Kiersten's Special Day............She was Baptized

What a special birthday Kiersten had this year...........she was able to be baptized on her actual birthday, just like I was. I think that makes it extra fun and easy to remember. Kiersten was so very happy for this day to finally come. We have been talking about it for months and months. What a sweet picture! Justin was just as excited to baptize Kiersten as Kiersten was to be baptized! Kiersten was able to wear the same jump suit I wore when I was baptized! Which was a neat detail Kiersten was excited about. To think that on my eight birthday I wore that same suit and was baptized helped her realize I was a kid once and not just a mom. There was such a sweet spirit there at Kiersten's baptism. Grammie Cluff gave a beautiful talk on baptism and Rieley Hoyt gave a wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost. They both told such neat stories to Kiersten and she just soaked it up. We had Terry Williams make a video of pictures of Kiersten from the past eight years, which we showed while I was getting Kiersten dresses and hair done after she was baptized. We got tons of compliments on the video and it was nice for everyone to have something to watch instead of just waiting for us to get done and come out. Melissa played "When I am Baptized" on her viola and it was beautiful. Kiersten loved it as she plays the violin herself. One beautiful experience was that I had told Kiersten the day before (Sunday) that Grampie Boswell might not come to her baptism, I wasn't sure. We talked about how he doesn't go to church and sometimes feels out of place and uncomfortable going to church things, but that it doesn't mean he doesn't love her. All on her own, Sunday after church she made him a special card letting him know she hoped he could make it to her baptism and we took it to him that evening. The next day was her baptism and as people came in she got this beautiful smile on her face and came running to me to tell me Grampie had come to see her baptized. I was touched that amidst all the excitement she cared so much that Grampie could experience her baptism and feel of the spirit! What a sweet, special daughter Kiersten is. We are blessed to have her in our family! After her baptism we decide to keep things simple, as to not take away from the special experience of her baptism, and had a family dinner party at El Charro. We wanted to make sure that the party following her baptism wasn't remembered more than her actual baptism. It worked out great. We reserved the backroom at El Charro and filled it complete with family. It was simple and sweet! We did have fancy cupcakes. Half of them were dipped in chocolate...............oh were they delightful! Thanks to Krista Hancock for making them! Everyone LOVED them! Kiersten LOVED having fancy girly cupcakes!

YUMMY!!!

Kiersten opened her family gifts and thanked everyone for joining her on her special day! It was just a beautiful day! We have many friends come which added to the experience! We were so glad to see Sandra Smith, Kari and Jon Stewart, Kathy Mack, Brother and Sister Judd and our good friends the Smith's, to name a few! Along with almost all our immediate family members, aunts, uncles, cousins. Thanks to everyone who came to show support for Kiersten and our family! We love you all so much!