How Great to Be 8!

 Ice cream cake frosted by Callie

My fourth child just turned eight and was baptized.  How did that happen?  How are more than half of my children now baptized?  I guess time really does fly when you are crazy busy having fun.

And we were crazy busy having fun.  I had to keep reminding myself that in a few weeks it was Drew's baptism.  Was he ready?  Did we prepare him enough?  Even a few days before Tyler declined spur-of-the-moment camping with some friends because he "had several calls he couldn't miss on Friday".  And a baptism Saturday, right?  Yes, that too.  We were all excited, it is just that often in this business of treading water our heads get covered.  The good news is that we do get to come up for air every once in awhile.

But this boy didn't forget, and he was the most important one of all!

It's like he was excited or something.

We had a friend party at the park with lots of energy-burning activities.

A little jousting while we waited for all of the guests to arrive

 Plenty of relay races (practicing for the crab walk here)

 After a water balloon version of capture the flag, Tyler was in charge of launching water balloons.

The boys never were successful catching them in towels or with their bare hands - but they loved trying the latter, anyway (the incentive for a catch was a dollar).

Emmie kept herself well entertained (and cool) with a water bottle

I ran home to get the ice cream cake while Drew was opening presents and ran into Grandpa, so he came to the park with us to have cake.  The wind kicked up and in order to light the candles and keep them going we had to use towels for a windbreak.

Our games took so long that they never had the free play we intended on the playground.  One mom texted me afterwards to let me know that her son said it was the best party ever!  This was a fun group and once again, good 'ole free backyard-style games were a winner.

We had the family dinner of his choice (pizza and a green salad - hold the tomatoes).

And then a week later we had his baptism!  It was a busy day - he had a baseball game at 8:30 that morning, and the baptism was at 10.  We didn't want to make it crazy but he loves to play baseball, so Daddy took him to his game and brought him home early for a quick change.  Truth be told - he had a meltdown getting ready.

You know how people always talk about how right after you are baptized you are the cleanest person in the whole church?  I know it is meant well, but it isn't true.  After all, with repentance, at any given time any of us can be squeaky-clean.  That is what the atonement is all about.  And it's a good thing because I need it - we all do.

Drew's big smile says it all - he was so happy to be making this step.  Drew is #1 in energy in our family, but he has a golden, tender heart and he really wants to follow his Savior.

The baptismal service was simple and small - just our family, Grandpa M., Aunt Mandi, his primary class, our neighbor and her son, and the Primary presidency.  Everyone but Emmie in our immediate family did something to participate, and there was a beautiful spirit there.

This is what trying for a family photo looks like:

I think this is the best that we got

I don't think we'd left the church yet when the brothers started fighting - Drew got to try out that repentance thing right away.  Why do I mention that?  Because for me it was a beautiful reminder of the reality of life.  We can't do it all right.  We can't be perfect on our own, and we are going to make mistakes daily.  Our Heavenly Father knows that/  He loves us still, and He provided a way that we can still be happy and we can still be squeaky clean and return to live with Him.  I hope Drew will remember that always.