gemma girl is 6 months old.

i really am having a hard time believing that it has been 6 months already. half of a year. it seems like yesterday she was making her entrance. yet, i truly have trouble remembering a time without her.

yesterday we dedicated gemma in front of friends and family to our lord. it was a beautiful service.

i remember emerson's like it was yesterday.

i don't know why we didn't record either of them, duh. and i never want to forget these special days. so i will use this blog to record this special day. 

Gemma's Dedication Service

November 13, 2011

2:00pm

Living Word Community Church

we were called up to the front. (first - darn alphabetical order) we were given

the opportunity to share a small something about or for Gemma.  brandon is not a stage talker so i

took this job. i said something like this.

"this is such a special day for our family.  almost 2 years ago to the day we stood here

dedicating emerson and we are so excited to be here again today.  we have been

so incredibly blessed with such sweet and beautiful children. brandon and i often find ourselves just staring at gemma, lost in her beautiful eyes and face. but our prayer is that gemma's most beautiful feature

would become her heart. that the transforming love of Jesus would be what

defines her as a woman and daughter of the King."

we then made promises as parents before God and witnesses.

"as parents of Gemma Ruth, we acknowledge that God has entrusted her to our care.

we acknowledge that Gemma is a gift from God and that she was created for a very special purpose in life.

we promise to do all we can to provide a loving christian home for her, relying on God's wisdom and guidance.

we promise to share and to live out the Good News of Christ's love and grace with her.

we promise to bring Gemma up in the life and community of the church.

we promise to attend church regularly, pray faithfully, and parent her purposefully with Christian values in a manner that honors Christ."

we ended with this statement. just a few words that pack a powerful truth.

"we commit Gemma Ruth back into the loving arms of Jesus."

 she was prayed for and was given a wooden cross and a certificate. she

won't remember any of this. but we will. and we will hold

fast to the promises we made.