Jacob's Baptism - The Details

Jake's baptism was one of my favorite events to plan to date. Of course I enjoyed the creative aspect of the planning process - I always do. But I also thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend unlimited amounts of time with Jacob's godmothers: my sister, Yolanda and Leo's sister, Maria.

We had SO much fun.

In short, We shopped. We dipped. We carefully crafted and we shared lots and lots of laughs.

All of the elements that we used for the reception were found via my favorite websites for inspiration: Pinterest and Etsy. If you are a Mom and you're not already using these website, I highly recommend both.

 I also have a party-planning secret weapon: I have a friend who is a very talented graphic design artist - Debbie of Dagal Creative. I absolutely LOVE working with her because she always manages to see my vision even before I have it completely figured out. She did everything - the invites, the prayer cards, the favor tags the thank you cards.

My process goes a little something like this: I find something I like on Pinterest or Etsy, I email the picture or the link to the picture to Debbie and she modifies it based on my theme. For instance, I found "My Wishes for You" cards via Etsy and she modified the text to make them more baptism appropriate by changing it to "My Prayers for You."

 I can't tell you how much we both enjoyed reading each and every one at the end of the day. There were SO many great comments - here are just a few: 

I pray you get to....have one great love

I pray you never forget...to call your Mom

I pray you are never afraid of...what you don't understand

I pray you become...a friend to Joaquin

I pray you become...Captain America

I pray you get to...be successful and follow God's way

I pray you learn...about the stars

I pray you laugh...every day

For favors, we decided on white chocolate dipped Oreo cookies so Debbie created a favor tag based on another sample I found via Pinterest. They of course matched the color theme perfectly.

One of my very favorite elements that we incorporated was a fingerprint tree - you may have seen this done at weddings or bridal showers. I saw it on Pinterest and immediately fell in love with the idea. The concept is simple - guests add their fingerprint to the tree and write their name above it to serve as a record of their presence.

I plan to frame it and hang it proudly on our wall and then one day, when Jacob has a family of his own, my hope is that he will hang it proudly on his wall. I knew I wanted to somehow honor our family members in heaven so I was able to accomplish this by adding their names - the color of the flower represents that of their birthstone.

For the centerpieces, I wanted something bright and cheery but also inexpensive. I asked a local pizza restaurant if I could take their empty cans of tomato sauce off their hands and they happily obliged.
My go-to florist also happens to be a great friend of mine from High School - Ricardo and his wife, Erin have a very successful floral business called Irises Floral Designs.

They spray painted the cans, added a thick chocolate brown ribbon around the middle and then added a favor tag to tie everything together. We skipped flowers and went with simple bunches of babies breath.

They were absolutely perfect.

The last element was the cake. Again, I found the initial design via Pinterest but I modified it by adding a cross and as funny as it may sound, a pair of converse tennis shoes. Ever since Jacob was a baby, he's mostly worn converse so I thought it would be fitting. We ordered the cake from the same person who did his first birthday cake - Susie from Havana Taste. The bottom layer was chocolate cake with cookies and cream filling and the top layer was blueberry cake with lemon curd filling - delish!

Finally, it was important to both of us to have lots of great pictures so that one day when Jacob is old enough to grasp the concept of baptism, we will be able to give him a clear picture of what the day was like. I didn't want to worry about not having enough or worse, having pictures that were blurry or too dark. We decided to ask my friend Sheila who used to work with me at La Verne. She is now a graduate but she loves photography and when I asked her, she happily obliged. She did such a great job - we couldn't have asked for more.

The day was by no means perfect. There were family members who were unable to attend and other loved ones who we would have loved to invite but for financial reasons, were unable to. And because Jacob missed his morning and afternoon naps, he was fussy at times. But still all in all, we were very happy.
Happy for him and happy for us.

We can't thank Jacob's godparents enough for their generous contributions and none of the beautiful details would have been possible had it not been for our amazing friends - my party planning secret weapons: Debbie, Ricardo and Erin. We are also eternally gratful to Sheila for capturing it all so perfectly.

We are truly blessed.

