.: Ryn is 8

In December 2005, a wonderful holiday season was made infinitely more special because this angel came to be our first miracle baby. This December felt a lot like that in so many ways. Her new birth. Her new life. Our job for the past 8 years was to prepare her for this and now we entrust her again to the care of that Father who gave her to us. Of course we still have lots to teach her and great responsibility as her parents, but it is wonderful to see her on the right path!

Eight is a very important milestone for us as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The "age of accountability". When we turn 8 we are old enough to understand right from wrong. We are able to make the decision of weather or not we want to be baptized and commit to following Jesus Christ for the rest of our lives.

In the months leading up to her birthday, Ryn attended several friends' baptisms, started reading the scriptures more on her own, and read and discussed with me scripture lists on anything and everything that has to do with baptism. How was Jesus Christ baptized? Why do we get baptized? What promises do we make? What is a covenant? How do we keep that promise for a whole lifetime? Why do we wait til we are 8? Why do we receive the 'gift of the Holy Ghost'? How does the Holy Ghost help us keep our baptismal covenant? I was in heaven, talking with her about these principles that are so important to me and seeing how important they are to her. She gave me this bookmark in October:

Of course she was ready. She was born ready! I honestly have never known someone as pure in heart as this girl. She has been our teacher from day one. Even as a toddler, she could tell when the spirit was in our home. And if Kevin and I ever had a disagreement, she could sense how immediately wrong that was, too.

She instinctively knew when I, or anyone else, needed her extra love and help. "I help you?" Was one of her first full sentences. When she was two, we attended the funeral of a sweet lady in our branch in France. She was older and had been sick for several years, but that didn't lessen her husband's grief. He was devestated. We had only been in the branch a few months, and his wife's illness had kept him home most Sundays. Because of this, and Ryn's young age, she didn't know him. But as soon as we approached the group at the funeral, she went straight to him and gave him a huge hug. He told us later how much he had needed that at that very moment.

Now she is helping and loving us all as a young lady, sensing the moods I'm in, finding ways to involve her little sisters and brother in her projects and play dates so they won't feel left out, excited and optimistic about each new day and every family tradition.

Michelle took these gorgeous pictures the day before Ryn's actual birthday. She even ordered the amazing flower crown! I love how she captured Ryn's sweet goodness and joyful heart.

After the freezing photo shoot, Kevin, Ryn and I headed up to Park City for a special overnight date. We went bowling, swam at the hotel, were secret service fairies to the hungry hotel receptionist who was going to be on duty til midnight (we went and grabbed her a meal from Wendy's and brought it back), saw Frozen at the theater, ate out, and talked about important parts of Heavenly Father's plan for us. It was a little piece of heaven. (There is bowling up there, right? ;)

The baptism day was one week later, December 28. We were able to have our own family event and so we got to have Rob bless baby Caroline right before the baptism (no pictures!!! Grrrrr!). It was so great to have so many friends and family members there!! Rob and Christa and their 3 beautiful girls, Rae and Conlon (Bonner! ;) and Jane, Spencer, Mom and Dad, Ryan and Laura, Tom and Carma, Jody and Dan, Josh, Zack and Anna, the Lehnardts, the Horsleys, Andrewsens, Gordon's, and Ryn's wonderful French teacher, Mrs Robinson, as well as some of her school friends.

Besides the ordinances themselves, the highlights were hearing Ryn, Elle and Eden sing "When I Am Baptized" together and hearing testimonies of all four grandparents. Ryn asked me to give the talk and I now know why I've never seen the mother do that before. Too many emotions, too crazy of a day when you're responsible for every detail, too much love for this child who is making their first big decision to follow Christ. How I pray she will continue to choose Him in all things, every day of her life. Every time I look at her face, I have faith that she will. Happy birthday, angel Ryn!!

PS. The Narnia birthday party we had the week before her actual birthday was pretty fun, too :). (It was quite a busy month--I haven't even come close to getting Christmas recorded here!). Here are a few pictures from the party:

The wardrobe invitation...

The lamp post (made by Kev!), the food--chocolate covered gummy bears for Turkish Delight, hot chocolate, individual cheesecakes, powdered donuts, muddy buddies--Ryn dressed as Susan, Eden as Lucy, and Darren as Peter (wielding his sword and crying," for Narnia! For Aslan!"