Bennett's Big Baptism Day

What a special day.

On his dad's birthday, Bennett was baptized by his big brother.

Landon was excited to get to perform his first baptism

less than a year before his mission.

This view got me all choked up.

Landon was so cute with his little brother.

We sat in the chapel for a half hour waiting for it to start.

Two other children from our ward were baptized that day.

One was really late for some reason, so we just sat and waited.

The program was beautiful.

Bennett's Grandpa Fillmore sang "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus" with his guitar.

It fit the occasion perfectly and brought such a sweet spirit into the meeting.

Bennett was the last of the three children to get to go to the font.

Landon said everything perfectly and dunked his little brother under the water.

When he pulled him back up, he reached down and put is arms under Bennett's,

lifted him up and gave him the longest, sweetest hug.

It made my mama heart want to burst. 

It doesn't get any better than that, I tell you.

After the baptism, we went back into the chapel 

and Dad gave Bennett the Gift of the Holy Ghost

and confirmed him as an official member of 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The blessing was so beautiful.

Because the baptism was two days after Thanksgiving, no cousins were around to come.

It was just our family, both sets of grandparents, Landon's friend Lucia (too shy to get in the picture,) Sadie's friend, Abbie and Bennett's friend Chaz (from his old school) and his parents.

Small in numbers but huge in spirit. Bennett felt so loved. 

Cute Chaz.

Bennett's favorite friend from Lincoln that he 

misses so much already.

His parents were so sweet to drive down here and support us. 

This really touched us.

After the baptism, we stopped by the house to get changed, 

then went to out to lunch in an old trolley-made-restaurant.

The kids loved the novelty of it, and the food was good.

I loved the convenience. Much easier than cooking. :)

G&G Fillmore had to leave for their shift at the conference center,

but G&G Hinton stuck around with us. 

They were on their way back to St. George after spending Thanksgiving

with Greg and Kris in Wyoming.

We're so glad it worked out that they could come.

That evening, we celebrated Dad's birthday with some dinner and a

lemon poppy seed cake that Max, Sadie and I made that day.

Our first birthday celebration in the new house.

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day for Bennett.

I think he was honored by all of the attention

and he glowed with the spirit.

I'm so proud of you, Bennett for making the decision

to follow your Savior Jesus Christ 

by being baptized.

You will always be blessed by this day.