Dedication and Mother's Day

Two Sundays ago, Jake and I dedicated Laina to God.  I find myself taking the actual ceremony a bit lighter than normal, only because we prayed over her and dedicated her to God when she was born while we were still in the hospital.  So, I suppose this was more our public display of promising to raise her in the Lord more than us just starting to create that environment for her.

The silly thing is, she slept through the entire thing.  Every.single.moment her head was buried and we have pretty much no pictures of her face!  I thought she'd at least wake up when I handed her over to Pastor for him to pray but she didn't perk up one bit!

 Pastor said a beautiful prayer and Jake read the verse he picked especially for Laina - the Great Commandment that Jesus gives to love God and love people.  This is our prayer for all of our kids; that they would be people who live to wholeheartedly serve God and others.

Here's our sweet girl with her eyes OPEN!  The hair is disheveled from all of her napping but I just wanted to get a shot of her with her dedication flowers on this very special day!

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This past Sunday was a great time celebrating Mother's Day with Jake and the kids.  I still get a bit somber on Mother's Day ever since Mother's Day 2008.  I guess the gravity of me having four beautiful, healthy kids and knowing so many women who long to be mothers or who have lost babies or even the babies who are waiting for families hits me differently sometimes.  I often get comments from friends or family members saying I'm a "super mom" or " wonder mom" and I feel badly because I know the reality....and that's definitely not the reality!  There may be another post coming on this later.  :)

So, I don't mean to be a downer.  Really - WE HAD FUN!  Jake surprised me and took me to the zoo with the kids which is my very favorite thing to do as a family.  I really think Lincoln Park Zoo is one of my top five favorite places ever.  Evah.  I have to say the best part of the day were the cards I got from Jake and the one from the kids.  Both were homemade and the sweetest things ever.  Again, EVAH.  I don't think there's a better gift than something the people you love took the time to make for you!

Here's a pic of my blessings and I.  They're my world and so much of the joy that I have in life.  It only took us about six rounds to get a shot of all of our faces turned in somewhat the same direction with all of our eyes opened.  And for some reason, it was necessary for them to take their backpacks to church with them.  So don't be confused - this IS a Mother's Day picture and not a 1st Day of School photo!  :)

Loves.