The church we attend in Ohio is WONDERFUL! But it is a non-denominational evangelical church that does not practice infant baptism. We respect their position, but we are coming from a background of reformed theology that we believe supports a precedent for infant baptism--not as a means of salvation, but as recognition and celebration of God's covenant blessings extended to covenant families. The church where we met and married graciously allowed us to return and have Anna Reaghan baptized there.
We drove down on Saturday. It was our first road trip with AR and our first road trip in the van! The van and AR both did fabulously on the long drive (Asa did, too!). With stops for AR, it took us about 11 hours to get to my parents' house. Matt and I both felt like our stops broke up the trip instead of making it go on forever though (in the past with Asa, it's taken 10 hours at the longest). We used a dvd player for the first time with Asa. Our "family rule" that we agreed on is that the dvd player doesn't come out until the 2nd half of the trip. Asa read a ton of books (he kept holding them up and saying, "'Nother book, please!"), played with some toys, stickers, and drew the first half of the trip. My brother and sister-in-law told us the Tag Jr. is great for car trips, and indeed it was! Asa loves the animal orchestra book the most, and it cracked me up to hear the didgeridoo sound coming from Asa's car seat. :) We also entertained ourselves with music, including the super catchy catechism cd we just purchased online.
When we arrived in TN, we fed Asa and got him in bed as soon as possible. We left early in the morning--so early in fact that Asa kept telling/asking us if it was night time when we left Ohio. :) We wanted him well rested for church the next day. :) After dinner Matt's mom, sister, and our niece arrived from South Carolina and came over to my parents' to meet Anna Reaghan! It was so sweet to see her meet some of Matt's family, too.
Sunday morning was Anna Reaghan's big day. We got to church in time to take AR up to my parents' Sunday school class and meet all the friends there who've prayed for us during my pregnancy and her arrival. :) It was a precious thing to us to celebrate God's gift of Anna Reaghan and His grace surrounded by our "real" families, including Matt's mom, sister, and niece, and my parents, brothers, their families, and my grandmother, and then have dear friends who are like family there as well. We are beyond blessed! Anna Reaghan was baptized in water from the Jordan River and the pastor prayed such a sweet prayer over her. Oh how we long for her to know, love, and serve the Lord from an early age!
Asa needed a diaper change and became fidgity (by the way, he did NOT like when Daddy passed AR off to the pastor, but we reassured him she would come right back to Daddy ;) ), so Mom and I took him to the nursery. He ended up wanting to stay and play for the rest of the service. It was wonderful to know he felt comfortable there! Right after that, AR needed to eat and then of course proceeded to blow out of her diaper all over the back of her slip and a little bit on her baptism gown. She wore the same gown I sewed for Asa, but with a lacy overlay I made for her as well. I changed her clothes and rinsed out the slip and back of the gown so we could put them back on her for family pictures at home!
After church we had a sweet lunch with everyone at my parents' house followed by pictures--we got some GREAT shots with each section of the family. I love them! Then it was nap time all around. :)
It was just the beginning of a fun week with family and cousins in Tennessee. Asa is STILL talking about everyone and what he played with them. :) We can't wait for more family time over Thanksgiving and Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment