8 is great for Kendall!

Kendall turned the big EIGHT this week and that means BAPTISM in our house! The weeks leading up to her baptism we talked with her about the importance of baptism and this decision she's making. She was excited and nervous about everyone watching her and being the center of attention.

We also did the "8 Is Great" countdown with Kendall like we did for Ella and Brooklyn. Each night we gave Kendall a "gift" to help her remember the covenant she is making with her Heavenly Father. The gifts included a compass (follow the path back to Heavenly Father), warm socks (the Holy Ghost is like a warm, comfortable friend to help guide and protect), three bear food items (to help her remember the three bears of baptism), a bath towel (because she is going to be washed clean from her sins), her set of scriptures (to always read and pray for guidance), scripture markers (to mark those scriptures that have meaning and help her feel the Spirit), personal journal (to record the ups and downs in her life and to remember how blessed she is), and finally a book (to remind her to always read good books, listen to good music, and watch good things.)

Kendall was so excited to get her own set of scriptures!!..

I hope and pray she hugs these scriptures close to her heart all her life...

Kendall, along with me and Ryan, had her baptism interview with Bishop Skoubye who encouraged her to pray morning and night and to make a Prayer Rock to help her remember. He also encouraged her to read at least one verse of scripture a night. I thought both pieces of advice from the Bishop were perfect for her at her age and even for the rest of my kiddos. It's the small and simple things that great things are brought to pass!

We were so excited to have Sugar, Jim, Grandma and Grandpa Asay here for this special occasion. I don't know if Sugar and Grandma Asay were that excited about coming because Kendall asked them both to speak at her baptism. I think they both hate speaking just as much as I do!! They did such a great job though and I was actually really relieved I didn't have to do it! =-)

Kendall was SO excited for the CTR ring she got from Grandma and Grandpa Asay...

I hope and pray she will try her very hardest to always Choose The Right...

Kendall chose to sing "I Am A Child of God" for the opening hymn and "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" for the closing hymn. Grandpa Asay gave the opening prayer and then Kendall's favorite Primary friend from Church - and the woman who also cuts and curls her hair - Sister Shannon McKeown gave the closing prayer. We were lucky to get Sister McKeown because she is DEATHLY terrified of speaking in church, but when Kendall asked she said, "I'm so flattered!! Tell Kendall that for HER I would do anything she would ask of me!!"

Following the baptism, we had Kendall's Primary class and their families over for lunch. Kendall really wanted pizza or chicken fingers for lunch, but in the end we talked her into hoagies.

The day was so special with family, church friends, and a few school friends there to support Kendall. Ryan baptized Kendall without a single hair coming up and gave her the most beautiful blessing when he gave her the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He thinks of all the things I'd want for Kendall in her future and says them in a way that amazes me. He really is so good at giving blessings and I'm grateful he can!

I love the way Kendall's baptism invitation turned out. After all of the pictures I took of Kendall during her "photoshoot," the best picture was taken by Hudson, who picked up my camera while I was talking to our neighbor and snapped a few pictures. This is one of them and I absolutely love it!...

I'm not sure what happened to all the pictures we took with Sugar/Jim, Grandma/Grandpa Asay and Kendall on her baptism day, but here's one with Kendall's best school friend, Victoria Yoder (right) and her sister Sabrina (left)...

Found them!...