Rachel's special day

Rachel was looking forward to her birthday SO much, as every child must do, but her biggest reason for the eagerness was that she wanted to be baptised. Her sisters enjoyed it too! Infact lovely little Rebekah has for some time now been very close behind Rachel in her anticipation and excitement for her baptism. Along the way she also grasped the idea that she would be baptised when she grows up, as her sisters all will. She has been just as excited about this idea, so much so that the day before Rachel's birthday she was busily writing her own invitations to her own baptism (asking me to spell, Nanny, Emma, Tom, Will, Trisha, Naomi, Lydia, and a few others, all of whom she wants to come to her baptism). Then when we woke up on Rachel's birthday, at breakfast she asked me if she could be baptised first? She meant first, before Rachel, and was sorely disappointed when I had to reaffirm to her that she couldn't be baptised yet but would have to wait until she was bigger. "But I am already growing bigger!" was the reply. Waiting until she is 8 just doesn't seem fair in Rebekah's mind.

We were pleased that several of Rachel's friends and their parents were able to come for the whole thing, aswell as Michael's Uncle Stuart and his brother Tom along with Becky (Tom's girlfriend) who I was so glad to meet at last - she is lovely. Nanny, Granma and Gramps each gave a short talk and spoke to Rachel, and our family sang a song called "Baptism" for Rachel. Her uncles, Tom and David, were also involved as they were the witnesses for her baptism, and they and my Dad assisted Michael in confirming her. Unfortunately the boiler wouldn't work properly that morning, so the font was pretty cold, although not freezing as two elders had gone backwards and forwards from the kitchen with as many pans of warm water as they could. It was still enough to totally take Rachel's breath away though as she came up from under the water. All she could say for a few minutes was how cold it was! I couldn't help but have a wet hug as she came out of the font. I couldn't believe how very quickly she was baptised. I suppose with many preparations to make it seemed to come very suddenly when at last I could stop totally and just enjoy her special day. Rachel received the gift of the holy ghost after that and Rachel had a warm feeling which she liked. It was a lovely baptism, and there was a special spirit there.

We had a photo with everyone afterwards which somehow turned out a bit blury, and then some lovely food, gratefully helped by both of our Mum's with a donation by a few others aswell. After a lot of planning and Rachel choosing to invite just about everyone that has been important to her in some way, we ended up with a nice group of about sixty people, and a very enjoyable time. Rachel really looked, and I think felt, radiant.

We hope you enjoy the pictures (we didn't get many in the end, but these few tell most of what we'd like to remember) and get a feel for being here yourselves (those who could't be that is).