29.1.13

Ellie's Baby Dedication

Last Sunday (January 20), we celebrated sweet Ellie's birth with a baby dedication service at our church.  It was also the day we observed the Sanctity of Life Sunday.  It was such a special service to me, and I will always remember the things that were said, the songs we sung.

Seth and I promised (again) to raise Ellie (and Mason and Hannah Kate) under the admonition and training of the Lord.  Our parents (mine in spirit) promised to encourage and support us in the training of our children unto the Lord.  And our church promised to support and encourage us and our children as well.   

It's my understanding that, during the prayer, Ellie kept trying to grab Bro. Bud's ring, and it was supposedly the cutest thing.  But I wouldn't know.  My eyes were closed.  It was a prayer.  But I can just see her now! 

And here we are . . . all five of us.  Mason really wasn't that unhappy.  He just doesn't like to see my camera out these days.

Here are the three most precious blessings in my life.  Ever.  Parenting is, hands down, the most. daunting. task. I've. ever. been. given.  My life verse for parenting is Deuteronomy 6:4-9 . . .

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children.   Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Oh, may I even come close to being the godly momma these sweet babies are so deserving of!

After church we went to MawMaw's house to eat lunch.  I made my famous lasagna (okay, so maybe the only person it's famous with is my bestie), and Aunt Ashley made a salad.  We invited our pastor to eat with us.  And Ellie girl opened her sweet gifts.

Our church presented Ellie with a certificate and a pink little New Testament Bible with her name engraved on the bottom of it.  Uncle Barry, Aunt Ashley and Abbie gave her the handkerchief dollie.  Pop and Mimi sent her a sweet bracelet with an E and cross charms on it that she wore during the service.  And MawMaw and PawPaw gave her a pearl and pink crystal bracelet.  Uncle Troy, Aunt April, Avery and Beau gave her a book (Wherever You Are my love will find you) when they were in town this past weekend. 

This picture is for Pop and Mimi .. . they haven't yet seen the bracelet they gave her "in person."  But here it is with the cross and E charms.

And for dessert, I picked up my favorite strawberry cake from my favorite local bakery. They wrote Ellie's name on top for me.

Ellie's gown was also another gift from Pop and Mimi and her Daddy and me.  When Hannah Kate was dedicated, she wore my Christening gown.  It was so special to me that Hannah Kate was able to wear it, and she will one day have it.  I thought about it, and I decided that I really wanted my Christening gown to be something special just for Hannah Kate.  I also wanted something special just for Ellie.  So I decided to get a gown for her to wear.  Mimi helped me pick it out.  It's a beautiful gown with a bonnet.    

And . . . just because . . . here's Hannah Kate on the day of her baby dedication in March 2008.  She was three months old. 

Yes.  I know.  They look nearly exactly alike!  Except Ellie does not have the strawberry tint to her hair, and her ears are different.  Her mouth is a little different, too, but it's hard to tell in these pictures.