What a wonderful weekend! Friday began the Baptism Extravaganza as family slowly trickled in from all over. We had Kaylee and Chris from Washington, my grandparents from Nevada and then my parents, Ben's parents, Becca & Kyle, and Than & Erica from California. It was a packed house but luckily the weather was beautiful and we could send the kids outside. We all got together Saturday morning and went to a Chinese New Year parade in Jacksonville, then I raced around town looking for a girls slip (they just don't have any anywhere!) and then headed home to prepare food and get ready for the baptism. I've been reminded all weekend about Heidi's blessing eight years ago when once again family came and we blessed the first grand baby for both families. It's funny how we had about the same amount of people but before it was a lot of aunts and uncles who were still around whereas this time it was fewer adults but tons of cousins! It was just fun. The kids all get along really well and they were just as excited for Heidi as she was. No jealousy, no fighting, just cousins playing, caring for and supporting each other. And as for the adults I felt the same way. I have a wonderful family where we love and support one another and my siblings were totally willing to come and just shower Heidi with love and support. They were also good at showering me with love and support. They all know what stresses me out and many times I found them helping out so I wouldn't end up crying in the pantry. I felt much more relaxed than I expected and the weekend was great.
OK, for Heidi's baptism I want to write down exactly how it all went so I will always remember it. It was one of the best moments of my life. I was asked to speak on the gift of the Holy Ghost. I told the kids how he will speak to you in different ways; a thought, warnings of something being wrong, and the burning feeling when something is right. Well I did forgot to mention the times when you are so overcome with the Holy Ghost and the love of the Lord that you are brought to tears. I did not expect to be so emotional during the baptism but as I watched her enter the baptismal font, watched as Ben-my wonderful husband and worthy priesthood holder-said the prayer and immersed her in water, watched as she came up out of the water, and then watched her come my way, smiling, and asking for my help I was completely flooded with love. I felt so strongly that not only was this ordinance true and a part of God's commandments but that He had given all this to me out of love. I felt so much love for Heidi, Ben, my other kids, my family watching and for the Savior that I couldn't control my tears. I took Heidi into the changing room and helped her get back into her baptismal dress. For a while I just put my arms around her and cried, telling her I loved her and wondering if my mom loved this special moment with me as I was loving it with my daughter. She needed my help getting dressed, she wanted me there and I thought of how the next time that we will rush into another room to quickly change back into her white dress will be when she marries in the temple. Pretty much her life flashed before my eyes and I wanted to hold onto that moment forever. It also made me excited for Kaylee's baptism and getting to share a similar moment with her. Just one moment with my beautiful daughter that is all my own and it is a wonderful moment. It is WAY better than her reading Harry Potter!!
For members of the LDS faith we are baptized and then confirmed. Confirmed is when you are given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by a priesthood holder. Ben confirmed her and we were so fortunate to have a large circle of men to stand in. We are truly blessed to have so much family around.
I really wanted to have this picture taken. My grandma is Carolyn Ruth Harper Hancock. My middle name is Carolyn and Heidi's middle name is Harper. So we are all named after my grandma who is pretty amazing. I've always felt close to her. I don't know if people become who they are named after or not but I am a lot like my grandma and love it. My grandma is getting old. She really can say that she has worked herself to death because even with her bad hip she insisted on helping in the kitchen, bringing in food, bringing a little craft, and trying to calm a crying baby. She was always the worker when we went to grandma's house. My grandpa sat in a recliner while she cooked, cleaned and did everything. Growing old has been hard on her. She is losing the ability to work like she used to. It's hard to watch because I know how I would feel if I had lost that sense of independence and she also refuses to accept help (another thing I totally get). As her time does grow closer I already feel a longing to be around her and I feel more and more how much I will miss her when she is gone. I was so grateful she came.
All in all it was a wonderful day. It was another BIG payout for all the mundane tasks you do as a parent. The gospel is true. My religion is what I have based my life around. I have followed the teachings of Jesus Christ as best as I can and yesterday my testimony of it's truthfulness was strengthened. Maybe I wasn't motivated to be a mom so I could raise a righteous posterity but seeing your posterity make a righteous decision is a wonderful experience.
4 comments:
was Ben at Costco on Saturday? I could have sworn i saw him but it was one of those where i just happened to look up and he looked so familiar and then he walked by. I think he had a hat on and glasses but he looked so familiar. Anyhoo just curious.
p.s. Did Blake stop being so fussy when he learned to crawl. Turin still cant crawl but he is getting closer every day but i just keep hoping it will help. Something has to soon or i will go nuts. i cant hold him all day. Blake seems happier now in pictures, thats why i asked. Also what did you do all day when he fussed. Did he just want to be held all day or be outside?
I seriously love baptisms. I am sure it is so special with your own child. I have loved attending baptisms for my cousins kids because I don't think it is possible to not feel the spirit at a baptism. Every baptism I have ever attended the spirit has born witness of the truthfulness and importance of that ordinance. What a special day!
Hey thanks for all the info. It makes me sad to think i might have to deal with him for 6 more months like this haha Yes i LOVE him to death and would not trade him but so many days i will admit, its not fun and i get resentful and think why is he soooo annoying and i dont want him to be around. It makes it so hard to play with the girls or to start something cause i always know i have little time cause turin will either start crying or wake up from a nap. Sometimes i think how easy it was with just the girls and how we had more fun( i know i sound mean) I know he wont be like this forever but now it just feels that way. He has been this way since he was 2 weeks old. He did have acid reflux which caused a lot of pain but around 5 or 6 months we noticed when we would go in the car or out places he would stop crying and in the house he was terrible so by then we knew he wasnt in pain so much cause other wise he would be horrible outside too. YES he loves to be outside and at the store. He is good as gold and i feel bad cause i just cant be outside all day and i dont have places to go all day either. I am more of a home body and that sucks for him! haha The doctor in Portland definitely thinks babies can get cabin fever. He is obsessed with me now and he has better days than others. When he is teething he is bad. He really just wants me to hold him but even when i am he can be fussy too. I think i partly created this monster cause when he was younger i just picked him up when he started crying or got mad at dillon when he wouldn't pick him up just to prevent more crying. I should have let him fuss more so he would get used to it. He does nap well now. London was the same way and took horrible naps until 7 months but she didnt require much sleep and she was SOOO good no matter what. Turin has LOVED sleeping but just couldn't stay asleep for long and i tried every thing but now its not a problem. He has been our best night time sleeper from early on too. Yes my kids are early bed time goers cause by 7pm if they are not in bed i start to go baddy!! haha I am very strict about bed and naps. I am trying to get not so high strung about it. Anyhoo Turin has tons of toys and things to play with but he just doesn't care. I dont know why. He just doesn't want to play. He gets tired of things SOOO fast. You are so brave for wanting another. I want 4 but i want it to be a boy and my luck it would be a girl or a boy and he will be bad like turin. I dont think i could do that again nor do i want to. ha I also feel like i have to give turin sooo much more time than the girls and the guilt is eating away at me so with 4 it would be even worse. Time will tell though. I am not 100% sure either way if i will have another or not. anyhoo that is funny ben saw us. I didnt even think he knew who i was so i thought maybe he was thinking why is that weird woman looking at me! ha That get together would be fun. London is leaving to spend the week with my parents on Thursday(YEEES!!) and then i will leave wed when sydney gets out of school to go for the long weekend so i will be busy tuesday packing ect but we do need to get together so whenever you are doing something fun then let me know.
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