Feeling The Love

This morning The Swede and I hopped into the car to pick up some groceries for the grill-fest we were hosting tonight.  We also stopped off at two car dealerships to check out some Volvos that we've been contemplating investing in.  Then we took a little detour to drive by the golf course because The Swede didn't feel like going home yet.  And we got a slushie.  And we stopped by a roadside stand to buy some strawberries.  Clearly he was stalling because when we got home I found the house draped in balloons and other baby-themed decorations and Mama Swede, Sarianne, Gunilla, Elin and Julia popped out of hiding to throw me a surprise baby shower!

They don't have baby showers in Sweden, so these girls researched them on the net, special-ordered the decorations and asked friends and family for tips.  And it was perfect!  We played games and opened presents and ate lunch followed by cake.  The girls and The Swede had conspired with family and friends back home so that I had video and written messages and gifts from them, which I couldn't believe and was totally overwhelmed by.  It really felt like everyone I love was there somehow.  The greetings from my nieces and nephew in the States were especially moving and when the girls asked me if this was like a typical American baby shower I said that it was, exactly, except for the bit when everybody cried watching videos and reading letters.

After awhile The Swede and his dad showed up and joined in one of the games: guessing the diameter of my gigantic belly.  Everyone guessed WAY over with the exception of Sarianne who was pretty close.  That earned a couple of sister-in-law brownie points, to be sure.

I felt so much love all day today, I can't even tell you.  That my Swedish family planned and researched for months to give me an American-style celebration is incredible and the fact that my American family and friends got to be a part of it means so much to me.  Thank you all so, so much, from the bottom of my heart.