Family has been streaming in since baby was born. Baby E still has a lot of people to meet! However, one of the best things as a parent is to see how many people love your kid.
Right after E was born, Devin’s mom and aunt came in and helped us move, paint things, and fix up our house. Recently, Devin’s dad and step-mom visited and helped us finish putting together the last of our IKEA furniture hoard, and so many random projects around our home. Now this week, my parents flew in town to celebrate our baby’s blessing.
E’s blessing was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate her arrival as part of our family again! We’ve been so lucky about everything regarding this move, but it has been amazing to move somewhere where we happen to have a lot of long time friends and family.
Being surrounded by so many people we love in our home, eating food together and loving on our baby, is kind of how I picture heaven and we had that today.
I don’t mention religion a lot on my blog, but it is a big part of our life and a huge blessing to our family. I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. While yes, I was raised in this religion, it is very much an active choice that I make and I chose this lifestyle for myself everyday.
There have been many times over the years people curiously (and with good reason!) ask me if I feel obligated to stay in my religion I grew up with. I honestly appreciate that people feel comfortable enough to ask me a question like that because I don’t find it taboo at all. I love respectful and peaceful conversations about different belief systems; I have learned many things by listening to differing belief paradigms that I apply to my life. That being said, I still make plenty of mistakes and I believe in repentance that comes through Christ to help me reach that grace.
Promise me, my lifestyle hasn’t always been the popular choice and it also takes a lot of sacrifices. I have received open and sometimes hostile criticism over my religion my whole life, but I’m fine with that because this is a choice I made for myself after a lot of thought, prayer, research, and an immense feeling of love from God. I’m gracious I can make choices to help me guide my life and it is congruent with what feels good to my conscience: this is why I believe in supporting others to do the same with their lives without shame.
Devin didn’t grow up with a specific spiritual home, but he does have a fabulous family who allowed him to make choices for himself; I think this is true love in action. When he was 16, he chose to get baptized and become a member of our church.
I’m appreciative that Devin’s family supported him in going on a two year mission to a different country, that they were kind when we chose to get married in the LDS temple which restricted their ability to see our specific wedding service, and that they continue to be understanding to different lifestyle choices we make.
I also really respect that we’re allowed to practice our religion by attending church when we visit family- we even have some family attend church with us when they visit!
I share this knowing that someday my daughter will make choices for herself.
We believe babies come perfect and baby blessings are to place their names on the church records, ask God to give her even more blessings in her life, and to also get a cute outfit 😍. However, she will still have choices to make.
Evie gets the opportunity to choose whether she will be baptized as a member of our church when she is 8. While I did choose to get baptized at 8, I know that being a member of my church is a lifetime (and daily) decision. We will raise her and teach her with the love we collectively have been taught and know.
I look forward to seeing Evie make decisions that will bring joy to her life; obviously, I hope she chooses a lifestyle similar to ours, but my child will be loved and supported unconditionally regardless of what she chooses.
I feel extremely blessed to have such a beautiful family. We’ve wanted to be parents for a long time and Evie has brought our home a lot of joy and humor. I feel like I receive daily insights into what E’s personality is. It is amazing and humbling to realize that she will only contribute more and more as she grows up! Devin has to remind me often that E also has normal baby fussiness, however, it is hard for me to even see that as an enamored Mom sometimes.
E has such a sweet, happy, and calm spirit. She is alert, social, and full of light. Anytime to celebrate her is appropriate and I’m appreciative we were able to today!