For a long time we have been anticipating this day. It has been our dream to have Emma and Jolee be baptized together. Emma has struggled with water her whole life. And with her autism she has fears of putting her head and face in the water. David & Mary have been diligently and patiently working (and praying for her) to help her overcome her fear of the water. And with Jolee's 9th birthday fast approaching it was now or never. Peter and I so wanted Jolee to have the experience of being baptized when she was eight (as a right of passage). David, Mary, Emma, & Sam all decided that they wanted to participate and share in our special day together by traveling all the way from California up to Alaska! We were all so excited and we were all praying that Emma might feel the courage and the comfort of the spirit to be baptized along with Jolee.
The baptism date was now set for Saturday May 5th, 2012 at the Wasilla, Alaska Stake Center. (Ironically enough this was the very building that we had place baby Emma for adoption 10years and 4 months exactly to the day -- pretty amazing stuff!!! It still blows my mind how Heavenly Father has a hand all throughout our lives. And continues to bless me and the lives of my family when I strive to listen and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost.) And here we are in this place. All together again. With prayers in our hearts in hopes that Emma will be baptized with Jolee today.
Mary holds Emma as we get ready for the baptism.
Kylee is anxious to hold sweet little baby Hartlee.
Shandelle plays the prelude music for us as we begin to quietly take our seats.
Jolee and Shandelle are excited when it is their turn to hold baby Hartlee.
We grab all of the kids for a quick family picture.
Uncle Loren gives wonderful talk on Baptism. He did such a good job! No notes or anything. The "Elder Breshears" came out in him and it was quite an awesome sight to see. I felt only too lucky to be there to hear what the spirit prompted him to say. I love ya, Loren!
Now it is time for the girls to go down into the baptismal font with their fathers. Jolee holds out her hand to Emma to encourage her to walk down into the water.
Peter baptizes Jolee first in hopes that with Jolee's example that Emma may now know what to expect. Jolee was baptized and did wonderfully (none of her toes popped up or her dress). Now it's Emma's turn . . . she wants her Dad to baptize her dolly first(Summer School Rose Muller Clift -- who is wearing Kylee's temple sealing dress bytheway). Daddy does as he is told (anything for sweet Emma - it was very cute). Then it was Emma's turn. She wanted so badly to do it herself. She really wanted to be baptized and was trying so hard to be brave. She was all in but her chin and was starting to panic a bit. Daddy was trying so hard to keep her calm and focused. Jolee was helping to encourage her. Her Momma knelt down at the edge of the font to be closer to her and comfort her. It was now or never. David saw a moment and quickly seized it. Emma was baptized! What a beautiful experience! I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. It was truly a moment I will never forget and enjoy looking back on for the rest of my life.
Here is my sweet, beautiful Jolee girl in her confirmation dress. I can't believe that my little baby girl is growing up! All to quickly for me. And she will be 9 in a few days!!
(Funny thing about this dress is that when Mary and I were getting ready the night before and were laying out all of the girls things for the BIG day . . . she and I both pulled out the "SAME" dress -- this was NOT planned and we bought them years apart, from different places, we had both had them for years before this day. And this is the dress that they were both confirmed in. How amazing is that!!)
After they both dried off using there baptismal towels -- gifted to them from Grammy and Grampy (They were white towels with their names and the date of their baptism embroidered in pink. They were amazingly plush and soft. What a hit! Good Job Momma Jane!)Here are both of the girls have changed into their confirmation dresses. They are both so beautiful! What an awesome day!
Here is our FAVORITE Gramma! My Daddy's sweet Momma (my Gramma, and the girls GREAT Gramma) giving the talk on the Holy Ghost. She compared the Holy Ghost to our own personal little Jiminy Cricket. That the Holy Ghost will always be with us as long as we listen. That he is a gift from our loving Heavenly Father to help us to "Choose the Right". Our Gramma really is the BESTEST!! And we love her the most!
