Showered with Love

Way back in June (I think), Savanna sent me a text saying "I want to throw you a baby shower" and together we decided on the date, October 1. At the time, it seemed forever away! Well... this past Saturday we had the long, awaited Martin Family Baby Shower in Richmond, VA. It was amazing! The shower was put together by my awesome sister, mom, and aunt. Many cousins and family members also stayed to help clean up afterwards.

My mom and Aunt Ambra who helped set up, make food, etc. I love this picture. They are both so beautiful.

Me with my awesome sister who not only made all the table decorations, the center piece, invitations, and thank you cards; but also manages a household, is the mother to a 3 year old, AND had her own baby 6 weeks ago. I hope her creativity and motivation rubs off on me.

Love them. When I was looking at the picture I thought we should have included Gracie (since Coraline was strapped to Savanna), but oh well. I still love the picture.

Here are a few pictures of the awesome decorations Savanna made; I'm sure you will see more pictures of them as I decorate the nursery (which is also in green/blue). She made me a "Mommy-to-be" button, Lynda a "Gramma-to-be" button, and my mom a "Grami (again)" button.

The flowers on the table.

The table center piece: a bouquet of socks.

... and on the back of the bouquet box was a bow and key for our Baby Boki. Get it?

She also made blocks for the cake that read MERZ from the front, BOKI from the top...

...and 2011 from the back. She said she didn't like them because the cake part was too small for the blocks, but I thought it looked amazing!


In traditional Martin fashion, we celebrated with lots of pictures, lots of fellowship, and lots of delicious food (made by my Aunt Ambra). It was such a sweet time to celebrate with amazing family and friends (we missed you Christy and Kelsi). I am so grateful for their love, prayers, and support over the last 4 years. I don't know what we would have done without them. I truly have the best family in the world.

Grandma Bohr, Michelle, and Aunt Darlene

Suzan (who is marrying my dad is just a few short weeks). She is going to go from having an immediate family of one son, to having an immediate family of a husband, two sons, two daughters, two son-in-laws, and three grandchildren. I think she can handle it...

Grace, me, and Amber. Amber is married to my cousin, Sloan, and they have never been able to attend a family shower because of living all around the country with the Air Force. I was so honored they drove up from Virginia Beach to be with me. What a beautiful family: inside and out.

Rebecca, Ellen, and Taylor: three beautiful generations of women.

While everyone was setting up/cleaning up I was able to have some quality time with the youngest guest at the shower: 5 week 6 day old Coraline. I pray that her and Boki will be best friends.

What can I say about this picture? I am blessed with an incredible mother. She is great and glad I not only have her as a mother, but Boki gets her as a Grami. She is amazing.

I have also been blessed with an awesome mother-in-law (how many people can say that?) She is awesome and (if Boki is a girl) I have greatly enjoyed my 7.5 year stint as her only Mersiovsky girl.

Like I said before, we were showered with presents. Now if you look at my registries we registered for everything because, well, we need everything. However, I have never been so humbled and thankful at all of the wonderful gifts we received: clothes, blankets, towels, wash clothes, diaper cakes, toys, play mats, bassinet, car seat, jogging stroller, etc., etc., etc. It was like Christmas, times a million.

What was even more amazing is that everything fit in our car to come back to Harrisonburg. All I can say is that I'm glad Scott didn't come with me (he was camping instead) because there wasn't room for him to sit down. HA. There was barely room for Max...

To top the weekend off I was able to have lunch with my Dad, brother, and soon to be step brother. They are amazing too, just like Mom and Savanna. My family is amazing. They really are. I know sometimes we drive each other crazy, but I wouldn't want any other family. They are perfect.

During the shower when Ambra prayed for the food and Savanna gave a speech before opening presents (both of which I wanted to cry, but I didn't because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop) I was reminded of the "impact" of this pregnancy. As Savanna said in her speech, over the last 4 years many people have become so invested in the Mersiovsky babies. I wish I could write a thank you card to each person who has prayed for us, sent a Facebook message, sent an email, mailed a card, given a gift, or just hugged us as we walked this road we started so long ago. The last four years have been hard, and I don't anticipate the next 6 weeks being any easier; but knowing how much we are loved, how much Boki is loved, we are nothing but thankful. Thankful to you for your prayers, support, and gifts and thankful to Jesus for carrying us on this journey for His glory. I hope one day Boki can read this blog and realize how God used him/her in this world long before he/she was born. We are so loved. So cherished. And I will forever be thankful. We were not just showered we love, we are saturated with it!