Baptisms

Since this blog is for my kids to read later and remember the “true” story, I want to start with a little background.  I feel the need to explain why they are so old.  Well, old by Catholic standards.
 
In the Catholic Church the teaching is to baptize babies as soon as possible after they are born.  John and I always have good intentions to do so, but we haven’t been too successful.  I think I have been the biggest hold up wanting to make sure we accommodate everyone involved and the rest of the family.  Noah was the youngest at six months old.  Caleb and Ian were both a month shy of the first birthdays.  This time life seriously got in our way for Eli and Makaela.  We have always wanted to keep the godparents in our family and mostly pick our godparents by rotating girl, boy from my family.  John’s brother Chris was Noah’s godfather and my sister Lauren, godmother.  Caleb, Ian, and Eli all have just one godparent- David, Mary Kate, and Sam.  When we had Eli we were planning on asking my brother Sam to be the godfather, which we did; but it seemed like it took us forever to ask.  At the time Sam and I were both busy, him with school and I with work and a growing family.  Then our priest decided to retire, so we decided to wait until the new priest got settled in and we got to know him before getting Eli baptized.  Then we found out we were pregnant with Makaela and that John’s company was moving us to North Carolina.  Basically, everything was put on hold as we tried to figure out this major cross road in our lives- go to NC or find a new job.  Well, that story has already been told and when we finally got settled in we started trying to figure out about the new parish’s baptism process.  I also wanted to “get to know” the priest.  We had gotten to know Monsignor Priest very well before we had Noah and even more so the years following.  I wanted that sense of knowing the priest that was to baptize my kids.  I know most would say, just get your child baptized, but even though I felt bad that it was taking me so long, I didn’t want to rush it and have it feel awkward and not spiritual.  Recently, I finally said I have to get this done.  We went to the class and set the date.  It all worked out with the timing because not only was I able to get almost all of my family at my house and it wasn’t Christmas; but I was also able to ask my sister Bridgette, who last year was confirmed and turned sixteen, to be Makaela’s godmother.  This allowed me to have my first girl with a godfather, Zach, and godmother; just like my first boy has two.  I know my siblings would have doubled up on kids, believe me my other sisters were trying to bribe their way into the godmother position for Makaela; but I felt like this was “fair”.  Can you tell I’m the oldest in and the mother of a large family?!  Yes, I can say I made things fair, unless you ask Rachel and Ethan!


Well, the day had arrived, finally.  I can’t tell you how happy John and I were that day.  Well, a little stressed thinking about if two of our godparents would make it in time, how to organize showers for our family and the extra five extended family members that would have to get ready.  Five extra doesn’t sound like too big of a deal, but two of those were my sisters that can take an hour to get t-shirt and jeans on to go to Wal-Mart!  Everyone showed up on time, or before we thought they would, everyone was showered and ready, and we even made it to the church a little earlier than planned.

The priest that preformed the baptisms was Father Manuel.  He had been recently ordained, but had been at our church since we moved there as a Deacon and seminarian.  He is still learning English, but we have never had a problem understanding him.  He is a little worried about it I think apologizing when he pauses to make sure he has the right words.  Before the baptisms, we were able to say hi after mass to him and he was all smiles with the kids.  They did their normal high fives and he seemed to enjoy it.  It was in that moment I felt more relaxed about the upcoming baptisms.
It was wonderful.  Father Manuel reminded us of the blessings we have, our children.  He also reminded us that parents are the face of God for their children.  That we mirror Him to them and we should also see Him in our children’s faces. 

 

John and I planned that Makaela would go before Eli so she wouldn’t see what was about it happen.  We had already talked to Eli about it and he told John that he would just jump in the water, so we knew he was fine with the idea of Holy Water being poured on his head.  Makaela did fuss a little as I leaned her back and Father poured the water on her head.  John told me after that he wished he would have seen the faces of my sisters, Lauren and Mary, as the pretty curls Makaela had got wet.  I’m sure they understood that it was for a good cause.

 

Eli was his normal self.  I wish someone would have gotten a picture of his face as Father poured the water over him.  He was all smiles, just giggling.  I kept thinking please don’t try and jump in.

 

After the water, the rest was pretty easy.  Makaela did start to get bored and in a few pictures I think you can see her playing with her dress and my necklace.  She also started to talk a little.  Overall she did great!  So did Eli!!

 

The big brothers did very well also.  They paid attention and said the prayers.

 

After we got pictures of the family and godparents.

 

Everything was going well, until I tried to get Makaela to sit next to Zach and Bridgette, hence me being in the picture and Makaela’s look.

 

I also wanted a picture of Eli and Makaela, well I got one of Eli.

 

It was then we called it quits and decided to head out.  I wished I had taken pictures of everyone that was there.  I had planned on it and kept telling myself, but once Makaela didn’t want to sit next to Eli, our time was up!

Just a few more…

 

 

Then we went back home for some family fun and food.  While John was cooking the hamburgers, there was a game of football with the aunt and uncles.  Then there was Karston, Chris and Kelly’s puppy.  Makaela and Kartson were best friends until I brought out the camera.

 

 

 

It was a wonderful day with family celebrating our faith, the graces, and blessing God has given us.  I pray that the graces of baptism continue to guide and strengthen my children on the journey through life.