Enjoy the day!
Malissa

Holding On

For weeks now, I've had an old pair of Jake's shoes sitting on my bathroom counter. His second pair of Converse tennis shoes. Black with Velcro straps. They don't fit him anymore. Every weekend I glance over at them and wonder if this is the day that I will be ready to let go of them and the answer is always the same.

Not yet. 

I also have an extra-large bin of onesies, pajamas, socks, bibs, mittens and other baby things that is overflowing and if I am really being honest (gulp), I have more piled up in our guest bathroom...in the shower.

Thank goodness for shower curtains.

The shoes are not in the best shape so I wouldn't feel comfortable donating them or giving them to a friend but everything else is in great condition - some barely used even. These things could really help someone in need but I am having a really difficult time with letting them go.

I could state the obvious and say that it's because they belonged to my first born - our miracle baby boy. But it's more than that. So much more. Even though I would like to be able to say that I am perfectly happy with Jacob, part of me is secretly hoping that we will be blessed with one more. 

The other day I came across an article about a well-known actress who tried IVF thirteen times over a decade. She eventually got her happy ending by adopting a little girl in Foster Care - bless her heart. I also know many bloggers turned friends who have gone through similar trials and tribulations and they are still waiting patiently for their happy endings.

Knowing that there are women out there who are suffering through infertility makes me feel as though I am being ungrateful and selfish. How could I possibly ask for more? But then I have to remind myself that it IS perfectly normal for me to want a second child. Of course, I am cautiously optimistic and although Leo would never say it out loud, I can sense that he is too. It comes with the territory, I guess.

The subject of adoption through the Foster Care system has definitely come up but we haven't made any definite decisions. Right now we are just enjoying this season in our lives and soaking up every single moment we have with Jacob.

I just pray that whatever is meant to be will be. Until then, I am allowing myself to hold on to his things - even his old converse tennis shoes that are sitting on my bathroom counter because well, I'm just not ready to let go. Not yet anyway.

Enjoy the Day!
Missy

Your Baptism

Dear Jacob,

Today was a very special day for our little family.

You were baptized at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in the beautiful tree lined city of Claremont, California. You wore a white silk shorts outfit - complete with bow tie and a vest with fish tails.

We arrived about thirty minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin and sat in the first row where your Godfather placed a beautful white gold necklace with a medalion of John the Baptist around your neck. Then your Godmothers finished dressing you in your vest and cumberbun - you looked so very handsome!

The ceremony began and you sat patiently on my lap.
(Having your favorite snacks on hand definitely helped!)

First, we were asked to go to the front entrance of the sanctuary to be officially invited into the Church of God. This is where your Daddy was asked to speak of our intentions to have you baptized in the presence of our family and friends. Then we were asked to outline the sign of the cross on your forehead one-by one and then we walked back into the sanctuary to await the next step in the ceremony.

By now, you were a bit more active - walking back and forth between your Daddy and I.

Next, you were annointed with oil, just under your collar and also later at the base of your head. It was a very sweet smelling oil. Afterwards, we each took turns smelling your head, as funny as that sounds - even your Grandparents who sat behind us - you didn't seem to mind one bit.

The next step was the candle lighting. All of the parents, godparents and children being baptized stood on the stage in a half circle. The Deacon lit a taper candle for each child being baptized using a very large candle on stage. He handed the taper candle to me and one by one, I went to your godparents and lit their candle.

 

The last step of the ceremony was the baptism with water. Your Dad held you. I stood beside him and your Godparents and Grandparents surrounded us. After the Deacon asked us our intentions, your Daddy held you over the basin and your Grandmother helped the Deacon pour the holy water over your head.

I thought I would have been in tears by now but at that moment, I was completely overwhelmed with joy. For your Dad and I, this moment meant the world to us.

Our miracle baby boy was baptized.
Another dream come true.

After taking several photos and having some items blessed by the Deacon, we celebrated with close family and friends at a local restaurant. By now, you were tired from missing your morning nap but you still managed to hold on for a few more hours. After lunch, a piece of cake, a chocolate covered oreo cookie, playtime with your cousin Marley and many, many more photos, you fell asleep in my arms.

