I went to a baby shower on Sunday. I wish I had taken pictures because it was like Steel Magnolias meets Winnie the Pooh meets the year of the dragon.
Let me say that I love the south, I love (most of) the people of the south and Steel Magnolias is one of my favorite movies because it captured life in the South perfectly. Southern women... they are awesome. I watch them at social events such as showers and weddings and it's as though I'm watching a novel being acted out in front of me. They are passionate about their families, their communities and above all - appearances. This is not a bad thing. On the contrary I admire it greatly because although they always look perfectly put together, they make it seem effortless; as though the clothes, the hair, the shoes just appeared before them without the need for anyone to think or shop or (god forbid!) launder.
The mom-to-be... hmmmm, how to get started on the connection (i.e. how I happened to be there)? She lives with and is having a baby by the husband of my friend's deceased daughter. There! Simple, right? Families are complicated these days it seems; mine no less than anyone's.
So, there were three distinct groups of ladies at this shower; friends and family of the mommy-to-be, the daddy-to-be and third - friends/family of the daddy-to-be's deceased first wife. The mom-to-be's family is Korean and I only mention this because it set them apart from the southern-ness in the room. Now, proper southern ladies would never, ever make anyone feel out of place or uncomfortable. But if this scenario seems bizarre, believe me it felt that way too; not because of the different backgrounds but because of the dots that connected everyone in attendance.
I commend my friend for wanting to be part of the new couple's life. After all, there is a grandchild. Her grandson was not quite two years old when his mommy/her daughter died. The new woman in his life has been a good stepmother to him and he loves her. And so it was a joyous occasion with a sprinkle of heartache.. for photos of Melissa were on the walls all around us - her presence and our memories of her were palpable.
Oh, and I
loved the shoes Tara was wearing and the chicken salad was divine!
