Blessed

Two weekends ago, my two oldest friends came to visit me for a small Blessingway type ceremony. It was a very quiet and simple affair, but it really meant a lot to me. I've always wanted to do something of this sort, but the circumstances were never right with my other pregnancies.

Steve took the kids out for the afternoon, so we could have time to ourselves. It was the first time that the three of us had been alone together in about 8 years! My mother and a couple of friends sent blessings that they read to me. They henna'd my belly. I had a nice herbal foot bath and a foot massage. And we sat around and snacked and talked and had a very pleasant time.

When Steve and the kids got back, my belly was still in the process of drying. Galen took one look at me and exclaimed, "Wretched! Your belly 'sgusting!" Made me laugh!

Everyone helped finish off the rest of the snacks and cuddled and chatted some more. We used some of the leftover henna to add trees and hearts and trains (!) to the kids hands.

Then last week, Steve and I made a belly cast. I'm very glad to have these little reminders and keepsakes from this time. Souvenirs from a great journey, you might say. I believe that they will be very precious to me in the years to come.