Feeding an Army, FHE & Farewells

After the baptism, we said goodbye to friends and headed home to feed family. We decided to do a Café Rio hack with Tim's amazing tortillas, brown and white rice, pulled pork and shredded chicken. Jeanne was blown away with all the men toiling in the kitchen.

This is what her man was up to- ha!

I jest, of course. BJ was unfailingly generous and helpful. I think he just finally had a moment to sit down and the exhaustion overcame him. I played home videos of Brigitta as a little girl. The person most entertained by them was Gita herself. Here she is watching one of her riding a school bus for the first time- she was so excited!

 After a delicious meal, we brought out the birthday cakes: chocolate for Rockwell and lemon for Gita (courtesy of the Nielsen grandparents). I didn't realize until after the fact that what they are wearing kind of matches their cakes!

In the Nielsen family, we sing every birthday song we know and we always end with Sixteen Candles. The goal is to sing the candles into the cake (which we did one year on Reagan's birthday- set the cake on fire and she refused to put it out until we finished singing the songs). Anyway, you'll notice the candles from the above photo and the one below where they actually get to blow them out are significantly shorter.

I have to say I was particularly impressed with Doug who knew most of the lyrics to our cavalcade of birthday songs! Grandma Nielsen presented Rockwell with his baptism quilt:

In a way I wish Rockwell had been able to be baptized along with Gita but then again, I'm excited for another excuse to get together for his baptism! We took some pictures of them in their baptismal clothes together. Love this one:

As everyone enjoyed birthday cake, we went around and gave everyone a chance to say something nice about the birthday boy and girl. Brent made the comment that he imagines Brigitta and Rockwell came down to earth on a slide holding hands until the last moment. I've always felt that way too, that these cousins knew each other before they came to this earth.

Liesel taught a fantastic FHE on forgiveness. She showed this video which is fantastic and asked, "Why is it so hard to forgive others?" A poignant question. It had been a fantastic weekend filled with the Spirit and this just capped it off beautifully.

It was time for the Nielsen crowd to head to Iowa City and while they were anxious to get on the road, they also kind of didn't want to leave. Looking back I realized we were all only together for less than 24 hours but it was a pretty dang packed 24 hours! We really loved seeing Joey- it's been a hot minute since he's been with us here in Illinois! Liesel took this photo of the two of us:

Then wanted one herself:

And of course Ireland wanted a photo of the official members of The Glasses Gang:

By then ALL the girls wanted a photo with him!

Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen actually made it out of the driveway first- they needed to get home so they would be ready for the huge crowd following them! But they snapped this quick pic with Gita before they took off. Don't her blue eyes look stunning next to Grandpa Nielsen's blue shirt?

I'm so glad they could come. They love that little girl so much!

This picture is so perfect, it almost looks photoshopped!

Dakota loved all the extra attention with so many people around but she was definitely ready to head home. Gita had to say goodbye just one more time.

Reagan, Whitney and I wanted some sister pics and I have to say the photobombing and antics of the husbands and boyfriends was pretty hilarious. I love how Tim popped into this selfie:

I inadvertently snapped this boob photo and apparently I'm still pretty immature because it makes me laugh every time I see it!

We decided to get a picture on the nest swing and while we clambered into that, Doug took the opportunity to snap some selfies:

 

I laughed when I discovered them later.

There I am in just my socks, which is something we are constantly yelling at the girls not to do!

After we got out, the girls had to show Julie the magic of the nest swing in a shady tree.

OK, really really people needed to hit the road so we gave very last hugs:

Even though we see Whitney and Tim more than any other relative, we just can't get enough!

At least they were getting closer and closer to their car.

Finally they got in, queued up a Harry Potter book and we all waved goodbye.

I promptly went to bed and took a nice, long nap. Brent and the girls hung out with the Wuehlers who taught them to play SkyJo. I was so worried that Brigitta's baptism would be less-than due to coronavirus. In the end, it was more than I could have ever hoped for her!

