Special Day...

 Our Eli was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Saturday.  I can't stop thinking about what a special day it was.  Before these little thoughts and feelings fade away I want to share the details. I know it's so cliche' but it must be said... I cannot believe that Eli is eight already!  I remember when Evan turned eight and was baptized and I couldn't believe it then, that I was old enough to have a child that age and now I have TWO who have passed through this important milestone... it makes me feel old and even more so it  increases my "mother pressure gauge" 

What's that?  you ask.  

Well it's that thing that happens when babies fresh from heaven are placed in your arms... your overcome with instant love and at the same time an overwhelming feeling of... RESPONSIBILITY... you know the feelings right?   "this little life is mine for a time- to care for, to love, to TEACH."  It's an overwhelming feeling.  Life goes on and the thought is always there in the back of your mind. (the mother pressure gauge) Well on baptism days in particular this feeling is back in full force... reminding that they are getting older, they are now accountable... leaving me to wonder.... have I, their mother, prepared them for this step and for all that is ahead.... 

Oh, motherhood... It is a big deal.  

But enough about me... here is Elijah Paul with his Dad who baptized him.

and here he is with me.... 

For the eight days leading up to Eli's baptism we did a "great to be 8" countdown where each evening we took a few minutes to teach about baptism using short stories and lessons, games and activities and of course treats!  It was a really fun way to focus on Eli, to prepare him and it really brought the spirit into our home.

Here are a few highlights ...

We talked about making the decision to be baptized and the difference between thinking we are doing the right thing and KNOWING that we are doing the right thing.  We discussed that it is through prayer that we are able to KNOW with our hearts if what we are doing is right.  We ate chocolate covered pretzels which look like arms folded in prayer while we all talked about what we remembered from our baptism days. (my parents and sister Julie joined us for this one)  We encouraged Eli to pray throughout the week and ask to KNOW if baptism is the right thing.  We all promised that we would would pray for Eli during the week too.  Asking that he would have a special day and know the importance of it.

Glen taught about road signs as he pushed matchbox cars around in different scenarios.  he taught that it is important for cars to obey and follow the road sign just as it is important for us to obey and follow the warnings and directions we have been given by listening to our parents, teachers, prophets and reading the scriptures.

We talked about Alma the younger in the Book of Mormon and how he was able to repent.  We talked about ice cream -pure and white and compared that by adding chocolate syrup to it making it dark with sin.  We talked about repenting and how we can become pure and white again if we repent.  We ate the ice cream as we talked about the atonement and taking the sacrament each Sunday.

We went on a treasure hunt to find our names hidden around the house and we talked about the importance of our names and how we should be sure that the people who we are named after are proud that WE are the ones who bear their names.  Eli is named after the prophet Elijah and his grandpa Paul.  (Glen's dad) We taught him that through baptism he would also be taking upon himself the name of Jesus Christ and that he should act and do as Jesus would.

We talked about bearing one another's burdens, serving, and bearing testimony.  It was a very fun week and so nice to keep our focus on the ordinance of baptism and what the day is really about.  We were working on several other things during the week, which normally would have made for a stressful time, but doing this countdown really put our priorities straight and there was really sweet spirit in all of us for those 8 days.

( Is anyone still reading this... too many details?  go ahead and skip if you'd like... this is mostly for me and there is still a lot to come...)

Eli was able to have his very own baptism instead of doing it along with all the other kids in our stake.  We were so happy about that and it made the day even more special for him. Below are some pictures of some of the people who were there.

After the opening song and prayer it was my turn on the program to do a little spotlight on Eli.  It is such a great idea that our stake does this but seriously, I'm sure there is not a mother alive who can get though highlighting her child without breaking down and bawling at some point... Well that point for me was pretty much from the first word I spoke... I am such crier and get so emotional over everything as it is and then to have to speak about someone so dear to my heart... it was hard, but a really great opportunity.

After the spotlight, Evan gave a talk about baptism.

I asked him lots of questions and he helped me write the talk.  It was such a tender talk.  He spoke about last summer when he went on a difficult hike and was having a hard time with the loose dirt on such a steep incline... His older cousin Josh helped him to know where to place his feet so that he could climb... Evan related this experience to the Savior and how He shows us the way along the path that leads back to Him.  Evan reminded Eli of all the things that we had discussed about baptism in our great to be 8 countdown.  He held up little objects (pictures, road sign, ice cream scoop etc...) as he talked.  He ended the talk by telling Eli to look around the room and see all the people who love him and how neat it is that they are here to see him take this first step towards the Kingdom of God and all these people are the ones who will help him to make it the rest of the way....

I was so proud of Evan- he spoke loud and clear and used lots of cute expression in his voice and face... His talk was really special .

After Evan's talk Eli sang "When I am baptized"  all by himself!  He practiced all week and I promise there was no pressure from any of us for him to sing it.  I told him we could all sing it with him or just he and Evan but he insisted on doing a solo. I talked to him about smiling and singing loudly... but nerves took over the minute he got up there and he looked like someone was holding a knife to his back- no smile, all the color had vanished from his face but his little voice held strong - he remembered every word and my favorite part was when he sang "I want to be the BEST I can, and live with God again."  He raised his little chin up and his tone was very convincing and we knew that he really felt that way.  My heart melted as I watched him in his little white jumpsuit looking like such an angel... I swear he was just a baby.... wasn't he?

