Baptism Weekend!

(Many thanks to Eric & Jim for taking pics & videos.  Without their help, there would be no documentation of the morning...literally.)

I am not articulate enough to convey how special this weekend was for us.  The baptisms of my three children have been the most special moments of their lives to me, aside from their actual births.  I have felt God's arm around us as a family and have been moved beyond words each time. 

Grandparent participation has been part of that emotion, as has our relationship with the two Pastors we've had at the time (John Bell for Andrew in Denver, Tom Goodrich in Charlottesville for Margaret and Matthew).  Mom read the prayer that was used at my Baptism.  Words are below as it is too beautiful a prayer not to share, as many congregants mentioned after the service.  Susan read the questions to the congregation each time and Dad wrapped up the sacrament with a moving solo, "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry".  The lyrics are also below.  I read them often as they are such a touching reminder of the seasons of life and our Lord's love through them all.

The gown sweet Matthew David wore was the gown each of my sisters and nieces wore.  Since Emily and I obviously couldn't wear the same gown, I was given one by Dad's cousin---Rachel Elizabeth---to wear.  Matthew is bigger than Andrew and Margaret were and at 3.5 months, was a few weeks older than they were for this celebration, but the gown---with the tiniest little neck!---still fit (although I did leave the top button open just to ensure we avoided any accidental strangulation). 

As pictures below depict, the kids could not have done any better.  Matthew, who was woken up to be doused with cold water by a virtual stranger, didn't even flinch.  Impressive, as Pastor Tom pointed out, because Tom does not hold back with the water!  Andrew and Margaret dutifully followed Tom as he carried Matthew around the sanctuary.  Margaret reached for Andrew's hand in the most precious way and they continued to listen attentively for the entire 10-minute sacrament.  I consider it a complete success since I was the only person in our family crying:) It all started when Tom pointed out that the name Matthew means Gift from God---and boy, is he ever that. 

Bill Stackhouse (Clerk, whom most met) and Tom both emailed later to say what a wonderful picture of family we gave the church Sunday.  Mary Goodrich texted me Sunday night, "Your Mom's prayer was beautiful and your Dad singing...oh, my!".  That just about sums it up.  We sincerely thank all family who were there (in person or in spirit) to support Matthew. 

Matthew doesn't know what happened Sunday, but we will raise him to understand, and convey the importance of his growing relationship with our Lord. 

Many thanks to Eric for the photos below, and to Jim for video-taping (if you don't see videos below, it's because I'm still having trouble getting them to upload properly).  Sadly, I failed to get our family picture or a group photo, but I'm thankful for the documentation we do have. And I couldn't have pulled off lunch afterwards, either, without Mom and Emily swooping in right after church to prepare the buffet so we could feed commuters as quickly as possible. Thank you!

 

Baptismal Prayer 

Our Father, when we give thee our children we give ourselves, since they are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.  When we give them to thee, we keep them forever.  When we offer them thy bondage, it is the perfect freedom.  When we bid them love thee best, they also love us the more.  Bless this father.  May he continue to make his life the window through which this child shall better see and understand thee as his Heavenly Father.  Bless this mother.  May she without pageantry mold this clay quietly into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Bless this little boy.  Give him what he shall need most tomorrow; enough tears to keep him tender; enough hurts to keep him human, enough failure to keep his hand clenched to thine, and enough success to make him sure he walks with thee.  May he never be ashamed of thee.  May he never depart from thee.  And after a life of love and service to his master, take him to thee with thyself in thy heavenly kingdom.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord  Amen.

I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry 

"I was there to hear your borning cry, I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold.
I was there when you were but a child, with a faith to suit you well;
In a blaze of light you wandered off to find where demons dwell."

"When you heard the wonder of the Word, I was there to cheer you on;
You were raised to praise the living Lord, to whom you now belong.
If you find someone to share your time and you join your hearts as one,
I'll be there to make your verses rhyme
from dusk 'till rising sun."

