Junie's baptism

I can hardly believe that five of my children have now turned eight and been baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I remember how amazed I felt when Abe turned eight and took that wonderful first step on the path back to Heavenly Father. And yet now…he is a Priest, and old enough to be the one baptizing Junie! I just can't get my mind around it.

Just for old times' sake, here's little Abe when he was 8 himself:

Standing in front of the exact same painting! We have switched stakes twice since then, but now we're back in the first stake center we started in!

Anyway, I know it was special to Junie to have her big brother baptize her. How do I know? Because my big brother baptized me too! :)

I was also amazed because in February or so, Junie decided she wanted to finish reading the whole Book of Mormon before her baptism. She has been making her way through First and Second Nephi for about two years now. :) So she started reading a LOT—like ten chapters a day. She would get up early and read the Book of Mormon, spend her free time during the day reading the Book of Mormon, and then read the Book of Mormon during her reading time before bed! And it paid off—she finished the book on the Wednesday before her baptism. We went out to breakfast together to celebrate. I love this spunky, determined little girl!

I told everyone I wanted ONE family picture with EVERY PERSON in it. We don't get those very often. In fact, the other kids' baptisms are some of the only occasions on which it's happened. It is fun to look back and see the changes over the years—at Abe's baptism, Seb's , Ky's, and Daisy's. So! Here we all are.

Junie with Grandma Nelson. Grandma and Grandpa Nielson came too, but I didn't get a picture!

Junie's "twin" Daisy (yes, they are 20 months apart, but everyone thinks they are twins and they love it) was so happy for her best friend. Daisy told me "When I looked at Junie coming out of the water, I knew exactly how she was feeling—because it's the same way I felt myself when I was baptized! I could just see the happiness shining out of her eyes."

If I ever did one thing right as a mother, it MUST be bringing these two little girls down to earth to be sisters. I have never known two who love each other so much.

I made millions of orange muffins with orange juice glaze (Junie's request) for after the baptism. I wish I had taken a picture of the pans and pans of them! (Why didn't I?!) We ate them at a park afterwards, and it was a perfectly bright, sunshiney, beautiful morning—just like Miss Juniper Lark herself! We are so happy to have her in our family!