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| Paul and Lizzie in sweet slumber on Saturday morningbefore the big events began |
This post is all about Lizzie's wonderful baby blessing weekend! Wow what a whirlwind weekend it has been. I have been so happy and around so much lovely family. I could not ask for more. I took a ton of pics which are here. Lizzie's actual blessing was on Sunday, May 29 at 9 a.m. in the Sugarhouse Ward in Salt Lake City, Utah. That's so I don't forget it. She cried the whole way through but still the blessing Paul gave her was wonderful. He councilled her to follow her mom and her advice and also dedicated her to the Lord. It was so lovely. And it was so wonderful to turn around and see row after row of family sitting there to support our sweet baby girl. Here is who came:
Carl, Nina, Josh and Aimee from England. My darling grandmama Mama Neldita from Mexico. Cecia from Tijuana and Liliana from Riverside, CA and then Jemmy and Jeidy and her husband Carlos and their kids and Iza and Stacey and Jocelyn and her family and Giselle and her family and then all of Paul's wonderful family. It was just such a treat to see them there, all the kids and the brothers and Martha and Paul's mom. Man, I am tearing up just thinking about it again. I will never forget the happiness I have felt this long, Memorial Day weekend. I was telling Paul last night that I think I better understand the importance of families and the importance of linking them all up in genealogy because there is such joy in connecting and I told him if heaven is like this I know I will always be happy there.
Paul picked up the family from England late on Friday night and took them to his mom's home. She was so kind to host them for the weekend. Then on Saturday we picked them up and took them to temple square and all the family met up there. It was a very happy occasion. My grandmother was so happy. We met in front of the temple in front of other lovely brides and their families. Everyone there was just so happy. Then, I picked up my parents and our dear friends from Colorado, Charlie and Gunnar Neumann drove all the way from Colorado for the baby blessing. It was so great to see them. They came to our apartment and we hung out for a bit and Charlie loved to be with our sweet Lizzie. It was so funny! We let Gunnar hold Lizzie and he wasn't quite sure how to do it so Charlie teased him and said he was holding her like a missile. Hahaha!
Then, we all drove over to El Paisa, the best Mexican restaurant in town cause you can dance there and do karaoke. It's sooooo much fun! You know, it's funny. My family reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. We are all a little nuts but we all love each other. It was such a treat to see Nina and Carl's faces as they met more and more cousins whom they had never met before. They were just so thrilled and everyone was doting over Carl. In the meantime, poor Lizzie started to get stressed out at El Paisa. That was a big day for her, poor sweetie. I think she was overstimulated to the max. Oh but it was so much fun to go up to the stage with my cousins and mother and Aunt Iza and sing "Tu Solo Tu" and "Como La Flor." I was truly sooooo happy!!
Man, it's amazing how quickly one forgets what happens. I am forgetting it even as I write it and am having to scratch my head a bit to remember exactly what went on. Hmmmm. Well let's see. We went home and Paul went with Carl to do those jumping stilts things and my grandma came with us and we were all gonna go dancing but Nina was so tired (jetlag) and then I got tired that I ended up driving my mom home in the pouring rain (flood watch!) and when I came home poor Lizzie had been crying for 50 minutes straight!! Egads. Poor baby. Just a big day for her.
Well, the next morning she was nice and calm and we woke up and drove to church and had the baby blessing. Lizzie had been a bit sick with a sore throat that week so she hadn't been eating a lot which made me sick with worry. She is a BIG eater. She is now back to eating. Whew!! Thanks to the Lord. I said a lot of prayers for her to get better. I can already see my life will be about worrying about her every breath. Anyhoo, then I came home and my mom and Liliana came with me and they were so truly kind. I held Lizzie on my chest while she slept and my mom and Liliana were so kind to fold all my clothes. Sweet, huh? And we just talked and laughed. It was a really nice bonding time.
Then, we drove to Paul's mom's home for the lunch after the blessing. Wow, I knew it would be packed but I never thought that much. It was noisy when I walked in. It sounded like a cocktail party. I loved it! There was a ton of food and I got Lizzie a tres leches cake (yum!) and we all visited and ate to our heart's delight. Then, we took a bunch of pictures (see below) of the family. It was truly a family reunion. There were so many Neldas there so we took a Nelda's picture too. Such a delight! We played games and we sat around and laughed and talked. I was a little embarrased because it wasn't our home but Paul's mom was sooooo nice and was happy to host us. Who knows when this will happen again, right? I do have dreams of us all gathering again in Puerto Vallarta or Cancun some year. Wouldn't that be fun??? Oh I do hope so.
After a while, we all went our separate ways and my cousins came to our place for a few hours and we all hung out. It was really great to see Cecia and Liliana. They are lovely cousins and it was such treat to see Jemmy, Jeidy, Cecia, and Liliana all together. All the sisters. They are just lovely women. I truly love them all. We had dinner and then Jemmy took Cecia to the airport. Later on, I took my parents home.
On Monday, I picked up my parents from the hotel and they came over to our apartment. Then Paul took my dad with him to his mom's home and picked up the English cousins and then they all went to the copper mine. It was really nice. My mom and I got to visit and chat the whole day and just relax while they were out and about. They had a lovely time. Then, the cousins came to the apartment to say goodbye to my parents and it was so great to see them all again. I lent Josh my guitar. He was very happy about that. Then, my parents went to the airport and I hung out with sweet baby Lizzie. I love her so much.
Paul took the cousins to Park City and then to Heber (love) and then to Iza and Stacey's and then he came home and we were both exhausted. Wow what a whirlwind. There were definitely some times when I was tired and stressed but over all that I just had this thick layer of happiness over me. We all got along well and it was like the culmination of a dream of mine I have whenever I am sad or can't sleep. I dream of us all having a reunion in Mexico somewhere for a whole week. I'd love that ever so much! Well, the English cousins are still here for a few days and I can't wait to see them again. I hear they are having a great time at Iza and Stacey's home. Well, I thank the Lord for familes.
At the temple where we first all met up
