Sunday was June's blessing day.
^^ My newlywed cousins waiting for dinner. Texting each other?
^^ As close as we could get to the whole gang. Don't mind the water jug front and center.
^^ Greg's folks.
^^ We are currently couchless. It worked out nicely for Sunday- all we had to do was move tables in and we had our own little restaurant going. It was perfect for that day, but I'd like my couches now, thanks.
^^Selfies. June is already a million times more photogenic than me.
^^ Please don't mind the book shelf and pictures all over the floor. We are obviously still not entirely moved in. One day at a time, people.
I have had a few people ask me what it means to bless a baby in the LDS church, so heck, why not, let's clear it up, shall we?
One of the fundamental beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (we're often known as Mormons) is that we all enter this world free from sin. We are perfect when we're born, and therefore, don't need to be baptized at birth. At the age of eight, children can start to be baptized if they wish. We believe eight to be the age of accountability- an age where children clearly know the difference between right and wrong.
Although we do not baptize our babies, we do give a formal blessing to our babies. The purpose of the blessing is to officially give the baby a name and, well, a blessing. It is essentially a prayer- a blessing usually of health, happiness, and love. Our reasoning for blessings comes from this scripture:
“Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70)
The baby is often blessed in front of the church congregation, although it can be blessed in a home, hospital, anywhere really. A lot of parents will dress their babies in white, but again, it's not necessary- it's just a special prayer given for the baby to God, and I suspect God doesn't much care what we're wearing when we pray. (Any questions on blessings or Mormon beliefs in general I would be happy to answer in the comments.)
Greg gave June her blessing on Sunday. June fussed right up until the moment the blessing started and you better believe I was a nervous wreck that she was just going to scream through the whole thing. Then, as if she sensed it were something important, she shut completely up just long enough to receive the blessing. Four minutes of total silence from her, and then as soon as it was over, more fussing. She threw a fit for a good five minutes, and then fell asleep hard and fast for the rest of the meeting.
Greg's parents came for the blessing as did most of my siblings, my mom, and a couple of close friends. It was a beautiful blessing and the spirit was strong. I felt so surrounded by love and peace. These are the days you live for, you know?
On the way home from the blessing, Greg and I were talking about how surprised we were by the power of the blessing. We knew it'd be a special event, but I guess the incredibly strong spirit during the blessing kind of caught us off guard. I think we get so caught up in the day to day, the work, the groceries, the errands, the monotony of every day, and then something like this hits us and we take a step back and realize that this, THIS is what it's all about. Everything we do in life is for moments like these. Regardless of your personal religious beliefs, I think we can all agree that family makes life worth living.
Afterward, we celebrated at our place with lots of good food. Because let's face it, the only thing that makes hanging out with your family that much better is a terrific meal.
And now, pictures.
Greg's parents came for the blessing as did most of my siblings, my mom, and a couple of close friends. It was a beautiful blessing and the spirit was strong. I felt so surrounded by love and peace. These are the days you live for, you know?
On the way home from the blessing, Greg and I were talking about how surprised we were by the power of the blessing. We knew it'd be a special event, but I guess the incredibly strong spirit during the blessing kind of caught us off guard. I think we get so caught up in the day to day, the work, the groceries, the errands, the monotony of every day, and then something like this hits us and we take a step back and realize that this, THIS is what it's all about. Everything we do in life is for moments like these. Regardless of your personal religious beliefs, I think we can all agree that family makes life worth living.
Afterward, we celebrated at our place with lots of good food. Because let's face it, the only thing that makes hanging out with your family that much better is a terrific meal.
And now, pictures.
^^ Big stretch.
^^ Have you ever seen anything so great as June's face in this picture?
