The most MAGICAL baby shower!

A couple weekends ago, Jenn threw me (and baby Hotch) the Harry Potter baby shower that dreams are made of. When asked awhile back, I told her that I'd like a Harry Potter theme and she absolutely blew me away with the level of planning and effort she put into it. I literally felt like I was transported on the Hogwarts Express to the Great Hall. As soon as I walked in and saw the floating candles in the doorway, I burst into tears.

You can't BUY friends like this, folks. Not even with knuts, sickles, and galleons.

Seriously. Every detail was flawless. From the names of the food - Ravenslaw, the Charcuterie of Secrets, My Patronus is Pulled Pork, and my personal favorite, Sloppy Cho - to the amazing Honeydukes station filled with chocolate frogs, golden snitches, Bertie Bott's, chocolate and licorice wands, Fizzing Whizbees, and the cutest cookies I've ever seen, I was in heaven everywhere I turned.

She set up a Platform 9-3/4 and made the cutest prop with Daily Prophet headlines for photo stations. She even decorated the bathroom with Moaning Myrtle on the mirror and a sign for the Ministry of Magic posted above the toilet. To say this muggle was thrilled would be an understatement.

On top of all this, I had the most incredible friends and family come from all over to help me celebrate. My sister came from North Carolina, my mother-in-law came from Texas, and I had friends come from all over the state of Ohio to shower this baby with love. I even had a dear friend come just two weeks after having her own baby! My dad, who cooked the delicious pulled pork, and Wheat even came to the shower at my request, despite probably feeling strange as the only guys.

Initially, I was worried that not having my mom there would dampen the mood or cast a dark cloud on the event. But while I was painfully aware of her absence and wished so desperately she could be there, I felt so well-loved and taken care of. It was overwhelming. So many of the incredible women in my life, from high school friends to college friends to family, gathered together to lift me up, support me, and let me know I'm not alone. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I just felt lucky.

...and man! We walked out of there with two cars loaded with baby necessities. Like I said, it was overwhelming. Someone must have had a little Felix Felicis potion for breakfast...