Miciah's Baptism, the event

I am now in Key West and I have other things to do and post about, but what's been on my mind the most lately has been Miciah's baptism.  So before I get anything else done, or write about anything else, I want to post about the baptism.

Who Came

We had lots of family show up, including my mom and dad, one of my brothers, and my Grandpa O.  They came from out West (Utah and CA), and I appreciated them coming in town for the event.  On the Thacker side we had all the Ohio family come down.  Various other family members (from the Cincinnati area, and no less important for travelling less distance) were there, too. So for a few hours we were surrounded by family and loved ones, and I was touched that everyone made it a priority to come down for something that was important to my 8-year-old daughter. 

We had a dinner with everyone, and it was half-chaos and half-bliss, like always, and as it should be.  I kept thing simple because I lost my mind in StressLand about mid-week, and had no desire to make things complicated.  Then we went to the church to get ready for the baptism.  By the time it started, and I was sitting next to Miciah and Rob in their white clothes, I was excited and calm.

The Excitement

It was really really fun to watch Miciah so excited for this event.  A week before the baptism she interviewed with the Bishop and he told me and Rob about it.  He's our good friend and he talked about seeing both of us, our personalities, in her.  He also said, "She's ready."  She was SO ready.  Not only was she excited, she already has an understanding of the Gospel and a desire to live it.  I know that over time attitudes change, and that right now for her life is relatively simple, but still, her excitement about the Gospel is inspiring and contagious.

Here is a picture she drew 2 days before the baptism.  It shows her and Rob in the water.  It says, "I can not beleve I'm getting baptisd!"  She posted it on her bedroom door.


The Event

Anyways, back to the event.  She listened attentively to the talks (all of them, even as it got long towards the end).  I was impressed that she was obviously so into the moment.  When we walked to the font together, Rob asked if she was excited.  While still walking normally and in a calm, clear voice, she said, "I'm the most excited person in the whole world."  I smiled.  Rob performed the ordinance and then gave her a big hug.  She got out and was freezing, of course.  She said, "That was fast," and "I'm cold."  I asked her if it was worth it, though, and she said no.  I laughed.

We got her out of her wet clothes and she put on the new dress that Grandma Thacker bought her.  I combed her hair and put a flower in it (from Grandma Tungate), matching the flower in my own hair.  I told her she was beautiful, gave her a hug and asked her again if it was worth it.  She said it was.

Then we continued the program and she was given the gift of the Holy Ghost.  She had tears in her eyes at the end and when she sat down next to me again she said, "Mom, halfway through I started to cry."  I hugged her.

The whole thing was done in about an hour and then we moved on to normalish things like eating cookies and chatting.  But that hour was one of the best of my life.  It was way better than my own baptism in that it felt like a coming together.  Rob and I are working hard to help our children be happy and help them know the things they should do, and Miciah choosing to be baptized was a beautiful moment in that continual effort.  Watching as she was so quickly touched by the Spirit, and seeing how happy she was.  Watching her make a step in faith, her face resolute and determined.  I was humbled and grateful to be her mother.

The Aftermath

It's funny, really.  Not that I wasn't looking forward to the baptism, but I initially had thought the baptism would be a great event, but it would somehow be just an event and then I would go to Key West for a week and that would be awesome!  And not that I'm disliking Key West (can you dislike Key West?), but I realize now that I had it backwards.  While Key West is fun and a nice break, the baptism is what I'll remember and cherish for the rest of my existence.

Thank you, Miciah, for your example to me.  I love you.