Long-distance baby shower

My mom came to visit this week, and she brought with her a much-appreciated surprise: gifts for Samuel from my family, college friends, and members of my home church. Samuel now has (among other things) a beautiful handmade quilt, a soft knit blanket, a baby carrier (in which he went downtown with my mom and me this morning), picture books in Spanish and English, a cute new diaper bag, and a whole new wardrobe. It was a pleasure to wash his new clothes and, as I hung them up to dry, to think about the wonderful community Samuel belongs to--a community that extends across the American continent and includes people who love him even without having met him.

So maybe a better title for this entry would have been "Thank you"--on behalf of Samuel and his parents, who feel touched and just a bit overwhelmed by your generosity.