I really love looking at this blackboard after everyone has left and seeing the funny messages they've left behind. Not sure who thinks Reagan is short, but there you go!

Brigitta's Baptism!

Okay before we get to the actual baptism, I have to share a couple of funny tidbits. We took Gita out for dinner to have the Sex and Santa talk. These are always memorable conversations but the way it went with Gita really took the cake. We had our private booth at Biaggi's and we were sharing the book Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle. We got to this page... the page before the big reveal... and Gita exclaimed, "Where did they get that huge pillow?" As it is a drawing, we said we didn't know and tried to move on. "Seriously, that pillow is as big as the bed!" Yes, yes, honey it is a large pillow. "Do they have to share it?" It felt like we were going to be stuck on this pillow thing for a while but we finally told her how a baby is made. 

It took a moment to sink in (we've even turned a page or two) when she started giggling and said, "I just think that's weird!" and gestured with her hands in a way that made me laugh. When we came home, Ireland ran up to Gita and they started whispering. Then Ireland wrapped her up in the biggest hug. A bit later, I asked Ireland about it and she said Gita was actually more upset to find out Santa doesn't come down our chimney than to learn about sex. 

The morning of her baptism I threw some rollers in Gita's hair and sent her downstairs to eat some breakfast so I could get her sisters picture perfect. Apparently Whitney found her and they snapped this cute photo with the sun coming up through the window.

Joey packed in a hurry and thought he grabbed his Sunday shoes but discovered he had one of his and one of his sons- and they were both the right shoe so he couldn't wear them. 

Brent loaned him a pair he hadn't worn in years and not only were they too big, the sole was cracked through. Ages ago, I took them to a shoe repair store and they said they were beyond repair. Typical of Brent, instead of throwing them away, he just put them back in his closet and forgot about them. Joey joked that he felt like James Brown with big, slippery shoes on. 

We arrived at the church early for pictures and to set up. It had been a while since we'd done the Sunday morning scramble and it showed. 

Although we managed to get this decent family photo:

This is actually how everyone was feeling:

Liesel was in tears, Ireland was furious, Gita was just trying to smile for the millionth time, Brent and I were breaking up fights and yeah, we were all NOT feeling like a loving, family in that moment.

Purple is Brigitta's color and normally all the girls would have worn something purple in her honor. However, these were their Easter dresses which they never got to wear due to coronavirus lockdown. Gita didn't mind one bit and her sisters were so excited to finally pull them out of their closet. 

After this photo, we released Gita's sisters from photo duty and let them go inside where their aunts gave them some love and soothed hurt feelings.

Just a few more photos with Mom and Dad:

Don't forget the individuals!

I love this one of just the two of us:

In their baptismal clothes:

Her "Comforter"

My friend Lindsey displayed her daughter's blessing dress at her baptism and I loved it so much, I straight up copied her. They seem little when they are just eight, but it's a fun reminder that they have actually grown so much!

We couldn't do refreshments afterward which was honestly a relief to me! Providing food at a function always stresses me out. We just had individual water bottles on ice...

...and individually wrapped cookies. I've already made two failed attempts at making my own CTR cookies and I decided to take the easy route and just buy some from an Etsy shop. The owner didn't read my note that the baptism wasn't for another month so she sent them right away. When I told her I wasn't sure if they would keep, she said I could have them for free and she would send them again when it was time. Needless to say, the girls were thrilled. 

They were delicious- both times!

Everyone wrote the sweetest things to Brigitta on the photo mat of her baptism picture.

My sister Katrina really went all out for the program. She and Gita share a name so she feels a special kinship with her. Check out the detail!

I kind of love that she did questions about Brigitta rather than a puzzle for the kids.

Ireland was our greeter who made sure everyone got a program, cookie and water and that they signed the mat.

Julie snapped this picture of Brigitta just sitting by herself.

The CTR towel was courtesy of Suzanne. I have to say it was so cool to have the grandmothers as witnesses for the baptism!

