Last Saturday night, a small group of my family and friends gathered in my home to bless me and my journey to the birth of this baby. It was truly one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, and one I will always treasure. I am very blessed that this was my second blessingway -- I was also given one before James was born, as well. He was actually born the following morning, which was a magical experience coming right after a beautiful blessingway. This time, as my baby has not come yet, I have been able to really relish my blessingway experience in a way I wasn't able to last time, and I have been treasuring it in my heart each day since.

Candles, rolled during the blessingway.

Doing a blessingway "play-by-play" feels very unnatural, so I'd just like to share a few photos from the evening (mostly taken by my friend Erin), and a couple from the next day of some of the beautiful and precious objects that these dear women gifted to me. I made a flickr photoset, as well, with a few more pictures from the evening.

Handwashing, a beautiful symbol of service and sharing, contemplating the beautiful work that our hands, as women and mothers, do each and every day. This is my sister washing my hands.

This photo has already been seen over at near:far. It is the long piece of yarn used to weave the circle of women together that evening. Now we are all wearing a piece of it as a bracelet until the baby is born.

Candles, lit.

Elisabeth holding my flower crown.

A tub tea that was used as a foot soak on the night of the blessingway, made by my friend Laura.

A wreath with objects representing my loved ones' hopes for me.

There is one layer of sand here to represent each member of our family of five!

I feel extremely grateful and blessed to have such a wonderful group of women in my life to share this time with me, and offer me their support and strength as I walk this path to new motherhood once again. Each of them has such a special place in my life, and I truly felt cradled in their love and strength. I know that my blessingway -- and the relationships that it represents -- will help to carry me through the final days (however many that may be!) of this pregnancy, my labor and birth, and my postpartum period, too.

The blessingway, for me, was a time to experience something real and intimate. I don't think that we allow ourselves enough opportunities for this in our fast-paced world, and I am so very grateful for these moments when they do arise.

This post has links to resources on blessingways, if the idea is new to you.

uncommon grace