Mary's Blessing

Mary's baby blessing was today. 

This is when a child has their name officially put on the membership records of the church, and they are given a blessing. It was going to be at our ward at 9:30, but then they changed it to at our home after church, in order to give people still up at Park City a chance to pack up, check out, drive home, change, and get here. So it was changed to noon - 12:30pm here at our home. Eliza's parents came to our ward with us, as did Joseph Eliza and Mary, aaaand Mel and Christiaan! That was his first time at our ward, ooo! After church, I got a meal ready and Eliza's mom took JEM out for a few blessing photos. 

Mary with her daddy -

 

and her mama ~

Everyone gathered in the front room for the blessing. In the circle for the blessing were Wayne, Kim, Scott, Corey, Bishop Gygi, Mark, Ethan, Christian, Scotty, and Ben. Then we joined in prayer and thanked the Lord for friends, family, and the meal we'd be eating (which I hadn't finished getting ready...)

In my defense, it was fast Sunday, so I figured I had a little more time and that we'd eat around 2, but after the blessing, Joseph invited people to stay and eat. doh! I hurried as fast as I could and trusted that people would be ok to visit for a little while.

The happy family ~ Sweet Mary looking at the camera.

Sweet Mary looking at the camera in both of these photos! What a good girl!!

She was wearing the dress that Eliza wore when she was blessed, which is a dress that her grandma made from the extra fabric from Eliza's mom's wedding dress, which she made as well, wow! They changed her out of that asap before she spit up on it or anything, haha I know how that is.

Then people helped finish getting the meal ready. I had the rice ready, we chopped vegetables, stirred stir fly, shelled edemame beans, baked the chicken, and iced the water. The chicken was the final item we were waiting for. We got out a little bit at a time, as soon as any seemed heated up, so we did a repeat of our Park City meal that we were in charge of this past Thursday. It was enough to feed a crowd, the colors were pretty and Christian said it was amazing, that he loved all the colors, and "...each bite is different!" Corey joked to some of the guests that I have been a little emboldened to make healthier stuff since Bella and Eliza are around, and now Christian - they are careful eaters. I am proud that I didn't throw any junk foods on the table, like chips or cookies (although Natalie would have liked a little bit of that kinda stuff). 

Natalie took a plate, looked at the food, then asked me what we were having for dinner. Sorry Nataloo - dinner might be leftovers of this lunch! My parents and my sister Beka came over and visited, and we visited with Eliza's parents for a bit - they were the last to leave. Ethan and Bella took Joseph to the airport around 4:15. He starts school tomorrow in Ohio. And then Eliza headed to Idaho with her parents and brother, for a family reunion. Joseph held Mary to say goodbye to everyone. 

Eliza's brother Gideon holding Mary and Alvie! 

It was a very special day. We're counting our blessings, all that God has done in our life. He has been very good to us, and we're enjoying these blessings here and are grateful to know these relationships continue into eternity. Treasures in heaven <3