Mark wore the christening gown my siblings all wore at our baptisms. Granted, it was a little smaller than when I wore it at 6 weeks of age! But at six months, Mark looks pretty snazzy in it anyway! And yes, daddy agreed it was okay for Mark to wear a gown just this one day. I don't think he was too traumatized by it either!
Our good friend Alan Jessup served at Mark's elder representative. And also as Isaac's new member representative. Isaac joined the church after attending for 3 1/2 years (and being the middle school basketball coach, and an active Sunday school teacher, and just all around good guy!). He said he'd join when his first child was baptized, and he made good on his word. So it was an especially big day for our family.
Our pastor Ed McLeod performed the ceremony. He also married Isaac and me, and his lovely wife is our Sunday school class teacher. They also live right next to my older sister Carolyn, and have been sweet enough to babysit for us... and store the top of our wedding cake for our first anniversary! You truly could not ask for better friends/pastor/teacher/family. We really do consider them our family.
Ed prayed that Mark would grow to know God better and to be open to how God will work in his life. He reminded us that Mark does not belong to us but to God, and that was such a timely reminder. As his momma I balked at that just a teeny, tiny bit. But I know it's true. And I hope that by keeping that perspective I can free myself up to allow Mark to be exactly who God is making him to be. What better hands could he be in!?Isaac's mom and sister made the trip all the way from TN. Isaac's mom had to be "rescued" from her house because she couldn't make it out on the icy, snow-covered roads. It was truly a labor of love for Lynn and Anna to make it in (including an attempt at digging a path in the road with a shovel!). We feel so fortunate to have such dedicated and loving family members who made such a journey to be with us on this special day.
My mom made it too. She snatched him up as soon as she walked in the door and only barely let the rest of the family members hold him. They are pretty cute together!
And my dad and step mom also came in. Dad is already enjoying rough-housing with Mark a bit. He better enjoy it now before Mark towers over him in height one day!
So, all in all a great day! We enjoyed lunch at Sitti restaurant a couple blocks from the church. Isaac and I were just talking about how the restaurant where we had our first date, had our wedding reception, and hosted Mark's baptismal lunch are all on the same street about a block and a half apart! We have some awesome restaurants in town!
Have a great week all. Sorry for the lack of posts recently. We'll just call December and the first part of January as the month-0-sickness at the Johnson house. I will try to post some Christmas pics though. We all managed to be well on Christmas Eve and Day at least! XOXO
