Jessica's Baptism

It's amazing, those moments when you graduate from child to parent. Occasionally, I still feel like a kid at heart. I love trampolines, cotton candy still solidifies any activity as "fun", and new nail polish will always make me feel pretty and giggle. But the moment you are watching your husband take his little girl into the baptismal font and baptize her a member of the church, you check in with reality and realize, yep, I'm grown up now. And now it is my responsibility to teach this girl through my example, the lessons and values my mother once taught me.
My mother made a dress for my oldest sister Vanessa when she turned 8. Vanessa was baptised in the font in this dress. Amy wore it after her. I wore it after Amy and Mindee then wore it after me. The dress has now been passed from daughters, to grandaughters. Jessica is the first of the grandaughters to wear this dress. Pouring around her skinny shoulders, Jessica wore with pride, what meant the world to me when I turned 8. I remember trying the dress on, watching my sisters wear it and dreaming of the day when I could wear the dress. It meant so much to me to have Jessica experience this special moment with such an heirloom that my mother started.
I don't know how long this dress will hold up, but I pray that the tradition will continue to pass on through the family.

After the baptism, Jessica came out of the font and looked at me from the side and beamed with joy, lifting her shoulders and sinking her head simultaneously with a big smile on her face as if to say, "Here I am! I did it!!!.......now can I get warm please?" lol.
I got to hug and kiss her and tell her how proud I was of her. I took the dress off and hung it up then gave Barb some time with Jessica.
In this moment, I stood there, looked in the mirror and saw a woman staring back at me. Not the child in my heart that I normally see. Yep, I teared up. I am so happy for Jessica in my life.
On to the confirmation!
We filed into the relief society room where another little girl was confirmed first. After her family filed out, we scooted in. My father, brother, Owen, his brother, my brother-in-laws and some of Ryan's family stood in the circle to confirm Jessica. Owen did such a beautiful job. Afterward, Jessica stood up, smiled, hugged her daddy, and shook the hands of every man in the circle. She hugged grandpa too :)

Afterward, we all went into the cultural hall that Barb and I had set up a few hours before. I did the decorations, Barb purchesed the food and the cake. I think it turned out very nice. At this party, we presented Jessica with a new set of scriptures. Blue with silver pages and her name engraved. I also layed out her baptism memory book for people to sign so she can look back and remember who came.

The day was a success. Jessica was announced in primary the next day and she bore her testimony on baptism in sacrament meeting. It was so sweet. I'm grateful for this wonderful day and that the whole thing turned out beautifully.