The REAL big day!

 Here she is!  (Whew!  I was feeling like a wedding planner at this point.)  We had a wonderful day celebrating K-lady's baptism.  Here she is outside our church building...

 Daddy baptized and confirmed her a member of the church - the picture above is right before they went into the water.  We baptize by immersion to represent being washed clean of sins and being reborn as a child of God.  As part of the ordinance, we make covenants with God.  We promise to take care of each other and try our best to be good people.  God promises to bless us with His Spirit.

This is probably much too personal and serious for a blog, but I felt so humbled and honored as I watched my daughter and husband participate in this ordinance.  I felt like our family got a little closer to being together forever.  It made me catch my breath.  It was beautiful.

 Of course best friends must be present for such a wonderful occasion!  (don't they look like fire and ice?)  :)

And wonderful family and friends made it extra special.  I did not in a million years expect all these people to come!  2 Grandpa's, 1 Grandma, 3 Aunts, 2 Uncles, 10 cousins (I got to meet that sweet-as-sugar baby up there for the first time)!!  All driving 2-3 hours to get here, and seemed quite happy about it, too (which was even more amazing to me!)

 And wonderful friends-that-might-as-well-be-family, too.  I still can't believe they came - wonderful ladies!

There were FOUR kids baptized that day!  Quite a shock for our little congregation - the entire chapel was FULL for the meeting.

 Then everyone (40 people!) came over to our little house for a ham dinner - Dad, Joseph and Doug figured out how to glaze the ham with just a little help from Heidi and the instructions. :)  It was so fun - the kids just ran around and the adults chatted.  It was a great way to celebrate together!

These last pictures are from my little 'photo shoot' with K-lady a week or two beforehand.  We went to a lovely park here in town and caught some beautiful late afternoon light and had fun - though K-lady didn't have as much fun as I (NO MORE PICTURES, MOM!).  But I just couldn't quit - I loved being able to catch these moments.  My little K-lady is a wonderful person - I can't wait to see what she does with the rest of her life.  She is kind and caring, and gently negotiates and maneuvers her siblings (as a big sister and mother, I can say with good authority that these are essential skills for a happy home).  She is anxious to do the right thing and tries to do good.  She loves to laugh, is cautious in new situations, but quickly adjusts and adapts.  And lest you think she is too good to be true, she's also sassy.  She hates showing affection in public, and is quite concerned that her friends might be within hearing distance when I say, "Bye!  I love you!" as she gets out of the car at school in the morning, and absolutely refuses to acknowledge my expressions of affection.  :)  But I'll take the cold prickles along with the warm fuzzies, 'cause that's how most people are packaged, anyway.

We love you, K-lady!