"In the middle ages of your life, not too old, no longer young,
I'll be there to guide you through the night, complete what I've begun.
When the evening gently closes in, and you shut your weary eyes,
I'll be there as I have always been with just one more surprise."

"I was there to hear your borning cry, I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized, to see your life unfold."

We provided the flowers for the day, but our dedication did not make the bulletin.  The flowers were given with joy for the celebration of Matthew's baptism and in honor of our families. 



Getting to know Anne, Alex & Nicholas better.

Greek Kisses!

"Hello, camera."

Emily (who surprised us Friday night!) looking on as Sarah and Abby take turns with Matthew.

  

Caroline and Jim met Matthew...I think they approved:)

Tom gets reacquainted with Matthew before the service.

 

We lucked out and the kids just happened to be singing that morning - a nice surprise for the grandparents.

 

It was a long wait for the kids to the baptism portion of the service (which means it was a long time for us!), but we finally got there. 

Off they go!  Margaret so sweetly reached for Andrew's hand as they started down the aisle. 

 

Proud parents and grandmothers watching all three kids quietly make their rounds.



Dad peering on from the balcony, awaiting his rendition of "Borning Cry". 

Snuggling up with Pastor Tom.

  

So sweet....maybe recalling the days when his own now college-aged Matthew was a little babe. 

Questions to the parents - Andrew and Margaret quietly listening on.

Susan posed the question to the Congregation.

Working so hard to cooperate!

If it takes thumb in mouth and finger up nose to keep her quiet and still, so be it...today, anyway.

Andrew praying during Mom's prayer...my chance to wipe away tears more discreetly than the minutes prior.

Incredibly interested Andrew. 

Peering into the font with great wonder. 

Dipping in...

The first of three dousings - Tom doesn't hold back with the water!

"He didn't even flinch!", Tom immediately reported. 

Always wanting to pet her baby brother, Margaret instantly reaches for the freshly baptized babe.

In awe of how good Matthew was, considering I woke him from a deep sleep to have water poured on his head three times!  Such a patient little man, as always. 

And later that day...

39 or 93???

Andrew and Margaret helped make Michael's birthday cake before school.   Unbeknownst to them, I would personally frost it later, carefully NOT asking for any help with that step.  Then when they were home, I suggested we put 39 candles on the cake, following the pattern I had traced in the cake.  Upon completion, I posed to Andrew, "See how that's a 3 and a 9?" He honestly replied, "Oh, is he 39 or 93?  Whoa...that's a lot!!! (before I could answer)".

 

Though I'm sad to report we don't have any more pictures of the day's celebration (we were Skyping with Grandma during presents and cake candles while I was feeding the baby and....you know the scene), we did have a wonderful time. We took the kids to Matthew's first "Fridays at Five" concert at the Pavilion downtown, enjoyed pizza and beer, then the requested, "nothing but chocolate" triple chocolate cake and finished off the evening with a surprise appearance from Emily! 

P.S.  Daddy's "big" present was a flying lesson with our neighbor through his company.  Andrew is allowed to go with them.  Fingers crossed that is a fun experience.  Stay tuned! 

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver has been passed around Andrew's classroom for overnights and journalling with each child.  Andrew has been SO excited for his turn to bring Gulliver home with us and waited VERY patiently for 2 weeks to do so.  He himself wrote an amazing journal entry about everything we did together.  Sadly, I didn't think to photograph the journal entry, but hopefully this documention will suffice.

 

First things first, Gulliver got a bath!  We heard the flu was potentially being passed around with Gulliver, so the laundry room was the first stop.  Clean and dry for quiet time, he was ready to meet Andrew's other bed buddies (Whoofy, Stand-In, Teddy, and Puppy) and cuddle for a while.     

 

First on the afternoon agenda was watering the hanging plants on the porch.

Couldn't skip snack, of course.

Then off to ride bikes, with Gulliver front and center!

Couldn't forget swinging, either.

