Baptismversary!

I posted this two years ago today.  

I had excitedly planned for this special day for four months after the birth of Charlotte.  Adam and I had even gone on a tasting at the restaurant where we had her Baptism Party after the mass in February a couple weeks before she was born.  We went to a couple bakeries to investigate cakes and I even was able to get a custom order of peanut butter rice krispie treats with chocolate icing from a man we had met during an Advent Market the previous Christmas.  So, as you can see, planning for Charlotte's Baptism was a multi-month affair and I was really excited for her family from both sides to be present for her entrance to the Church and wanted to make the day extra special for all involved. 

Charlotte's Baptism Day, as well as today, is the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Yes, two years ago from today Charlotte Annie was baptized! My mom reminded me this morning that four years ago today was my wedding dress fitting as well. Until today, I hadn't thought of the connection between the donning of a white (well, ivory) dress for that sacrament versus the smaller (somewhat) white dress for Charlotte to wear for her first sacrament on the very same day a couple years later.

There are many things that could be shared about Our Lady of Mount Carmel but my favorite revolves around what is typically called the "brown scapular" which is a religious article and devotional custom within our faith. As a child, I remember not caring for the traditional wearing of the scapular as it was itchy and uncomfortable under my uniform.  For those of you not familiar with the practice, the scapular was a type of work apron made up of a front and and back that is joined together over the shoulders that had traditionally been worn by monks.  The scapular formed some parts of the habit or "uniform" of some religious orders.  One such order was that of the Carmelites who lived in the Mt. Carmel region.  St. Simon Stock, according to history, had received a smaller form of the scapular that could be worn like a necklace as a symbol of membership to the order that among other things focuses on chastity, the rosary, and a desire to grow closer to Jesus through imitating Mary, his Mother.

Years later, as an adult in 2011, Mom and I attended a half day retreat at my church in York, PA that ended in being vested in and receiving scapulars before I headed to a wedding that afternoon.

The last part of the retreat took place in the chapel where unknowingly four years later, I would engage in the First Non-Look with my future husband on our wedding day!  Thus began my rededication to this devotion that continues even to today seven years later.  Toward the end of summer 2011, I began wearing a blessed Our Lady of Mt. Carmel medal to replace the itchy scapular - - guess some things don't change!

Fast forward to 2016 when Charlotte was born and it was time to choose a baptism date. She was born in early March a few weeks shy of Easter. In an effort to accommodate family schedules, we were delighted when the church gave us the date of Saturday, July 16th, as an option. Charlotte was born on the feast day of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity and now would have a connection with Our Lady of Mount Carmel by being baptized on such a special day!

Charlotte was up super early the morning of her Baptism.  This was taken as the sun rose...guess she knew that it was the dawning of a special day!!

I was excited to hang this up above the threshold to the St. Francis room/Charlotte's nursery.  My parents had gifted us with this unique crucifix I had seen on the day Adam proposed out in Colorado for Charlotte's Baptism Day.  They had given it to us some time before July 16th rolled around but I waited until that weekend to hang it where it has resided ever since.  Isn't it so beautiful?  I love how it is a daily reminder that Jesus is reaching out to us and has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Looking back, I have thought back on that beautiful time surrounding the sacrament so often.  That week was so special as it was when Pa (Adam's Dad) met his second granddaughter for the first time as well as Aunt Wendy who is her godmother!  Dan and Sue made the trip in from Virginia Beach and were able to meet her for the first time then.  I will share the fun we had that week in another post so more to come later!  

Charlotte was all smiles when we checked to make sure her bonnet from Aunt Wendy still fit her that morning.  We attended the 5pm mass and the Baptism followed after it.  What was extra special was that we had worked with the organist of our church, Joe, who allowed us to hand select all the songs for that mass. 

Three of the songs were played during our wedding mass so it was wonderful to hear them in the context of Charlotte's Baptism mass the following summer.  My hurting heart was especially comforted when I saw what was listed for July 17th....and this sentiment went well with the song that we had chosen for the closing song of the mass:  "It is Well with My Soul ".  

 The above and below passages were great reminders, during Charlotte's Baptism Mass, to keep persevering amidst the trials that will inevitably come our way.

We also recycled a song from our wedding mass, "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace", as one of my desires for Charlotte is that she feels peace no matter where she is in life and that she lives a life of service to others emulating Jesus' example.  Additionally, "Be Not Afraid" will hopefully inspire her to lean on God always and to not fear the unknown or changes she may encounter as she goes through life.

 I strayed from the traditional all white dress for Charlotte's Baptism as the colorful flowers on this dress comforted me and reminded me of God's promise through the symbol of a rainbow.  The colors also reminded me of the wedding.  Some of my nephews even wore their shirts from the wedding the previous year!  More importantly, as I said, the dress' colors of the rainbow signified to me that God's promises still hold true and that all will be (and is) well. :)I wanted Charlotte's Baptism Day to be full of hope and peace and dressing her in this dress that was a hand me down from her big cousin, Mason, did just that!

I love this photo of Charlotte's godparents - - her Uncle Patrick and Aunt Wendy!!

Poor Braden!  He was upset he wasn't holding Charlotte Annie!

