Our Eternal Family

The first of this month we had our adoption hearing and had our petition to adopt Emma granted. After the hearing I had the exact feelings I did 4 1/2 years ago when we finalized Owen's adoption. I remember feeling that though the court had made Owen officially part of our family, I didn't quite feel Owen was completely ours just yet. The court had made Owen part of our family in this life but we needed to have him bound to our family for the life hereafter.



We took Emma to the temple to be sealed to our eternal family last week. I can't express with words the relief and joy I feel knowing Emma is ours forever in this life and the next. I feel so blessed to have yet another day to add to the best days of my life. Truly it was a wonderful experience and having so many of our family there made it even better. For those who don't know we wear all white in the temple for many reasons, one being is it helps us focus on spiritual things and reminds us that we are equal in the God's eyes.


During the ordinance, Emma was so very good and didn't fuss until it was over. I was really worried about Owen. I tried to prepare him a little showing him pictures of a sealing room from the church website and explaining what would happen. But I wasn't surprised when he got upset since he had to sit and watch instead of participating with Mommy, Daddy, and Emma. He buried his face on the chair and missed the whole thing. At least something stuck because Owen has cheerfully told us a couple times how we went to the temple and now Emma is sealed to our family.


After the temple, we met up with our family again at the church house that Barry's parents attend to have Barry give her a blessing. Owen didn't want to sit and listen during Emma's blessing either. (Oh well.) We ended the day with some lunch for everyone. I wanted to thank Barry's family for the work they put in setting up and taking down tables/chairs and cooking and preparing all the food. And I am very thankful for all our family that came and made the day even more special.









Emma in her sealing and blessing gown. It's not required that babies wear white but most parents choose to do so as white represents purity.

She has a bit of her tongue sticking out as usual! Lol! Emma sticks her tongue in and out a lot. Her dr says it has to do with the nasty taste of the refluxed formula.


The Mary Jane booties I made Emma. They wouldn't stay on for her special day. After further inspection I figured out that I didn't put the buttons, that fasten the straps, back far enough given baby yarn is softer giving it more stretch than worsen weight. I fixed them for her pictures.