My oldest daughter is getting baptized!

So, my oldest daughter Sadie is getting baptized. I had seen another photographer take their child to the temple for baptism photos and I wanted to do the same.

Sadie picked out this dress online. Even though she is 8, the dress is a size 6 because she is so small.

Sadie is actually the smallest child in the 2nd grade, coming up to her peer's chins. 

 I drove her and her siblings out to the Mesa Temple on Saturday at 9am. The other kids behaved alright. Most of the people there were doing volunteer landscaping as the Easter Pageant is just around the corner.

 My Three White Dresses

Elder L. Tom Perry shared this poem written by

his daughter which she read at his granddaughter's baptism.

My mom bought me a white dress,

Not red or pink or blue.

She said it was a special dress

Like very other few,

There has been just one before,

A dress now put away,

That I wore some time ago

Upon my blessing day.

As a little baby clothed In my first white dress, 

My dad held me in his arms,

There to name and bless.

So pure and clean was I just then,

With time to grow and learn

About the Father's plan for me.

My glory I must earn.

Now I've reached the age to judge

The wrong road from the right,

And I am here to be baptized

In this dress of white.

So once again I'm free from sin.

The path is clear to me.

I'll grasp the rod and hold on tight, I vow with certainty.

Just as mud would stain my dress,

Sin would stain my soul.

The key is to repent or bleach,

For whiteness is my goal.

And if I try my very best,

Then richly blessed I'll be,

Wearing inside God's holy house

White dress number three,

So today I make this pledge:

I'll strive to choose the right,

Through this sacred baptism ordinance

In my second dress of white. (Linda Gay Perry Nelson, 1993)

 Sadie being sassy. There were no clouds that morning, but the sky was dingy from air pollution. One of the reasons we look forward to rain out here in the desert.

 In our church, we practice the ordinance of baptism by immersion. My husband, Sadie's father, will be the one to baptize her. It will take place in a special baptismal font at our church building this Saturday. We have  invited friends and family to come witness and support her choice.

 Sadie will then be given the Gift of the Holy Ghost which she will receive by the power of the priesthood, by the laying on of hands (on her head) by her father, uncles, and grandfathers.

 Much like Communion is in the Catholic church, we believe at the age of 8 that a child is able to determine the difference between good and bad. Partaking of the sacrament on Sundays will be like a weekly baptism. It is a chance for all of us to redirect our lives back to Christ.

 Here is Sadie standing outside the front of the Mesa, Arizona Temple. This is the same temple where my husband and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity. I cannot say whether she will get married here too, but it would be neat. She will be able to go inside at the age of 12 to do proxy work baptisms.

Prom Paparazzi Winning Essay Entry!

My name is Rose. I am a new student here at Agua Fria. I just started attending this school at the beginning of the semester and at first I didn't know anyone since I came from a different state. After my first few days here though, I noticed that the students here are all very nice and I have not personally seen any form of bullying here. It appears that all the students are connected and all together supportive of each other. If we had a way to show our support of a good cause such as anti-bullying or vast majority of the school would show this support together.

We can show our support in many different ways. My proposed way is something small and should be easy to obtain. As a symbol for anti-bullying encouragement, I would be willing to hand-make support bracelets. It would be a non-verbal way to say that the person wearing it is against bullying and wants a change. This small start is one step forward towards a bigger goal to raise awareness. These bracelets would be sold through the schools for a very small profit with a paper explaining what the bracelet represents attached. The profits could go to an organization for teens such as Boys and Girls Club. This all may not sound like much at first but if even 100 people buy a bracelet that is a start and more kids would hear about them from the grapevine, plus those hundred kids would have just helped give $100 to the Boys and Girls Club or whatever organization needs it. Little things can make a change.

                                                                                                                          

Rose has already chosen her dress generously provided by Molina Bridal

Hail the Tiny Prince!

Jaxzen looks so adorable in his crocheted crown by Naturally Sweet Surprises. 

The crown has been passed down.

Due to extenuating circumstances, the title of Cutest Kid Ever has been passed down to the first runner-up Jaxzen! I will be taking his photos this morning and can't wait to see how cute he is in his crown!

He is a bit older now ;-) But look at that smile and his beautiful hair!