Emma's Baptism

 The night before the Baptsim Emma was just so overcome with emotions of grattitude.  She bore her little heart out to me of how thankful she is for her life and our family and all of her blessings.  I can't even believe that this girl is mine.  It is the most humbling truth to my little soul that I have been placed with the responsibilty and blesisng of being her Mother.  It is a divine calling that I take more serious than anything else in my life.

 The bapstism was said to start at 9:00 a.m.  So my family and ward members show up to an empty building, apparently our ward was told misinformation.  Look how tired the little girl's faces are.  Everyone was a good sport and drove around for an hour before returning to the church at 10:00.  It did give me a chance to breathe and not be so overwhelmed.  I was upset at first, but in the end it was a blessing.

We are very blessed with such a loving and supportive family and ward.  I stood up and snapped this photo right as we were getting started.  This didn't capture all of the people, but it gives a general idea.  Perhaps it is frowned upon, I don't know, but I thought I better do it quickly before someone gives me the tsk tsk finger wag. 

 Our friends the Malmbergs got up at 6:00 a.m. to make the effort to be here to support Emma on this day.  We are so thankful to have such devoted friends.

I am so thankful for all of these faces in this family photo.  Every one of them has played an instrumental role in helping shape Emma into the amazing young lady she is today. 

Emma and Jaken are best of friends.  These two little cousins have literally grown up together.  It warms my heart to see them so devoted and supportive of each other. 

After the baptism we came back to our house for breakfast and to watch Emma's life reflected by a 3 song DVD.  

 Although it is not actually photographed, I served a menu of breakfast casseroles, yogurt parfaits, and orange rolls.

After all of our family and friends left we had a family nap.  I had been up since 5 a.m. the night before.  Then we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse, Emma's favorite restaraunt.  After we took her to buy a new bike with all of the birthday money she had received.  On our way home we got cold stone ice-cream and came home for opening gifts and watching a movie together as a family. 

This photo below summarizes so much for me and reminds me to keep things simple!!  After decorating the entire house, taking Emma shopping, giving her multiple gifts, not only from myself but gifts from family and friends, going out to eat, having a life reflection dvd all about her, buying a new bike, participating in the Baptism covenant, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and having an entire day devoted to her.....what was the highlight you ask?  The most enthusiasm I saw out of her all day is when she opened the gift that had the Paris Brabie doll that has been sitting in my collection for years, the gift that was free and took virtually no effort to deliver. Look at the face on these two little girls.