Oh, baby.....

We were in downtown Houston yesterday, to attend a party given by friends V & S for their son and daughter-in-law who are expecting their first child in July.  V and S are over-the-moon with anticipation over their first grandchild, so much so that S was wearing a pink shirt yesterday, and V had on a pink plaid dress.

V & S booked one of the ballrooms in the Hilton for this party, complete with a live band (great music, but oh so loud).  It was a luncheon, sit-down meal (chicken or salmon) and the food was very good, nice and hot, kept that way on very warm plates.  My estimate is that at least 80 people were there.  We saw some of V & S's friends that we had met at their son's wedding a couple of years ago, plus neighbors from our old subdivision in Clear Lake.  The neighbors still remember our dog Gracie, and it was just about heart-breaking to hear them talk of Gracie. (No wonder we haven't gotten another dog..... somehow, Gracie is still with us even now.)

This celebration yesterday, called a party instead of a baby shower (because all of the husbands were invited...... my husband being among a small number of those who actually attended) turned out to be a jubilee of love and support.  Anyone who meets friends of V & S's immediately knows they are held in high regard.  And one meeting with either of their sons lets you know that both V & S were present-in-every-moment of their sons' upbringing.

Before the guests walked into the beautifully decorated pink ballroom yesterday, we were all asked to write down advice on pink cards, to be given to the soon-to-be new parents.  I wrote the words of Maya Angelou--- "Make sure to always be aware of the looks you give your children....... your eyes should light up with blessings when they walk into the room." 

During the party, a microphone was passed around the room for still more advice for V's son and daughter-in-law.  Friends were telling them to get as much sleep as they could now..... to take time for 'date nights' after the baby is born.... to read to their child every night..... lots of good advice for young parents.  When the microphone came to our table, I told V's son and daughter-in-law this........ "If you want a perfect, perfect child, then just do everything that V & S did."  The room applauded. Without a doubt, I'm not the only one who realizes what a superior parenting job V & S have accomplished with their sons.

There hasn't been one time when we're with V & S and their friends that we haven't felt the love and respect that surrounds them.  If that could be bottled up and sent around the planet, we'd all be living in a very different world.