Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Blessing day

Sara was blessed in church at the ripe age of three weeks.  Greg's mom was already here, and his dad joined us here for the weekend.  My dad also flew up for the occasion.  Here are the "official" pictures we took that morning to mark the low-key but special event.

Grandpa Mike, Baby Sara, Greg the Proud Father, Alisa, Grammy and Grandpa.
Mary and David in front.

Our family of five!

Sweet siblings.
Those are some good looking kids, if I do say so myself.


Mama loves Baby.

Sister loves Baby too.  Can you spot Mary's hand?

The little lady herself.  My great-grandmother made the blessing gown for my Aunt Janell's baby blessing.  My dad  was also blessed in the gown.  Then I was many years later.  And then both David and Mary were blessed in the dress.

Grammy made the bonnet from an antique handkerchief for Mary's blessing.  Mary sweetly let us use it for Sara's blessing too.  And the pretty blanket?  I bought that from a very kind woman at the Adana ladies' market in Turkey--and the best part is the little evil eye bead sown into one corner.

Did I mention Sister loves Baby?

A lot!  Sister loves Baby a lot.  (Oh, Sara, thank you for your patience.)

 Sara was blessed by her father in church on January 27.  Both of her grandfathers participated, along with Bishop D. and family friends Todd N. and Chris R.  We are especially grateful for the presence of her grandfathers, that they both traveled from afar to participate in Sara's naming and blessing--to welcome her and a bestow a blessing upon her as she begins her life here on earth.

It was a beautiful blessing.  (Both David and Mary were touched, and David, my little spiritual radar, whispered that he knew Sara was happy.)  Afterwards, Greg held his baby girl tight in his arms for the rest of the service.  Blessing a child must be a special experience for a father. David was blessed in my parents' home, and Mary was blessed in the home of Greg's parents.  This was the first time we have blessed a child at church.  So this was the first time Greg didn't have to immediately give up the baby to a crowd of adoring grandparents and aunts and uncles.  Instead, he was able to sit quietly in church, gaze at the child in his arms, and reflect on the heaven-sent words he had spoken.