. We can't thank them enough for helping us to bring home our baby girl.

We want to say a special Thank you to Matt and Amy Greeson for the wonderful baby book (adoption geared) and the target gift card they sent all the way from Ohio...


to Cheri and Shane for the wonderful box full of baby goodies it was the last thing I opened and I was so touched that you made the effort to send a gift for Sophia.

and to Jennifer and Patrick who could not be with us yesterday but who bought Sophia her first walker/toddler toy....


Riz and I want to express our deepest most heartfelt gratitude to all of our friends and family who help create the most wonderful day for us....a day that we will remember forever and will one day share with our beautiful baby girl.... we love you all.......

A few more pictures from the day

Nai Nai and Allyson (our beautiful god daughter) , Kate and Claire

My beautiful Niece Breanna

Sweet Macy Lane





Tom AKA Chowda Head

Uncle Chris

The Loot

and the perfect ending to a perfect day