For me, this day will forever be etched in mind as being perfect in every way.
It was the starting point for your walk with God and I am so excited to see where his path will lead you.

Love,
Your (Lucky) Mommy

Twenty-Months

It's still hard to believe that my baby boy will be twenty-months in less than a week. This is such a great age.

I literally can't wait to wake him up in the mornings - to see his smiling face and to pinch his cheeks. I can  see his personality developing more and more every day - it's pretty amazing. Because of this, I've decided that I really need to make documenting his milestones a priority. I haven't touched his baby book in months and life is never going to slow down. I just have to make it happen because time is flying by. And despite my absence, this little blog really is important to me. I've missed it. And you.

With that being said...

Personality:
Jacob is sweet, funny, affectionate, outgoing and maybe a little stubborn. Okay maybe very stubborn. Unfortunately, he comes from not one but two parents who are both stuborn so I guess it was inevitable. When we are out in public, it doesn't matter where we are, he will try to get a stranger's attention and as soon as he has it, he'll smile and wave at them. (melting my heart almost instantaneously)

Milestones:
He recently decided that he no longer needs his chicken strips cut into bite-sized pieces. He will get into his car seat on his own and he helps me carry things into the house now. (so handy in a pinch!) He loves to help me put the clothes into the dryer and after he takes things off the shelf, if I ask him to put them back - he will (usually) oblige.

Words:
He says bye-bye now when he waves. Last weekend he said sorry for the first time and his favorite word at the moment is more. He also says Hi, car, football, kitty, fish, apple, Da-Da and my favorite, Mom.

His Loves:
Chicken nuggets, strawberries, grapes, string cheese and raisins.

He loves being outside. Besides a small plastic inflatable pool, we don't have toys in our backyard (yet) but he is perfectly happy with running from here to there. We spend hours in Grandma's backyard every Saturday afternoon. Again, no toys there either but he loves it just the same. I always take advantage of these moments to get some great shots of him - the light is always amazing just after dinner.

His favorite toy is his Leap Pad that he got from Leo's parents last Christmas. (Money well spent for sure!) He will typically play with it in the car, in the mornings when I am getting ready or when he's in his high chair. I love it because it has all of the great learning apps and he really enjoys the Sesame Street and Chuggington videos. Other than that, he is always on the go. I can't remember the last time I sat on the couch to watch television for longer than ten minutes - at least while he was awake! LOL!

Excursions & Activities:
We're in our second week of Mommy and Me swim lessons and I'm soaking up every single minute of it. He's not a fan of going under the water but he does love the kicking and splashing part. He's almost mastered getting in and out of the pool and we've met some new friends, which is always a bonus. Leo has been going too, to watch and take pictures so it's really turned into a great family outing for us. We plan to continue the lessons off and on throughout the Summer.

BIG Upcoming Event:
We are all set to have Jacob baptized on June 22, 2013 at Our Lady of Assumption in Claremont, CA. I am so beyond excited, I can hardly contain myself. I am really enjoying the planning process because it has given me an excuse to spend lots of time with the god-mothers to be. (I will announce who they are in a separate post) I will also be sure to share some pictures and the highlights of the day's events.

Thanks for sticking by me!
Enjoy the day!

Finding Our Home

When I was a little girl my family attended Bellflower Brethren Church. I loved this Church. I have so many great memories from the music to the lessons, the holiday performances and the huge picnics on the lawn - potlucks in the large recreation room on the first floor of the two-story building. Everybody knew eachother on a first name basis and I always felt at home. And Pastor Cashman was warm and charismatic.

We left in the early 80's because my parents bought a house in Ontario. We had tried to travel back a few times but it was a long drive, especially with five rambunctious kids in the car. We attended a few local Churches over the years but I never really got the same feeling.

When Leo and I started dating our hurdle became the fact that we were from different faiths. I had heard several Pastors speak on this subject and they always stated with conviction that they would not marry a couple who came from different faith backgrounds. Quite honestly, this didn't deter me or cause me to second guess our relationship. I had faith that God brought Leo into my life and I refused to believe that he would disapprove of our marrying eachother.