After Jolee was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we took a quick cousin picture with all of the cousins (minus Emma, she was a little camera shy). Emma was confirmed later in California with all of Mary's family so that they could also participate and be apart of her special day.
This picture I captured of Emma that day. I have never seen her so HAPPY! And for her to look straight at me with such unguarded eyes. It was like I caught a glimpse into her celestial being. At an Emma with no Autism holding her back. I smiled at her -- and her spirit smiled right back at me. ~ Sara
"Sandbox"
"The Leaning Tower of Pisa"
"Warm Easter Sunshine"
The baptism date was now set for Saturday May 5th, 2012 at the Wasilla, Alaska Stake Center. (Ironically enough this was the very building that we had place baby Emma for adoption 10years and 4 months exactly to the day -- pretty amazing stuff!!! It still blows my mind how Heavenly Father has a hand all throughout our lives. And continues to bless me and the lives of my family when I strive to listen and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost.) And here we are in this place. All together again. With prayers in our hearts in hopes that Emma will be baptized with Jolee today.
Kylee is anxious to hold sweet little baby Hartlee.
Shandelle plays the prelude music for us as we begin to quietly take our seats.
Jolee and Shandelle are excited when it is their turn to hold baby Hartlee.
We grab all of the kids for a quick family picture.
Uncle Loren gives wonderful talk on Baptism. He did such a good job! No notes or anything. The "Elder Breshears" came out in him and it was quite an awesome sight to see. I felt only too lucky to be there to hear what the spirit prompted him to say. I love ya, Loren!
Now it is time for the girls to go down into the baptismal font with their fathers. Jolee holds out her hand to Emma to encourage her to walk down into the water.
Peter baptizes Jolee first in hopes that with Jolee's example that Emma may now know what to expect. Jolee was baptized and did wonderfully (none of her toes popped up or her dress). Now it's Emma's turn . . . she wants her Dad to baptize her dolly first(Summer School Rose Muller Clift -- who is wearing Kylee's temple sealing dress bytheway). Daddy does as he is told (anything for sweet Emma - it was very cute). Then it was Emma's turn. She wanted so badly to do it herself. She really wanted to be baptized and was trying so hard to be brave. She was all in but her chin and was starting to panic a bit. Daddy was trying so hard to keep her calm and focused. Jolee was helping to encourage her. Her Momma knelt down at the edge of the font to be closer to her and comfort her. It was now or never. David saw a moment and quickly seized it. Emma was baptized! What a beautiful experience! I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. It was truly a moment I will never forget and enjoy looking back on for the rest of my life.
Here is my sweet, beautiful Jolee girl in her confirmation dress. I can't believe that my little baby girl is growing up! All to quickly for me. And she will be 9 in a few days!!
(Funny thing about this dress is that when Mary and I were getting ready the night before and were laying out all of the girls things for the BIG day . . . she and I both pulled out the "SAME" dress -- this was NOT planned and we bought them years apart, from different places, we had both had them for years before this day. And this is the dress that they were both confirmed in. How amazing is that!!)
After they both dried off using there baptismal towels -- gifted to them from Grammy and Grampy (They were white towels with their names and the date of their baptism embroidered in pink. They were amazingly plush and soft. What a hit! Good Job Momma Jane!)Here are both of the girls have changed into their confirmation dresses. They are both so beautiful! What an awesome day!
Here is our FAVORITE Gramma! My Daddy's sweet Momma (my Gramma, and the girls GREAT Gramma) giving the talk on the Holy Ghost. She compared the Holy Ghost to our own personal little Jiminy Cricket. That the Holy Ghost will always be with us as long as we listen. That he is a gift from our loving Heavenly Father to help us to "Choose the Right". Our Gramma really is the BESTEST!! And we love her the most!
After Jolee was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we took a quick cousin picture with all of the cousins (minus Emma, she was a little camera shy). Emma was confirmed later in California with all of Mary's family so that they could also participate and be apart of her special day.
