Red Eggs and Ginger for Keira

We arrived a little late — not purposely though as it took a few moments to gear up. Remembered the diapers, pacifiers, extra set of clothes.. stuff like that.  A roomful of attendees had already arrived before us as we entered the venue and so eager to meet her.  To meet Keira.  To say hello.  To say welcome to the world.  It seemed so ordinary — so Wonderfully and Gratefully ordinary.

This past weekend, we held a gathering to celebrate Keira’s first 100 days.  It was called a “Red Egg and Ginger” party.  And, it was kind of a big deal.  Yep, it was.

Let me start by saying that we have the most supportive and best friends in the world. We feel truly cared for and loved.  Being somewhat new to the San Francisco Bay Area, it was a reinvention of our environment and surroundings, and we’ve reached a point where we’ve been blessed by and surrounded with a truly caring network of friends.  When good things happen, they’re here to celebrate with us.  When things don’t go as expected, they’re here to hold us up until we’re able to stand again.  Truly blessed.

Planning for the event was challenging.   We teetered back and forth for a few weeks regarding the venue.  My preference was for a formal banquet where people suited up sitting at big round tables in some fancy restaurant while being fed luscious amounts of food.  And Elizabeth, well, she wanted a mind-blowing karaoke party to let off some steam.  And… we sort of met in the middle somewhere.  Alike crafting a sleek sculpture, whittling away at a piece of wood, we planned and prepared with the purpose to make the venue appear simple.  Symbolic in a way.  This is how we wanted it — just simple.  Create a scene where people can freely chat.  That’s it.  We wanted to spend some quality time with friends – and friends with each other. 

For our friends, it would be the first time they were to meet Keira.  And we were so grateful.  Friends whom came knew there wouldn’t be too much excitement — it wasn’t going to be a club scene or anything, and they were coming to the event for us, for our family.  You see, many of them knew what we have been through the past few months.  And they stood by us.  Kept us in their prayers, their thoughts, in their well wishes.  They wanted to be here for us and to finally meet Keira.  They got to hold her.  To take pictures with her.  To say hello and welcome her to the world.  

I mentioned the term symbolic previously.  It really was.  You see, our experiences in the past few months haven’t exactly been easy.  Things just haven’t really been normal.  It was difficult living in a hospital.  It was difficult worrying if our newborn will be strong.  And to an extreme, it was exhausting at times worrying if our family were to lose a member, or two, and trying to prepare accordingly.  This “Red Egg and Ginger” party, symbolically marked that this day moving forward where the stopwatch now resets — things will be Wonderfully and Gratefully ordinary.

We felt so truly blessed that Keira’s birth, and first 100 days went well.  And so truly blessed that we have truly caring friends.  Here’s to being ordinary! Onward! Cheers 🙂

-Peter

Pictures are in random order (every time the page is refreshed)

PS – on a lighter note, we were planning to make a small speech during the event, but the time slipped by so fast.  Elizabeth said she prepared something, and I’m hoping to hear it, cause I know its something she probably rehearsed over and over again.  But she thinks I prepared something too.  Well, I did.. well sorta..  I am the master of “winging it”, but I do work with some structure — an outline.  Here, check it out:

1. tell funny joke
2. tell funny story
3. tell another funny joke

Yep. That’s about it. 🙂