The Orange House: a baby shower

This weekend brought a whirlwind of excitement as my mom, dad, sister, aunts and cousins traveled to Dallas to attend a baby shower that our sweet and good friends Beth and Dachelle threw in honor of our soon-to-be newest family member. Since we are so spread out geographically, we don't get to see each other as often as we would like, so it made the shower extra special to have so much of my family there.

It was a small and intimate shower, and Beth, knowing me well, created the perfect opportunity for me to visit with friends that I don't get to see as often as I should. Everybody was so generous and we opened practical, fun and nostalgic gifts, which we just can't wait to use ... it won't be long before she is here!

I don't have pictures of everybody, but a few pictures from the shower are below...

Thank you, Beth for being such a great friend and hostess! I am so lucky to have you, Brandon, Jack and Dachelle as part of my "family!"

Odette (honorary hostess and Dachelle's mother), Pam (my mom), Summer (my sister), Beth (fabulous friend and hostess), Crystalyn, Marsha (my aunt), Kendra (my cousin), Debbie (my aunt) and Kayla (my cousin)

Robin's mom, ever the creative soul, sent a bouquet of washcloths and tiny socks.

Over the years, I've watched my mother lovingly crochet blankets for the special babies in her life, and I am so excited to finally have one!

Dachelle sent Robin a daddy diaper kit that included gloves, tongs, goggles, a nose clip and diaper changing decision dice. I've promised to post pictures of its use.

I had a napping quilt similar to this Mother Goose quilt when I was little (though mine was Raggedy Anne and Summer's was Mother Goose) and my mom had enough fabric left over and tucked away to make one for my first child and for Summer's first child (which probably won't be far behind!) What a special, nostalgic gift!

I was completely overwhelmed with emotion when my friend Adrienne (who lives in Houston) walked in with her daughter, Reese. Adrienne and I were the closest of friends in college and we just don't see each other or talk as much as we should (though I've recently been able to feel more in touch by keeping up with her family's blog.) It was so special for her to come and for me to finally meet her daughter, Reese, who will be exactly one year older than our blessing.

I met Eileen at her wedding soon after Robin and I started dating and she and her husband, Michael, have been great friends ever since. Eileen took most of the pictures during the shower. I think she's hooked on the digital SLR and Robin and I think Michael should get her one for Christmas or another special occasion!

Kalina is my best friend from college and she is like a sister to me. We've lived far from each other since she graduated, but she and her husband, Beto, and daughter, Akassia moved to Plano about a year and a half ago and Robin and I have both enjoyed having them so close. Beto has a great job opportunity in Dubai, so he, Kalina, Akassia and their new daughter, Iliana, are moving this spring. I'm devastated to see them go and hope they will be back in the US soon (preferably close to me!)

My friend, Jessica, works at United Way. We became good friends when she worked on TI's 2006 campaign.

When people ask how I met Leah and Amber, we always have to think and I'm not sure we remember exactly when/where we met, but Amber and I had a funny night on St. Patrick's Day 2002 when we donned green feather boas and set out down Greenville Ave. as the "pinching patrol." This idea, of course, was contrived as we were running the obligatory pre-parade 5K.