celebrate story.

This blog post has been marinating in my head for sometime.. I think partly because it's so special to me that words don't seem to fit.

I love to celebrate. I think we don't do enough celebrating. The one area I think it's most important is in our relationships. We need to celebrate our friendships and take time to let people know how much they mean to us. Last year I hosted a Favorite Things party and invited women who were my friends.. women who were imporatant to me and inspired and encouraged me. I decided to keep it a yearly tradition (and if I had more time I would do it more often than that)

When my birthday was approaching this year I kept telling the Stallion I wanted to do something more.. more than presents and stuff. I wanted to give back. My thoughts immediately went to my Brother and family who are hopping on a plane and going across the world in the next couple weeks. They have waited a LONG time and finally they will add 2 sweet brothers to their family. These boys will have a forever home. They have lived at an orphanage and in a few weeks they will be home. Forever. Apart of my family. It got me thinking that my story is entwined with adoption.. it's how my story started and it's my destiny.. my legacy. I decided to mix this passion with my passion for celebrating and so this party came to be. 

I carefully selected my guest list and prayed over each invite. I was sad that some decided not to come but thankful for each woman who came and sat around  the table with me. It was special. I kept saying how amazing it is to have so many women from so many different areas of my life in one spot. It's magic. Truely.

I spent weeks planning and preparing.. each detail thought over. From the handmade invitations which set the tone down to the party favors were created with each one of these women in mind.

I asked that they each bring a sleeper or something of the like that we could bless the orphanage my two nephews come from. I placed a small suitcase on a table to collect the gifts and was overwhelmed as they spilled out of the suitcase onto the floor. Beautiful soft bright sleepers soon to cover small babies a world away in Africa. I am thankful for this gift. I know my family will deliver it with as much love as it took for you to select the perfect one. Thank you.

The night was incredible. 17 women came to drink wine & tea and devour delicious desserts. We laughed and had all sorts of conversations. The party was also inspired by this quote a favourite Brene Brown quote of mine. It was the star of the invitation and just really speaks to my life. I love that our lives are a collection of Stories... we all have so much to give. I admit the second part of my party plan got the best of me.. I was overcome with insecurity and then my Lisa told me to stop being insecure and do it cause it was walking into my destiny.. again part of who I am. 

So I introduced creative collaging to them. And although some of them maybe thought they were not creative we spent the next few hours cutting, laughing, pasting and putting together a collage that was special to us. I challenged them to ask a question of themselves or maybe it was a goal or a place in their lives they wanted to go. Whatever it was it was special and unique, different and part of their story.

Sometimes I had a hard time looking up cause it was just so overwhelming. NEVER take for granted the people who share their lives with you. It's beautiful.

I have a few regrets I wish I would have shared more about what each of these women meant to me.. I admit I let my insecurity get the best of me and for that I missed out on an awesome opportunity to share with them why I celebrate them. I have plans to make that right. :)

Thanks to Lisa for taking such beautiful photos so I have something tangible to remember the night by.. the memories aren't going anywhere. Celebrate the ones you love. Don't let a day go by without it. Life is too short. Life is too incredible to let it pass you by. I'll leave you with pictures.

oh and for those that wonder about all those sleepers... this is the final result (although I had some people drop more off after this.)

I am already planning for next time.. brunch I think.