For Eli's baptism all the children gathered around and knelt on the floor in front of the font.  Grandpa Paul and Great Grandpa Murray were witnesses.  Glen preformed the ordinance and then he wrapped Eli into his arms -a tender bear hug. He whispered some special dad /son 'secrets' into his ear and then as Eli turned to walk back up the stairs Glen pulled him back a little and turned Eli to see all of us who were there.  Eli looked up and a grin spread across his little face... he was glowing.

 While Glen and Eli changed clothes the rest of us moved to a different room.  While we were waiting there we watched a DVD presentation that Glen made with pictures of Eli from birth up until now -set to primary music. Glen is so amazing his skills are endless... It was such a special movie and so fun to reminisce and look back on Eli's life!   After the DVD Glen and Eli joined us for the rest of the program.  All the primary age children who were there sang "The Holy Ghost" then my brother's wife "Aunt Edie" gave a great talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost .  Glen then confirmed Eli and gave him a very tender, heartfelt blessing.  The spirit was so strong all day, it was a really special meeting.  Our bishop gave some closing remarks and then he asked Eli's great grandparents to share their testimonies.  Not very often are we all gathered as family with the spirit so strong and the opportunity available to hear them express such love and bear testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  It was a wonderful ending to a perfect.... special day!

That wasn't the end though... not really... no special day is ever complete without a little party too, right?
 oh yes, there is MORE to this story... 

After the baptism program we had brunch.  I don't think the pictures do this party justice though... the lighting in churches is terrible and the basketball court painted on the floor doesn't help...but where else can you host over 50 people?  So... try to ignore the court and the yellow glow of the old paint and no sunlight ok?  I promise it looked pretty cute and was super cozy too!

We served breakfast casserole (hash browns, ham, peppers, onion, eggs... yum!) giant muffins, fresh fruit,- bananas, orange slices and grapes, a variety of cereal, chocolate milk and orange juice.  Eli's favorites!  He was so excited about eating a breakfast meal with everyone and not "just dinner."

cousins- Coleman, Jonah and Tristin

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Here is the newly baptized boy...

 I made a scrapbook of blank pages so that everyone there could write a special note to Eli.  These pages will be added to the compilation of our families baptism and Holy Ghost experiences that they all wrote when Evan and Claire were baptized a couple of years ago as well as the pictures from Eli's baptism day.  On the table where the book was we also had lots of frames filled with pictures of Eli throughout his life.  The frames surrounded the large picture in the center that was recently taken of him.  All those pictures and life experiences are what helped to make him the special boy that he is today.  We have so many sweet, funny, everyday memories of Eli that I love to think about!

Eli with his grandma's and grandpa's.....

my mom and dad

Glen's mom and Dad

Eli's GREAT grandparents... my sweet little grandma and grandpa

Our family

me and my mom...

We are a good team. I rely on her so much... she thinks of everything and helps make all of my parties come together.  She shopped for me, brainstormed with me, set up, cleaned up... love you mom!

Elijah Paul with his namesake- Grandpa Paul

These are all of the men in our family who were there...I am so grateful that my boys live around this bunch of amazing men!  My boys have many uncles, older cousins and grandpa's to look up to.
We are so grateful for family!

I was running around a lot and guess who stepped in to take care of Oliver.... my Dad of course!  He and Oliver have a special bond- my Dad greets him by crouching down and pointing to him saying "your da man" and Oliver kicks his legs in excitement and scrunches up his nose with a twinkle in his eye...
so in love with his grandpa! 

We are nearing the end of the details, seriously (are you still with me?)

  Just one last special...  

we had a couple of candy dishes on each table filled with mints and this little note card...

There you have it... all the details of our Eli's special baptism day.  

Maybe because  I'm his mom I am a bit biased and I know these days are special for everyone in their own little ways.  But really, this was one of those days that had the perfect combination of everything, the spirit was incredible, the love and the support was tremendous.  I was overwhelmed with the feelings of what a special little boy Eli is.  I know that he has a great purpose on this earth, we are so blessed that he is part of our family.  He adds lots of mischief, fun, laughter, innocence, cuddles, tenderness and love!  I am humbled and grateful for the trust that has been given to me and for the opportunity that I have to be his mom!

 Oh wait there are a few more things...before Eli was baptized we gave him a 'baptism towel' all white and fluffy with his name embroidered on it for him to wrap up in after he got baptized.  We also gave him his own set of scriptures.  Eli said that his baptism day was better than a birthday because not only did he get a few presents from people  but he also got a feeling of happiness and warmth inside.  That completely melted me!  

My mom did the shopping for a white towel... she called me one day from the store saying she had found a towel but it had a green alligator on it.  I wasn't so sure about that but my mom thought that he would love it!  and she was right, that is his favorite feature about the towel. Why did we pay for all that embroidery?   My mom has this special little phrase she says to my boys every time she is leaving them... she says "see you later alligator"  and they answer back with "in awhile crocodile"  so now Eli has this little reminder of grandma who picked the perfect towel for him.

Saturday when we got home from the baptism the boys played, we unloaded and organized and then Glen and I went out on a little date.  The next day on Sunday we had my parents come over for dinner.  My dad gave Eli a very special letter that he wrote just for him and it will be a treasure and keepsake for years to come.  He also made him a few laminated cards for his scripture bag.  It was so thoughtful of him and it sure meant a lot!   There were a few notes and cards and gifts that we didn't have time to really look at on Saturday so we all sat around and read all of those.  It was nice to take a minute and soak in all the words of love for Eli and it was cute to see him taking the time to read each one and to know how special he is!

Sure love you Elijah Paul 

This really is THE END, see.