Baby Football

Can I just say that I love being able to use your name in my posts now. I have been so nervous about sharing details about us and now that everything is finalized, the fear is gone.

Today was yet another amazing day.  I have other post that I am working on, but things have been so crazy that I couldn't keep up with the writing, so they are half finished, and I have to write about what I can remember from today before I forget.

Today is the Super Bowl and more importantly your blessing day. Patrick, everything about today was perfect!   In the LDS church, it is custom that when a new baby is born the Father or another man having the Priesthood give the baby a blessing. A few other men, having the same priesthood join with the Father to give support and to use their priesthood to bless the child. Only one person speaks but the rest of the men circle around the baby and put one hand under the baby to sturdy him/her.  Their other hand then goes on the right shoulder of the man standing next to them.  It reminds me of a football team huddling together focusing on how they can protect the ball. It is truly that way.  These wonderful men pull their priesthood power together to protect you, their ball. Maybe I should start calling you Football Baby.  Whatchya think?

Daddy was like the quarterback of the huddle.  He gave the blessing and it was absolutely perfect in every way. He started off and couldn't hold back his emotions so he began to cry a little.  The entire blessing was very heart felt and full praise.  Dad, even told me that he new he was going to cry. That's why he was so nervous about it.  (He had the worst stomach ache last night because he was so scared to give a blessing in front of so many people.) Mama B recorded the blessing for us.  I don't know if that is allowed or not, but I am so grateful she did. I will make sure to save you a copy so that you can listen to it over and over again. Also, a very sweet women in our ward wrote down the blessing for you.  I didn't even ask her to do that.  How thoughtful.

PS I find that it is much easier to write to you rather than the unknown.  I won't put everything out so that people can see. somethings will be just for you. Like what Daddy said in your blessing.  That will be in a separate area for you to read and listen to. But I think I may write to you in a lot of my journal posts.  I even did that before you were born.  In my personal handwritten journal, there are many entries in there that are addressed to Patrick and our other kiddos, by name.

There were so many people there for your big day. All of your aunts and uncles were there and all of your cousins.  You had both Nana and Papa and Ceecee and Papa C there too.  Also Great Deedee, Great Papa K, Leanne, and Nora came.  Woah!  I only had a few people at my blessing, then again it was during a blizzard. :) There were also many friends of Mommy's and Daddy's that came to support us.  We have a great support group here in North Logan.  People love so easily, and we love them back. Even more wanted to be their but couldn't because of sickness or because they lived too far away. Of course Mama B came with her Bo and Pay and Cory were there too!  What a great day!

Patrick, you are extremely loved.  You are an inspiration to everyone you meet.  Your smile melts me and your hugs are medicine for my tired body at the end of the day.  Thank you for being you.  Thank you for choosing us to be your parents, for choosing Mama B to be your birth mom, and to love us like you loved and still love her.

I thought you might want to know that your Papa A, Uncle Nik and Tawnie (my friend from High School shared their testimonies).  Tawnie talked about the beauty of adoption because she is an adoptive mom like me and that God truly knows our pain and loves us.  Uncle Nik talked about the beauty of family and how we got sealed together.  Papa talked about the beauty of the gospel, the time that he found out that we would be adopting you and how blessed he is.  I also shared my testimony.  I will write it down just for you.  It is special.  I will say this, I talked about God playing a loving and important role in our lives.  He wants to be a part of our lives.  And that  I love that your birth mommy wants to be in your life.  I'll write the rest for your eyes only.

After the blessing I went to teach my Sunday school class and Daddy took you home for a nap.  The past few days have been long, you really  needed a snooze.  At 12:45 we had the luncheon.  Well, that is when people started showing up.  We really didn't get eating until 1:05.  Which is normal Utah standard time. We had the luncheon at the elementary school where I work at, Summit.  We set up the tables last night, so most of the stuff was ready to go.  Over 50 people came to the luncheon.  Maybe more.  That is just the number of people that remembered to sign your blessing book.  The food was delicious, and you made your rounds to almost every grown up in the room, and was happy as a clam as well as being very vocal.

I called Mama B and thanked her for coming.  I was so grateful that she came to all of your events. She wasn't sure if she could emotionally.  She still grieves over not being your mommy.  Placing you was the hardest thing that she has ever done, and all of those feelings came back this week and she felt very alone even though she was so happy for you.  The other day, Mama B and I had a good talk and shared a few thoughts through email.  I think it helped her and me to understand each other better and to help her know that she is loved by everyone.  So it was wonderful to see her after the sealing, at dinner, at your blessing and at the luncheon.

I called her after I finished cleaning up the school and told her that today was perfect.  When I first talked to her about how open I wanted the adoption to be, I pictured today. I pictured her coming to big events for you and mingling with both sides of our family and of our family loving her like they love me.  Truly I pictured her being one of my sisters, and being like a special Aunt to you.  It was truly incredible to see how much love people can have for each other.  Patches... you did that.  You brought your birth mommy and your family together forever, and it is beautiful.

Love bug, I am grateful you are mine forever. I will be the best mommy I can be.  You have changed me for the better. My little football.