Burton Beginnings: An Anniversary, a Dedication, & a Baptism

We had another fun-filled, busy weekend at the Burton household! Aside from Kai's dedication on Saturday at church, it was also my parents' 34th anniversary and on Sunday we celebrated Ella's baptism!

We started getting ready for the festivities on Friday when Wendy and Ella came over to help get the house ready for the "party" (as Ava would call it) on Sunday. On Friday night, Tyson ended up playing softball so Kai and I went over to watch for a little while, but left early so I could give Kai a bath before bedtime and then bake the cake for Sunday.

On Saturday morning, we woke up to dark clouds and a grey sky. My parents and Josh were headed to our house in the morning to help me get some snacks ready for Saturday night. Tyson was planning to take Kai to his work picnic for an hour so I could get some things done. Well, about 30 minutes before Tyson & Kai were ready to leave, the clouds broke loose and it started to thunder, lighting, and downpour. Needless to say, they stayed home. My mom helped me get the food ready while the guys were entertained by Kai.

After we were all ready for church, we got a very sleepy and cranky Kai halfway dressed in his crisp, white suit for his dedication (we finished getting him dressed at church). At Prairie Lakes, we do child dedication rather than infant baptism. This is a way for the parents to commit to raising their child in a Christ-believing way. Kai will officially be baptized when he chooses and makes that commitment himself when he is older.

At the dedication service each family got to go on stage one at a time and "dedicate" their child by reading an 'Imagine the End' and verse of their choice. The 'Image the End' is what we hope for Kai as he grows up and is an adult.

When we imagine Kai as an adult, who do we want him to become? It would be easy to just say Jesus and end this, but that's not our style. We would like Kai to be the "Frankenstein" of characteristics that have been shown to Rachel and I in the lives of the people whom have helped make us the people we are and parents we will be. We want Kai to be as devout in his walk with Jesus as our grandparents; to love unconditionally as his Nana has; tenacious in overcoming challenges like his Grammy; dedicated to his family like his Papa; to be as kind as his Aunt Wendy; the strength to do his own thing and not conform like his Uncle Joshy; to be as strong willed as his Aunt Kylee; as relentless in living life as his Uncle Mike; thirsty for knowledge like Uncle Kevin; as passionate as Uncle Nate; as accepting of others as his Aunt Jen; as quick to laugh and smile regardless of the situation as Uncle Josh K.; and as loyal as the rest of our ohana has been.
The verse we chose was Psalm 25:4-5....Make me understand your ways, O Lord! Teach me your paths! Guide me into your truth and teach me, for you are the God who delivers me, and on you I rely all day.

After the service, we ate in the cafe at church and then attended the Saturday night church service where we were introduced to the congregation. After church, we headed back to our house for drinks and snacks and to finish Kai's cake for Sunday.

(click on the pictures to make them bigger)

On Sunday morning we headed to Orchard Hill Church where Darren & Wendy attend. It was Ella's baptism day!! She looked so cute in her pretty white dress. This was the same dress that Wendy, myself, and Ava were baptized in. (Kai should have been dedicated in Josh's baptism outfit but it was too small so Nana & Papa bought him a new one. Josh was baptized at 6 weeks and Kai at 4 months.) After the service, back to our house we went, but this time we had the whole Malcolm crew in tow as well (Darren's parents, brother, nieces, and nephew). We ate lunch, passed around the babies, played with Ava, ate cake, and took pictures of Ella!