Whitney snapped this photo of Gita getting confirmed and I'm so glad she did. There she is surrounded by so many who love her. All of these men protecting her and blessing her. It was so special!

Whitney gifted her a watercolor and how the water is essential to make it work. 

Tim gifted her a journal and in the inscription included lyrics to a song his grandfather Neal A Maxwell wrote: Through a still small voice, the Spirit speak to me to guide me, to save me, from the evil I may see. If I try to do what's right, he will lead me through the night. Direct me, protect me, and give my soul His light. Listen, listen. The Holy Ghost will whisper. Listen, listen to the still small voice."

Bishop gifted her a Petoskey stone and talked about how the water is what makes the coral pattern visible. This was especially poignant since Gita had her baptism interview with him in Petoskey by the water.

One bonus of coronavirus is that we could invite family to join us via Zoom. As soon as the service was over, I told Brigitta to go back to the laptop and say hi to all the people who weren't there in person. There were members of our ward, Utah relatives from my side, California relatives from Brent's side and even J who's serving in the Navy joined all the way from Japan! That was pretty cool to see.

Here's the big, group photo before everyone dispersed. I was so worried her baptism would be kind of a sad, small event due to coronavirus but it ended up being just incredible. Definitely a day she won't ever forget.

Reagan snapped some pictures with Rockwell that I just have to post. Oh these two. She's so bubbly and full of love and he's just so chill. This picture really says it all!

It was just a beautiful baptism!

Brigitta is EIGHT!

Oi. Brigitta's baptism photos. Looking over these again, they are fine, great even! But so many things combined to make it a miserable experience. Brigitta was a champ, and I'm so glad we have these photos for posterity, but it's a testament to her that they look as good as they do.

First of all, in my humble opinion, curly hair photographs better on little kids than straight hair. A stray lock of curly hair looks charming but a stray lock of straight hair looks stringy. So I curled Brigitta's hair but good. I spent over an hour on it and I put so much hairspray in it I was sure she'd burst into flame if she got anywhere near a fire. She was choking on hairspray and tired of being fussed over but I persevered. 

Turns out the spot where these photos were taken was a bit of a hike. As it is the middle of a Midwest summer, it was hot and so so SO humid! The further we walked, the more her bouncy curls melted.

Secondly, our photographer has used this location many, many times. However, she seemed a bit unfamiliar with it in the dead of summer. The weeds were high and to get to this specific spot we had to kind of hike around a bit. 

Thirdly, Brigitta is a sweet girl with sweet blood and deep in those woods, the mosquitos descended on her with a fury. I thought I'd prepared everything- I brought a Book of Mormon, a CTR ring, her blessing dress and somehow it didn't occur to me to bring bug repellant. Our photographer mentioned she had some in her car, but that was a long hike back. So we decided to muscle through. At one point I spotted half a dozen mosquitos munching away on her. Some of them got caught in the tulle skirt and I'm so relieved you can't see that in the photos.  

Fourthly, this was a solid month before her birthday and we met at noon so it was hot as blazes. 

Fifthly, our photographer was really great but there were a couple of shots where she didn't quite know what I was going for. She'd never done a picture with the blessing dress and as I explained it to her, Brigitta's misery was complete. Hot, hairsprayed, covered in mosquito bites and waiting for adults to finish talking. 

She did perk up a bit when I grabbed her crown though! I forgot about it for those first few photos. 

This one is one of my favorites because she really looks like a little princess in a fairy tale.

Here's the picture with two white dresses. The photographer ended up loving the idea so much she did it with her own daughter's baptism photos the very next day.

This is a pretty photo on the surface, but I can see Gita's curls straightening and her face says she is just done with the whole thing. By the time we got back to the car, her hair was stick straight again.

 Luckily her birthday breakfast was in an air conditioned home, on a soft bed, with no mosquitos.

A little lettuce always adds a nice touch too.