Connie's Diary - Baby Shower

Penny Van Gelderen and Andrew John, my sister and brother in law, had a baby shower on the weekend. I have never been to a baby shower, so this was very exciting for me. I have only known Penny for 3 years, and though she is my sister in law, she is like a real sister to me. She is fun, outgoing, vibrant and confident and I think she is absolutely fantastic. It is so exciting that we are expecting a little niece or nephew in the next few weeks, and Penny and Andrew will be great parents. Our little niece or nephew will be blessed with parents that love and adore him/her and provide a safe, happy, positive and stimulating environment for her/him. It is so exciting that this couple, who really want a baby, have been able to get pregnant and are close to having their first child. It’s one of those times in life when you think, how great, they deserve to have all the good things in life and I am so glad they are about to get something they have longed for, a brand new addition to the family.

Well, Penny is a very socially responsible person and is motivated by the greater good, so she saw her baby shower as a chance to make a difference, and made her baby shower all about Love Your Sister. She asked her friends and family to donate to the cause instead of giving gifts for her and the baby. I can’t believe how generous and selfless people can be, and Penny and Andrew are yet another example of this generosity that Love Your Sister has been seeing. She painted her nails pink, got little Love Your Sister goody bags ready for everyone and organised a heap of fundraising activities like a coin toss and a raffle. She did an amazing job when she is due in just 2 weeks, and must be feeling very tired and heavy. I wish I could have been there, but it is interstate and I have been travelling so much lately and I am very tired. But I got to skype in and see all the people there to support her and Andrew and have a chat and hear her beautiful speech.

In all, Penny raised over $1600 and I think this is a fabulous example of people getting together with friends, have a fun day, and contributing to a great cause. Penny did all this while the unicyclist was far away, deep in the harsh aussie outback. It goes to show what a ‘community’ or a ‘village’ can do!