The Wood Between the Worlds

I have some friends here in Oregon who are like sister friends.  They are friends who are like sisters to me.  They were great friends before I lost Elsa, but in the time since I have lost her they are the ones who have given me regular support.  No judgment.  They have continued to call me and invite me over knowing full-well that I might talk about my grief the whole time...that I might talk about the same things that I have talked about before...that I may cry.  On days like April Fool's Day (which was perhaps the worst day of grief thus far) Tara brought me flowers or ice cream or something along those lines.  I will never forget.

Well, these girls really wanted to throw me a baby shower for this baby...but I really didn't want one.  So Tara, my natural-birthy minded friend insisted that we would have a blessingway instead.  A blessingway is a more spiritual, mother-centered type of baby celebration where the guests give positive thoughts for the mama, the baby and the birth.  Baby gifts are not involved.  (I just did not want more people expected to bring me baby gifts, considering that I still have many unused gifts...sitting in a box, waiting, hoping for 'someday'...that were given to me a year ago.)

Enter in the beach retreat.  Tara decided that we were going to rent a condo overnight at the beach, have a blessingway for me, a birthday celebration for another friend, and do a maternity photo shoot at the beach.