Dedication Day

Yesterday was T & E's much-anticipated baby dedication day at church! I was really wanting to make this a big celebration for them, complete with an after-party at our house, but circumstances lately prevented that from becoming a reality. Plus I've been sick for nearly two weeks now, so that hasn't really helped me be any more productive. (Now bear all of that in mind when you see the pictures if you think I'm looking a little rough/sick/etc. I was... all of the above. And probably then some!) Yesterday we pledged before our church family (plus some dear family members and friends) to raise these girls in a loving, Christian home, and our church family committed to do their part to help us along toward this goal. 

And it was a big celebration. Maybe it wasn't the complete event I would have wanted it to be, but it wound up being perfect, because of the meaning of it all, and because our precious friends and family were there with us. And even though there was a gaping hole in the family section of the auditorium where Grandma would have been, I know she was doing some celebrating in Heaven that far outdid anything we could have ever pulled off here at my house. 

Melissa came along as a dear friend and honorary aunt of the girls, as well as our official photographer! Here are some highlights that she captured for us:

Tamsie talks on Daddy's phone while listening to the speakers at the reception at church.

Evangelyn was getting a little squirmy, so Grandma came to the rescue and removed her (slightly) from the scene. I need to pause here and say how amazing it was that Mom made it through the entire dedication ceremony. My poor mother has had a crazy migraine ever since everything happened on Wednesday, but when I mentioned the prospect of postponing the girls' dedication, she wouldn't hear of it.

My daddy and Evangelyn

Tamsie and one of the bears from the centerpiece

Evie, her Grandma and bears

Tamsie... are you following this OK? I feel like I'm confusing everyone with them dressed alike! You know I hardly ever dress them exactly alike, for this very reason!

Tamsie kept herself amused during this portion of the reception by playing with her dad's phone, ...

... Melissa's camera lens cap (Melzar, what's the technical name? I'm rather ignorant in this area!), ...

... and a combo of both. It really looks like she's contemplating going for the gold itself: Melissa's camera!

And then her Daddy kissed her.

My sweet Tams

My Daddy and my Evie Rose girl

Skin-a-ma-rink!

Evie was so excited! I love this face.

E takes a bite of cantaloupe, courtesy of her Dad...

... and then proceeds to make this random face.

Girls from the Life Group represent! From L to R: yours truly, juggling Tamsie and Evangelyn, Sara and McKenzie, and Lauren with Hunter and the man of the hour, Ryder

With the guys: Chris, Matt and Ryan

I love what's going on here between Chris and Evangelyn

Up in front of the church

McKenzie on the big screen!

I LOVE this sweet family more than I can ever say!!!!!!!! They were there for me this entire past week, and they mean so much to me. They also meant a lot to my precious Grandma, who loved them dearly and was very much looking forward to seeing Miss McKenzie on this big screen!

It's almost our turn!

And here we are! I'm holding Tamsie, who turned out to be quite the squirmer instead of Evie for once!

There's our sweet Evangelyn!

She was mesmerized by the lights. She would point up and say, "Light!" She also did her version of the ebbysees (ABCs) and talked back and forth with Tams a little bit while in front of everyone. Tamsie started laughing at one point, which made me start to laugh -- and it was kind of a vicious cycle there for a while. But on the whole, they did very well!

T and her Grandma. Only a short while later, my mom checked into the ER for her headache, which was a first for her. We're thankful her CAT scan results turned out fine and hopeful that her new medicine will finally make this headache go completely away! I, for one, have really missed having my normal non-medicated Mama around.

Kisses!

So sweet.

Also, this weekend, my wonderful in-laws came to town and were there for the dedication service. I truly wish I had taken pictures of the girls with them, but I was laid up on the couch for a good bit of the time with body aches and generalized yuckiness. I pretty much felt like the worst hostess in the history of hostesses, but Chris really stepped up to the plate and took over for me. I'm thankful for all of their help with the babies too, as I truly was either gone for memorial events or sick as a dog (but nowhere near as sick as my Mom!) the rest of the weekend. My Dad has also completely wowed me, although I'm not surprised at all, with his ability to be strong and steady for the rest of us while we've been hit with waves of grief and sickness. I love each and every one of my family members (blood and in-law), plus my friends who have proven to be more like family than friends once again throughout all of the recent events in our lives. While my heart feels so empty without my Grandma here, it also fills full to the brim with all the love we've received from all of these dear people in our lives. And I am thrilled for everything this service symbolized in the lives of our family, our church, and Tamsie and Evangelyn.