Sprinkled

Lucy’s baptism on Sunday, May 28, was just perfect for us all. The main goal was accomplished (she got wet in the name of the Lord), family and friends enjoyed themselves, and we celebrated with a yummy Costco sheet cake. As Uncle Jim says, “There’s nothing that says ‘Welcome to God’s world’ like sheet cake.”

I felt so glad to be celebrating Lucy and dedicating her to God among our community. It is a huge responsibility for me and Jon to be co-chairs of the Lucy Boyd Growing Up Committee. We are super-honored that our friends “derek”:http://www.satellitebooking.com/ and Linda Becker agreed to be Lucy’s godparents. It meant so much to us that they committed themselves to helping Lucy know God. In the Evangelical Covenant Church‘s baptism ceremony, the congregation is asked to agree to support the parents and encourage the child in her process of making the Christian faith her own. I love knowing that “our church community”:http://gracechurchchicago.org/ is helping our family to be a God-centered one.

p{color:gray}. Photo: Rev. Deb Gustafson prepares Ann, Jon, and godmother Linda Becker for Lucy’s baptism.

We were also really happy that both of our families could attend the baptism. This was one of the main reasons we decided to baptize her so soon: everyone was in town! Lucy’s cousin “Violet”:http://violetboyd.com/ (21 months old) even got to christen Lucy with her own personalized nickname during the baptism. As soon as Lucy, in her milk-drunken stupor, was released from the sling, Violet cried out, “Lulu! Lulu!” (We think that name is just going to stick, no matter what.)

Other great friends of ours stopped in for the baptism too: Deborah and her son Evan, Jane and Andy with their son Simon (who is only 2 1/2 weeks older than Lucy), and even Kristina and Eric, who I know from my “Babyfit”:http://www.babyfit.com/ community and who were in town from Washington, D.C. What a crowd!

p{color:gray}. Photo: Everything’s ready for the post-baptismal party, including Linda.

We had a great celebration in the church after the baptism. Highlights:

* The aforementioned sheet cake (mmmm, white cake with chocolate-mousse filling and buttercream frosting)
* In fact, two cakes, one reading, “God loves Lucy,” and the other “loo-CHEE-ah” just to help everyone out with the pronunciation of Lucy’s Christian name
* Our nephew Robert got to run around with my mom’s pink boa scarf (Mom’s idea)
* Friends had a chance to run their fingers through Lucy’s locks
* Lucy herself peed on her pretty white sundress.

We think Jesus would have had a blast! And he probably did, in his own fabulous way. Hooray for God! Hooray for Lucy!

p{color:gray}. Photo: Lucy is baptized May 28, 2006, by Rev. Deb Gustafson at “Grace Evangelical Covenant Church”:http://gracechurchchicago.org/ with a happy Mama and Papa close by and family in attendance.