Utah Trip- Luke's Blessing

One of the highlights of our trip was the opportunity to have Luke's baby blessing while we were there.  We decided to have him blessed in the Bountiful 14th ward, which is the church congregation our family attended for the first 25 years of my life.  It is home....one of the best places in the world...a place full of people we love and people who love my family.  So many memories of time spent there...so many of my mom's best friends still there....such a comforting place.  Every time I go there, I am struck by the influence that so many of those people have had on my life...they taught me as a young child...shaped me as a teenager...and supported me as a young adult.  Oh, it is hard to even put into words how much I love them.  This was a very special day for our family.  I will never forget it and will enjoy the memories for years to come.

We started that day by meeting Katy and her family at Nick's parents' home for brunch.  It was delicious and we love Mike and Elaine so much!  They have always been so kind to Tod and me.  Plus, their home and yard are absolutely gorgeous places!  Their back yard feels like a private paradise.
More cousins meeting for the first time- Stella and Luke:

A beautiful start to the day:

We headed on to church and enjoyed our time to see everyone.  Tod gave Luke a very beautiful blessing full of wonderful promises and advice.  How thankful we are to have this baby boy in our family.  He has completed us. I am so thankful that we got to welcome this last baby into our lives.  What a sweet tender mercy to have him.  We both commented that this was our last baby blessing....and just as beautiful as the first, second, third and fourth!
Afterwards, we gathered outside for lots of pictures.  I wanted Luke to have a record of all the people who came to surround him with love (around 50!)  I think I got pictures of almost everyone except the Day family and the Castillons.
And then there were five.....(seriously, look at Cole's face!)

With Tricia and her boys (we missed Uncle Nate):

My brother Chris and his family:

My sister Melissa and her family:

Katy and her family:

Grandpa Kirk and Grandma Patsy:

Most of the group:

My friend Becca:

Cousin Savannah who took such good care of baby Luke all vacation:

Our baby boy:  (he was done with pictures)

We did really miss Tod's family as well as our Iowa friends.
Cole was a very proud big brother and insisted on a picture with his baby:

My siblings...oh how I love them and miss them greatly...they are amazing people...I am so proud of them.

When it was finally time to head back to Bountiful, I requested that we drive by my childhood home...such a sweet and sacred place to me...somethings were different about it but some were just the same (the address plate, basketball hoop, front porch, vinyl fence).  I had such a longing to go inside and say, "Mom, I'm home."  But I had to brush my tears away and turn my attention to the hungry, tired kids in the car!  Life goes on and oh, it is so very grand!!!