Halen's Baptism

Halen was more than excited to get baptized.  He's been learning and preparing and he's waited a long time for this day and it finally came.  Our stake usually does the stake baptisms on the first Saturday of the month but because the first Saturday of October is General Conference, it bumped it up a week to the last week of September.  Even though it was the only Saturday of the muzzle-load hunting season, which almost all of the males on the Simkins side participate in, they were still able to hunt in the morning and everyone was able to make it to the 2:00 baptism.  So everyone on the Simkins side was able to come except for great grandma Simkins who was sick.  All of the Ogden's are a little further away so it was harder for any of them to come but grandma & grandpa Ogden were able to cover their shifts at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial and catch a few flights back to Utah to be with Halen on his special day.

Grandma & grandpa Ogden got to our house a couple hours before we had to be at the church so we got to visit with them for a little bit and they helped get the kids ready to go.  Once we got to the church, we took a few pics then Halen & Randy got changed into their white clothes and took a few more pics.

 

Halen said he wasn't nervous but I could tell he was at least a little bit. :)  He listened very intently to the talks that were given and was grinning pretty big when they called his name to head to the font.  Halen was the only one from our ward to be baptized that day so it was just our family in the Relief Society room.  He asked his grandpa Simkins & grandpa Ogden to be witnesses to his baptism.  I could see a little bit of the nervousness on his face as he started down into the water but after he was baptized he was trying not to smile. :)

After he was baptized they took us down to the Stake President's office to wait for Randy & Halen to dry off and get dressed.  While we waited we were each able to write a little note to Halen so he could always have something to remember his special day with and to remember who was all there to support him.  We all also signed a pillowcase with a little note to him which I thought was really cute.

Randy did a great job with the baptism and confirmation and gave Halen a wonderful blessing.  I was so proud of him.  He also said he wasn't nervous but worried that he'd say the words right since the only time he'd baptized someone was in Japanese. :)  But he did awesome!

We took a few more pics before we left the church to go back to the house for lunch.  I had put the note cards that we all wrote to him inside his suit pocket and told him not to lose them so he's holding his suit coat tight to make sure he doesn't. :)

Grandpa (Elder) & grandma (Sister) Ogden

Grandma & grandpa Simkins

We didn't know what to do about having a luncheon.  Since the baptism was at 2:00, it was too late for lunch but too early for dinner so we just did light finger foods and desserts.  It rained most of the morning but by the time we got home it was sunny and nice so the kids ate and played outside while the rest of us visited.  It's always chaotic when we all get together these days since there are so many little ones but it's still fun to get together.  We would have loved to have had some of Randy's brothers or sister come but were glad grandma & grandpa Ogden could make it to represent.  We know the others would have been there if they could have.

One last pic before the missionaries head back to Vermont

It was such a special day and one that I hope Halen will remember forever.  He's such a great kid and I can't believe how fast he's growing up.  He's so smart and fun and I'm so proud of the choice he made to be baptized.  He's setting a good example for his younger brother and sister and really makes his mom and dad proud.  Congratulations Halen!  We love you bud!!!

Here are a few of the pics we took of Halen at the temple: