Baby Dedication

Clara wearing a dress that I wore as a baby.

Last Sunday Matt & I participated in the Baby Dedication at our church. It was opportunity for us to introduce Clara to the congregation and to commit to raising her to know the Lord. Both Matt and I were raised in Christian homes and our parent's commitment to teaching us to know the Lord and teaching us Christian values has played a significant role in the people we are today. I also have many fond memories of the churches I grew up in, my Sunday School teachers and various church activities (pot-luck dinners, playing piano on Sunday mornings, weenie roasts, VBS, my favorite Sunday School teachers--Georgia & Jerry and Mary & Leonard). The church we attended for about ten years when I was a young was very small so we knew everyone who attended. The pastor and his wife are wonderful people, and it was great to see them again at our wedding. We visited Harvest Chapel a few years ago, and I hope we can visit again soon so we they can all meet Clara. It's amazing want an impact these people had on my life at such an early age, and I hope that Clara can have the same experience. The challenge for us now is to get more involved in our church so that she will have this opportunity.

All the families in the dedication.


Praying for our little girl.

We were so happy that our families were there to support us. All of my family drove up from Elbing to be there including both my brothers and my sister (in law). Matt's Grandpa Ed and Grandma Rose & Maynard came as well. I was very nervous for some reason to get up in front of everyone so Matt did the talking. Not that it was anything too difficult to talk about - he introduced us and Clara, said how old she was, and how long we had been going to church there. I was glad he was willing to do this though!!

The Kitterman Clan

The Clark Clan

After church we had everyone back to our house for lunch and dessert. Grandma Karen brought a delicious cake (which we are STILL eating on) and Grandma Rose brought Povitica bread. I had never had this type of bread and it was delicious!! Now we just need to figure out where to get more!

And the day wouldn't have been complete without some orneriness from our families. Clinty and Abby introduced Clara to Dr. Pepper. It's obvious she shares her Mommy's love of this wonderful beverage (probably because she got her first tastes of it in utero (until I found out I had gestational diabetes, that is--then I had to switch to the caffiene-free diet version, which really isn't even worth drinking).

No worries - she didn't actually drink any of it!

Then my Dad and Ed were conspiring to cut her hair and even tried to convince us they did by cutting a bit of Karen's hair and showing it to us! We are contemplating cutting her mullet, but we're still undecided if we're ready for her first haircut!

A special thanks to our families for supporting us on this special day!