Our friends, Jeff & Kelly, are seven weeks away from welcoming their daughter! (By the way, Kelly's due December 27, so that means Christmas is 7 weeks away. Are you kidding me?!?!?) We went to a shower for them last night, and boy were they "showered." They got some great things for their baby girl!
The shower hostesses asked me to design 18 different birthday cards for Jeff & Kelly's daughter. They wanted to have them at the shower in order for the guests to write fun messages, words of encouragement, and prayers for this sweet baby girl! On her birthday for the next 18 years of her life, Jeff and Kelly will give her that year's card. I had never heard of doing anything like this before at a baby shower. I confess, I was a little skeptical; I thought it sounded like a silly idea. However, I agreed to design the cards and had MUCH fun doing so!
So, last night at the shower, we presented the 18 cards to Jeff and Kelly and told them what the cards were for, and we, the guests, were instructed to write in each of the 18 cards. So, I, the rule-follower that I am, went into the dining room where the cards were spread out and started writing notes to baby girl. Before I sat down to write, I decided that I would just do a couple. However, after I sat down and wrote in the first card, I was SOLD on this being the GREATEST thing ever to do at a baby shower! It was fun to think through each birthday over the next 18 years of her life, what will be going on in her life that year, and prayers & hopes for her. I told her to ask her Mommy & Daddy for their favorite memories of turning 3 or 8 or 13. On her 10th birthday, I told her to ask her parents about the baby shower that we had for her that evening and to have them tell her about the specific prayers that everyone prayed for her that night. For her 16th birthday, I challenged her to read Proverbs 31 each week that year and pray that God would continue shaping her into a Godly woman. It was hard for me to hold back the tears! With each of the 18 cards, I thought about this sweet little life--only 7 weeks away from entering this world--but already being covered in prayer for these first 18 years of her life! and the powerful prayers that were already being prayed for her.
So, I'm convinced now. Any baby shower that I help with from now on, we're doing the 18 birthday cards! I'm SO convinced that I'm now selling these cards and making them available to you. There's a boy set and a girl set. The pictures below are of the girl set; these were the ones we used last night. If you're interested in ordering a set, just email me!
