A Name and a Blessing

We started November off on the best foot possible. Mark and I were able to go up to the Winter Quarters temple the sealing of our nephew Jason to his parents and brother and sisters. It was fantastic. The turn-out from both sides of the family was huge. Then, at Church the next day was our own little George's Blessing, right at his six-weeks mark. We had so many people coming to be there with us that we about doubled the regular Sacrament meeting attendance for our little Branch. When it was time for the blessing, it seemed as though half of the congregation stood up to stand in the circle. My heart always skips a beat to see so many righteous, worthy men exercising their priesthood stewardship. There was a HUGE circle of just such men standing around my baby as his father gave him a name and a blessing. And the blessing was truly wonderful. I am in awe of the things he was promised and blessed with. I'm grateful for the several different people who took notes for me so I can remember, and later share with him. It sounds like this squishy little baby boy I am holding will grow to be a phenomenal force for righteousness.


I am MOST grateful to my sister-in-law, Bekah. The sweet little suit George wore for his blessing actually belongs to her. Somehow, in my last-weeks-of-pregnancy and post-natal fog, I completely blew off getting/making/purchasing a blessing outfit for my baby. If not for Bekah and her generosity, George would have been blessed in a onesie. I had thought to take pictures of him before Church, but the morning was so hurried, I told myself I would do it after meetings were over.

Big mistake.

Not two minutes after the blessing, after Mark handed back George to me and went back up to the stand for the Sacrament, George loaded his shorts in royal style. It went everywhere. I pulled a cloth diaper out of the bag, wrapped him to cover the crisis areas, and waited for the Sacrament to be over. Then I made a mad dash to the bathroom to change him and try to pre-treat the stain on the borrowed blessing outfit (it DID come out upon laundering, by the way, after a lot of attention and panic on my part. Thank Heaven!). So, these pictures are actually of an eight week old George.


After Church meetings, we had everyone-who-wanted-to-come over for lunch. Once again, God blessed us with amazing weather for a November family get-together. There were upwards of 70 people there. It was great. It's my favorite part about being a member of a big family and a member of the Church: all these people are my friends, and all of these people care about me and my children and our major life events. That sort of support and love are priceless.



I still have a mile-long list of thank you notes to write! Best be getting on that, or I'm going to end up sending the baby thank you notes out in the Christmas cards...