He proposed to me on a rainy Valentine's Day at Shoreline Village in Long Beach. Soon after we set the date for November 12, 1999 and we started planning the wedding in early Summer. Almost immediately we had a very difficult time finding a Church that would marry us. We must have talked to a dozen different pastors from non-denominational Churches. I had all but given up when Leo's sister recommended a Church in San Dimas.

Leo and I met with the Pastor and after a brief introduction and explanation of our situation, he reassured us by saying, "Everyone has their own path to God" and he happily agreed to marry us. It was a beautiful ceremony and we both felt grateful to him for making us feel so welcomed into his Church. Unfortunately for us, he left shortly after

And we were back to square one again....

We tried several more Churches in the non-denominational faith and each time Leo was such a trooper. He never complained or hinted that he preferred to go to a Catholic Church. I think he could sense how important this was to me. I really just wanted to find our home. A place where we could both grow in our faith together. But many times what kept us from returning were not-so-nice comments made by the Pastor about the Catholic faith during the sermon.

I agreed with Leo wholeheartedly when he didn't want to return because we both agreed that was not okay. It is never okay (in our book) for one faith to put down another. Needless to say, it left me feeling frustrated and disheartened to the point to where I had given up. That's not to say that I stopped praying. I don't know a lot but I do know that I need God's presence in my life to help me, guide me and sustain me when times are tough.

When Jacob came into our lives the subject inevitably came up again.

We both felt it was important for him to be raised in the Church so he could have the same foundation of faith we both had. I was cautiously optimistic but also a little weary.

At first we decided that we would raise him in both faiths. We would baptize him in the Catholic Church but we would visit a Christian Church fairly often so he would be able to learn both. That didn't go over very well with the first Priest that we met with, and for good reason in hind sight. But still, I found myself feeling frustrated and in a way, rejected by all of the complications that kept seeping into our plan.

I prayed about it. Cried some. Then prayed some more. And that night, I had a dream. (No kidding!) In that dream, I basically got out if it that it didn't matter what package Jacob's faith came in. Sounds silly and a little over simplified but it made complete sense.

Why was I so set on our plan, when really it should have been in God's hands in first place?

I decided that since Leo had been gracious enough to marry me in a non-denominational Church, it was my turn to be gracious. I made a list of four more Churches that I hadn't yet called and one by one, I told them our story and was turned away so to speak. I only had one more to go - it was a Church in Claremont, just a few blocks from where we both work. I called and left a message for the Baptism Coordinator. She called me back within minutes of me hanging up and we immediately connected so well that we ended up talking for nearly an hour.

I proceeded to tell her our story and then I ended it with our little situation, when she reassured me over and over that it would not be a problem. She set-up a meeting for us to speak with a Deacon for the following week. I had a very good feeling.

Deacon Bob was warm and kind and when I told him that I was a Christian, he too said those same words that our Pastor had said to us years before, "We all have our own paths to God" and he capped it off with, "Really, we are all Christians." I can't tell you how happy I was to hear him say those words. We were both happy. He proceeded to answer all of our questions and we filled out the necessary paperwork to get the Baptism process started. We were elated, relieved and excited all at the same time.

We attended Church the very next Sunday in our Sunday best with Jacob in tow. Nervous, like it was the first day of school. We sat in the back row just in case we had to make a quick exit because we had no idea how Jacob would manage being quiet for nearly an hour. The first thing I noticed was the music - there was a band of musicians - a worship team if you will and many of the songs that they played were ones that I knew from my days at Calvary Chapel and even from Bellflower Brethren (a definite good sign!)

The message was spot on, I was able to follow along with ease and when I read the mission statement in the program, it reflected so many of the same values followed by the Brethren faith that I have come to love and live by. The biggest one being inclusivity. They also have an impressive amount of programming that is centered around family and they even have a private school attached to the Church, should we decide to go that route. Jacob much to our surprise managed exceptionally well and by the end of the service, we didn't even have to say a word. We just knew. After nearly 13 years of marriage, our prayers had been answered.

Thank you, Jesus.

P.S. I know I haven't posted in a long while - what can I say that I haven't said before? I am forever juggling my crazy busy life but I want you all to know that I really appreciate you sticking by me!

Enjoy the Day!
Missy