Dedication

Every year our church comes here to the river.  This is where we have our dedication and baptism service.  There is music and worship...

(That's my hubby playing the guitar!)

Logan isn't much into sitting - or even standing - still.  He's not much into singing either.  He prefers to worship more like this...

Then our pastor gives a sermon.  This year it was on forgiveness...I think...  See, I was way more interested in the conversation going on between Logan and his two older girlfriends up there.  They were doing a pretty nice job of explaining to Logan how God can be everywhere all at the same time and be "invisible."  I love listening to kids talk about God...  Oh, I was also distracted by this:

That would be my handsome, guitar playing husband comforting our increasingly fussy Gavin.  I can't seem to get enough of watching him interact with our children!

Then, after the sermon, we all headed down to the river side.  This year was extra special for our family (and a couple of others) because we were having Gavin dedicated.  This is pretty important to Justin and I.  It's a declaration of how were choosing to raise our children - Gavin specifically in this case.

And then the baptisms begin.  Whoever chooses to can be baptized at this ceremony.  This year one of the ones baptized was our pastor's son...how neat it must have been for them to experience that together...

After each baptism our praise team plays and everyone sings and cheers...it's pretty moving.  I think I probably would spend the entire time crying (happy tears of course) if I didn't keep myself busy taking pictures!

Logan was mesmerized by the entire process.  He stopped asking me when we could eat lunch and actually sat still the entire time!  I pray that someday Logan will choose to baptized himself.

Someone always sets up an altar right there by the river so that after the baptisms are over we can take communion.

Of course I missed communion this time, because Gavin would not wait a moment longer for lunch (in his defense it was way past his usual lunch time).  I watched from the picnic area while Gavin chowed on watermelon...and anything else he could get his hands on. 

Eventually everyone else joined us for lunch too.  We seem to attract other kids to our picnic area...at least the girls.  Seems they like hanging out with Logan...and feeding Gavin!

Poor Reilly learned an important lesson at this meal...don't set your plate next to Gavin unless your prepared to have him nab something off it.  In this case it was her chocolate doughnut.  No worries...the doughnut was returned and Donna made sure to get Gavin his very own shortly after that...

Gavin likes doughnuts...

Logan likes making silly faces at my camera...but I managed to trick him into a pretty sweet picture!

It was a perfect day.  The weather was beautiful, the service was deeply moving, and my baby was dedicated.  It was a day full of blessings.