Baby Blessing

Dear Diane,

Good afternoon!  I’ve been going to e-mail you a report about the family gathering Sunday.  As I am finally caught up at work so will do so now.

Neil gave a beautiful naming and blessing of little Annabelle Jane Stokoe.  I’m sorry we didn’t plan ahead and have the speaker on Everett’s cell phone (which was in his pocket) turned on so you could hear the blessing.  The thing that stood out in my mind was that he blessed his daughter to have a good relationship with her mother.  That was when he got rather emotional.  

The testimonies that followed were very good.  Corrine bore hers near the beginning of the meeting. She mentioned that she was grateful for the gospel, the Priesthood and for her family.  She said, " Heavenly Father knows me and answers my prayers." She wanted her young women to know that she has a testimony and concluded, “Because of the atonement, we don't need to carry the burdens of yesterday any longer."

Several testimonies later Neil got up,  “Usually, when one is going to bless their baby they worry about the baby crying, I have been more worried that I was going to cry!  I did lose if for a bit so I need to work on that.”  He said Heavenly Father will help us understand the things that are important.  "The Lord’s hand has been in my life and as I look back I can see where Heavenly Father has really blessed me.   God has a plan for each of us.  He has given us the tools we need through his atonement to live our lives."  Neil said that he is grateful for the Book of Mormon, the church and for his family.”  (I did take a few notes during the meeting.)

There was one other testimony that I thought you would have really liked; the woman teaches history and social studies at Hill Crest High School.   She was able to travel with 29 students to Washington DC to witness the inauguration of the President.  She testified that the men who wrote the constitution were inspired.  That the gospel was restored through men such as Martin Luther who fought for and brought on the restoration.  She was grateful to be a first generation Mormon and to be live in an area where people are safe.

The after the baby blessing we went to a lunch Neil and Corrine's home where lunch was served.  She and her mom were busy in the kitchen.  There was a delicious pasta salad, fruit plates, warm crusant sandwiches, cupcakes and a nice drink and/or water.

Everett had his heart procedure this morning.  Corinne called about noon saying he had one stint replaced and the new stint is a newer model.  (They are always researching and updating stints for this kind  of procedure.)  Everett will be in the hospital overnight to be monitored.  Nicole and Indi had spent the morning at the hospital with Corinne.

Ron still has his cold and is not feeling that well.  I am encouraging him to go to our doctor.  

I’ll attach pictures of the day.  It was fun skyping with you and Tom during the luncheon!   Love, Laraine