Margaret LOVED helping with Gulliver.  Andrew did not love Margaret's constant attempts to be involved with his school project.

A few shots from their recent trip to help Grandma out after her surgery.  Who wouldn't want to go to Grandma's with the promise of donuts before church?!?!

Playing with B&W

I.

Love.

This.

Boy.

 

Our Little Man is something else.  His laughs and now giggles are priceless---as are those of any 3.5 year old babe---but I still can't get enough of his serious side.  Many thanks to Eric for photoshopping the scratch off his nose for me.    

 

 

I should have edited the series below before posting, but they are what they are.  They are real.  They are genuine.  I wanted to capture Matthew's "C" before he grows out of it.  And if that habit is anything like his true growth rate, it'll be TOO soon.  Our "baby" is no longer an infant, for sure, and sports mostly 6 month clothes, sometimes even 9-mo! 

 

A trip down memory lane already...shots from his younger days... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the snow that has fallen in Denver this April has us remembering our beloved park there and the times we had with the girls.  This was the fall of 2005.  We were newlyweds.  We got a puppy.  And Molly defined "adore" as she learned life from Daisy. 

First Laughs, Bikes, Bubble Baths = Childhood!

I couldn't resist pics after school today.  Just LOVE this dress on Margaret that a friend passed down, but she clearly is just LOVING her big brother! 

It also appears that Matthew's first laugh was when I was at Session last week.  Oh, the hours I spend with that precious child, and he wouldn't even save his first real laugh for me:)  Admittedly, my expectations may be too high, but from what I hear, he put on more of a show for Daddy and Margaret than I have witnessed.  Margaret was on the potty and apparently her show was enough to do the trick...which I believe.  She is quite the character during potty time.

 

Fun on her balance bike, which she has conquered!

 

 

Oh, the focus.

This was before we raised the seat to the appropriate height...videos to come of her zooming up and down the street.

They LOVE laying down in the tub....

...especially during bubble baths.

 



A little brotherly love before school.

 A couple of videos...desperately trying to capture some of Matthew's early laughs.

 

Bike Week...Week 12

Matthew's week 12 was deemed "Bike Week".  While I swear that #3 is growing up 3 times faster than the others, the bike accolades actually aren't his quite yet, but are attributed to Andrew.  All of Michael's hard work with him paid off for them both.  The training wheels came off and Andrew zoomed down the street.  This has been repeated no fewer than 100 times since!  From our driveway, they race down the street to the T-bone, turn around, work on pedalling up hill, and do it all over again.   Andrew also swam half the length of the pool unassisted which, according to his coach's mother, thoroughly impressed his coach.  We LOVE Miss Corie and she is making tremendous strides with him.

In other news, Margaret got yet another bang-butchering.  I refuse to understand why no one can get them a reasonable length!  But I quickly got over that and moved on to my elation (and confusing sadness) that Matthew is now sleeping through the night.  On the brink of 12 weeks, he blessed me one night.  He was up the next several nights, and then blessed me again.  After that, it was all over for us.  Only one night did I have to let him cry.  Less than 15 minutes (feeling like a heart-wrenching 15 hours) and the mid-night feeding was history.  Clearly still hormonal, it brought tears to my eyes to move the blanket I had draped over my bear shoulders at all hours of the night back to its proper home in the living room.  I miss my Little Man.  Our special, quiet time is now reduced to our 10pm feeding.  I need to remember that this is actually good...for both of us.   

A little too interested in smiling at 4am and a little too uninterested in eating, I realized this would be our last middle of the night rendez-vous. 
Why am I so sad?

"It takes a Village Tribe!" Love it!  Many thanks to the McGoverns next door.

Family Fun Run at FPCP.  Ready to run!

Apparently only a blue flower tatoo would do. 

...but then we needed a bubble fun to play with...naturally. 

 Margaret working on her balance bike.

 

Not a bad run.

 

Have to admit, we barely missed Margaret a couple of times that first day!