The Reason Eight Is Great

Please, oh please, let someone out there have taken a better picture than I did. Why, I lament, did I neglect to bring a decent camera inside the church? Did I forget to bring one from home in a hurry to get out the door? Nope, it sat out in the back of a car getting cold and lonely while I used my stupid iphone camera. What was wrong with me? Family stress? Pressure of the day? Or just plain lazy? Now I will pay with only a crappy photo of the day my youngest son was baptized.

Romney felt loved and special and excited to take the plunge (Yup, pun totally intended, sorry folks.) Here are some of the highlights- I had a blast (perhaps an exaggeration in my choice of words. But I did enjoy the process.) creating the tri-fold program (see the next two photos) for his baptism. It was fun to think of things to say about Romney in the side bar as well as picking out the photos. (See the difference a good camera can make?) The challenge of making the photo montage of his life for the DVD was a stretch for me. iMovie and I are not quite "best friends", yet, but at least we are on speaking terms. The songs were my way of rebelling against the expected formalness of the situation. Having his young life set to a soundtrack of John Lennon, the Beatles, and finishing off with Flaming Lips instead of primary songs was my way of sticking my tongue out at tradition and Utah-Mormon culture. Bill approved of my mild rebellion so he is partially to blame as my accomplice.


As Romney was getting dressed into his whites, he told Bill "I have waited for four years to get my baptism towel". The towel to which he refers is a white towel with his name embroidered on it, exactly like the one that William received from the last primary presidency on his baptism day. Since I am currently in the primary presidency, and had heard no one mention a towel, I was pretty sure (and so was Bill) that he was not getting one from the church. Bill tried to tell him he would get one later, but probably not that day. While Bill is having that conversation, I am having one with the primary president who is showing me the towel she had embroidered with her machine for him. How inspired was she to do that for my monkey at the last minute. Romney was thrilled to see that white towel with his name on it. Both of his Grandmas gave talks for him that meant a great deal to him. William even offered to give a talk on choosing the right and it was bang on wonderful. I was so proud of both my little men. He got his new set of scriptures, a journal from the ever thoughtful Johnsons, and a german CTR ring from William. He was positively glowing when we all left the stake center to head to the restaurant of his choosing-- Old Spaghetti Factory with his family.

Here is wishing the rest of his year is equally as great.