Day 29: Baptism Day

When we started planning the menu for the baptisms, Mireya asked if I'd be making a mil hojas.  I hadn't been planning on it, but when else will I be able to share one of our favorite desserts with my Aussie family? Never that's when.  So the day started with 4 cans of sweetened condensed milk boiling on the stove and me rolling out dough.  I've never tried to make a mil hojas in one day, it normally takes a week.  Cody jumped in and made some awesome syrups--we went with a tropical theme and made blueberry, kiwi, apricot and passion fruit.  It was beautiful!

After a long day of cooking we headed over to the church.  Little did we know that the entire zone of missionaries would rook up to join in the fun.  It was great fun!  The sister missionaries fawned all over the girls and their dresses and the elders let the boys climb all over them.  

It was fun to watch the kids' different personalities as they waited with anticipation.  ∞ refused to talk to anyone--she just stuck to me like my shadow.  O was giggly and silly and bouncing off the walls.  X was reserved and played with the missionaries but quietly.  X² was a riot and in fine form making everyone laugh and haming it up.

You know when ∞ is smiling for real because her face scrunches all up.  She is stunning!

O was baptized first and π² performed the ordinance.  It was super sweet--the water was a bit on the cold side and she gasped when she came up out of the water--then she giggled the cutest little giggle that made everyone else laugh.  X² was next and he just shivvered like a leaf--he made me cold just watching him--as π².  X was timid walking into the font and π helped him so sweetly making sure he knew he was safe.  There was only one dress so ∞ had to put on a wet dress--for her the water was welcome warmth compared to the cold dress she'd just donned.  I cried as she came up out of the water and so did she.  She hurried into the changing room though because she didn't want anyone to see her cry.

This photo brings tears to the surface every time I look at it.  This is my family.  MY family!  I have wanted to share my life with them for as long as I can remember and here they all are at the most important event in half of my children's life to date.  Miraculous.  Absolutely Miraculous.

The joy in the changing room was indescribable.  It was just pure bliss.  As we walked out X² was waiting there.  He literally catapulted himself into my arms and shouted, "BEST.  DAY.  EVER!!!!"  I couldn't agree more.

After we ate.

We laughed.

We spun in circles because we were so happy!

It was a day I'll never ever ever forget.

Xander came running over to me at one point and exclaimed, "You made a Star Wars Mil Hojas!!"  Can you see it?