We enjoyed fellowship with one another and a dinner followed by cake at a restaurant downtown after mass.  It was lovely having the banquet room to ourselves with our own bathroom so that we did not have to worry about noise levels or disturbing other patrons of the restaurant!

This was a beautiful gift from my sister-in-law, Liz, that perfectly matched the decor at the party after mass!  I ended up displaying it next to the cake which was the perfect finishing touch! 

  The children enjoyed the various stations I had set up for the children to complete.  The guests also signed a book for Charlotte to enjoy when she gets older.  

We were so thankful for those who were able to come spend time with us as Charlotte was welcomed into the church.  During the blessing, Aunt Maureen (my godmother) led us all in a spontaneous rendition of "This is the Day the God has Made", that reduced me to a puddle of tears.  This song has special meaning for my Mom and me and was actually one of the songs Adam and I had selected for our wedding but were unable to use.  We were able to have it be the responsorial psalm for Charlotte's Baptism mass though!

Looking back at these photos from two years ago, I see I'm missing ones that contain my parents so Mom and Dad, if you're reading this and have any pictures, please do send them my way so I can include them in this post!  xoxo

Here are the favors and decor I worked on in the weeks leading up to the Baptism.  Some people may view these preparations as being extreme but I just wanted it to be a special time for all and to honor our Blessed Mother as well.  Our Lady of Mt. Carmel holds a special place in my heart and it was by divine providence that this special celebration fell on that day!!

 Getting everything ready to take to the restaurant after mass!

 Since this was a celebration of a Baptism, I inserted straws with fish at the ends for the kiddos' favor bags.  They went with the children's book on the sacrament that was available for reading at the restaurant as one of the stations I planned.

 These were yummy caramels that were placed
on the tables as centerpieces...get it...?  Our Lady of Mt. CARMEL.... ; )

 
 The guests were also given holy cards that displayed this beautiful picture of Mary and Jesus and then on the back had a prayer for a special need on them.  Adam and I are currently praying this prayer for the next nine days (kind of as a backwards novena) to discern some education decisions, for a friend's adoption of their little boy Toby, and for another friend who's son was in an accident yesterday.  Won't you consider joining us in prayer over the next nine days by praying the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel prayer?

I also included the address and information on the guests' dinner selections since these prayer cards were given to the guests immediately after the Baptism as we departed the church.

I even tried my hand at origami by trying to make butterflies as part of the decor.  The tissue paper flowers were easier (and more fun for me) to make that you can see in the bag above and on the cake table.  The colors of these handmade decorations reminded me of our wedding too!

 Here is everything all packed up and ready to go!  I snapped this picture as Charlotte and I wrapped up our preparations for her big day!  This was just before I donated my hair too.  I had forgotten how long it had grown until I saw this picture!

We had a beautiful day of sunshine, love, and blessings for Charlotte's Baptism Day.  One of our favorite gifts from that evening was a traditional gift from Aunt Marie.  She makes a Baptism Quilt for all her grandchildren and grandnieces/nephews.  I was so thrilled to open it and see the theme of The Poky Little Puppy...one of my favorite childhood books and hopefully it will soon be Charlotte's favorite too!  Here it is in the St. Francis Room the next day.

I will need to add a picture of the quilt actually spread out and on display so it can be viewed in all its glory.  It's worth the wait I promise!  ; )

After our guests departed the following week, we were left with some of these mementos.

These are the sealed letters from Charlotte's Godparents that are being stored in the frame on the left below from her Baptism Day.  She will open them when she is confirmed.  What a special treat it will be for her to read these letters written from the heart.

You can tell by Charlotte's smiling face she loved having her family with her for Baptism Week! 

 What a blessing it is to be walking through life with this man at my side.  I wouldn't want to be on this (faith) journey with anyone else and am so thankful to have such a strong Catholic leader for our family and household.

The above picture is my favorite from that day even though  Charlotte isn't smiling.  When I look at this picture, I'm reminded of God's steadfast love and that hope endures all things.  There is a stillness about this picture even though there was a flurry of activity happening at the moment.  I framed it and have it in our living room in an effort to hang on to that peace and to keep forefront in my mind that God is still here and all around us.  Be still and know....Psalm 46:10.

Just for fun...a photo shoot with the Baptism bonnet a few weeks later toward end of summer.  I find it amazing that in the top right and bottom left pictures, she looks like me when I was a baby but in the other two pictures she more closely resembles Adam.  I miss when she was this little as I sit here and reflect on where we were two years ago but it's been a joy seeing her personality develop and hearing her thoughts come spilling out through her speech.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading and for reliving this joyous day with me.  It was two years in the making of writing and I'm glad it's finally done...it is hard to go back and relive milestones such as this one knowing it is the only time we will experience baptizing a child we have birthed and standing as witnesses to raising the child up in God.  Just typing this alone brings up tears but there is joy mixed in with the sadness as is so often the case when it comes to documenting these sorts of things for our little one.  

However, looking back at July 16, 2016, this day was definitely a positive bright day amidst many dark days over the last couple years and seeing the songs and readings from that mass are gentle reminders to follow my own advice or ways of thinking when I selected them for Charlotte to consider some day when she is older.  Shepherd me indeed, Oh God, for I can't do this alone.  Allow the pain and sadness to serve as redemptive suffering and use me however you see fit.  All for the glory of God and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us!  Pax.