12 September 2012

Olive's Oceanside Baptism

3 years ago we tried to convince Divine.  She is a stickler for rules and the norm, so we knew it wouldn't happen.  18 months later Pearl was all for out of the ordinary, but it was also February.  Another 18 months later and we have Olive, a bit hesitant, but also lover of exciting and new.
She agreed to have her baptism in God's setting.
The scene could not have been made any more perfect.
We held it just before the sun went down, so the sands were close to solitary.
I went out with her (and Azure) to take some photos before friends and family gathered to witness and celebrate this milestone with us.
She was excited, but I think also a bit nervous,
especially as people began arriving.
Her dress is an Oliver + S design with a tiny bit of handmade striped yellow (her favorite color) bias piping, and she asked if I would add a butterfly as well.
I made it out of fine wale cord and it's lined, so even wet, it's not transparent.







Clover caught: as she came walking up dripping just after I told her NOT to get wet


words of comfort from gramma

We all stood around in a big circle, Ryan explaining what was going to happen to those not familiar with baptism by immersion.
The baby dills sang sweetly, and how wonderfully their voices blend together.


As Ryan and Olive (and the two witnesses) made their way out into the water, the noise of the waves and moving water made the words in audible and I imagined how it must have felt even more private, peaceful and spiritual for Olive.  We named her after the Olive branch, which symbolizes peace.
My mom and I were concerned they hadn't gone out deep enough, but just as Olive was lowered into the water, a little wave appeared and washed over her.
It couldn't have been more beautiful
or perfect.

64 comments:

  1. How beautiful! I have tears in my eyes, what wonderful photo's for her to look back on that special day.

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  2. Congratulations little Olive!

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  3. That is beautiful. :) I think we're all a little nervous as we take big steps like this. No matter how exciting it is. :)

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  4. I follow your blog every day and I love it! I adore all of the beautiful sewing, your enticing way with words that inspires my creative juices! But, today I needed to say thank you! Thank you for sharing this special experience with all of us! As I read, tears rolled down my face. Thanks for the spiritual start to my day! My heart and soul feel a little bit lighter!

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  5. Jen--I think it will always be extra special for her.

    Palak--thanks!

    Tanya--You're right. Big steps make me nervous, too :)

    Laurie--Thank you and I am glad to hear you've felt uplifted.

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  6. How beautiful! What a wonderful memory for Olive and your family.

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  7. lovely! I cannot even begin to imagine what a spiritual scene that was . . . there's something about an open water baptism that is so reminiscent of how it must have been when our Saviour was baptised . . . as holy as the ordinance is no matter where it is performed, there is just something about the open water that a baptismal font just can't quite capture :)

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  8. Katy,

    I am not religious (Well, OK, I am a lapsed Catholic), but I found this post beautiful and inspiring.

    Your family is such a blessing.

    Carolyn

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  9. What a beautiful day for your family. Thanks for sharing such a special occasion with us. Nothing better than being in "the house" of the Lord!

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  10. Congrats Olive! What a neat experience to be in the ocean. :) Love the dress too!

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  11. So very cool! Congratulations, Olive. Welcome to the church!

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  12. Beautiful! What a wonderful, special day. My son is getting baptized next month.

    I'm sure you thought of this already - even though your little boy is only young, but what do you plan on sewing for him for his baptism? I've made a special dress for all 3 of my daughters to wear, out of my wedding dress. So far all I can think of is sewing a white tie out of the same fabric. Any thoughts?!

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  13. What an awesome way to get baptized! Our daughter was just baptized in Kenya...and the font was freezing...which I'm sure is something she'll always remember. but the beach would have been amazing.

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  14. Very nice post about baptizing Olive.
    I have two questions:
    First: Is Ryan a pastor or how come he baptized Olive?
    Second: Which kind of church are you attending?
    Sorry for asking, but I am from Germany and things are different back here (We do baby baptizm in my church), I am just curious.

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  15. How sweet! It makes me want to find a nice body of water for when my kids get older. My favorite baptism I ever attended was in a lake in Swtizerland.

    And now I think I'll try sewing for that special day, too. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  16. That is so awesome! The pictures were beautiful! I can't believe she is already 8!! That is so crazy!!

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  17. What a beautiful memory for her! I have to admit I am a bit jealous. The beach is perfect! And the dress is beautiful! You amaze me!

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  18. I love outdoor baptisms. I've seen one in the ocean, one in a lake, and one in a public swimming pool for a church who were meeting in a school at the time.

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  19. I absolutely love your blog. But, this is my favorite post so far. It really touched my heart that you would share such a beautiful and sacred covenant with your readers.

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  20. this was beautiful. i can't imagine a more perfect way to get baptized! my daughter turns 8 in april and now i'm really wishing we lived closer to the beach!

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  21. That's amazing. I would love my kids to be baptized in more natural setting when the times comes. Thank you for your post. SO beautiful.

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  22. I LOVE her dress! A few kids in our ward have been baptized in the ocean (I live in Boston) and I think that's really cool.

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  23. The ocean isn't an option for us, and neither one of my girls is old enough yet. :) But I have plans! (which include sewing washers in the hem to make sure nothing floats up!) And it's kinda nice to see that I was right... I kept saying that I thought that y'all are members of the same church that I am!

    Margaret Audrey, all worthy male members in our church have the authority to baptize--we don't have a paid clergy. And our church is a conservative Christian church. Considering Mr. Romney running for president here in the States, I'm sure you've heard of us--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (The CTR ring, missionaries, and Book of Mormon are dead giveaways!)

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  25. i'm teary! why? fun to 'be there' via photos...

    love the bookend body shots of olive. priceless! wish we'd have been there!

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  26. As a member of the church, I do admire how you share the gospel so much in your posts. It is inspiring and I am sure you touch many hearts, as you did mine. Lovely!

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  27. Katy you have such beautiful children and I love all their names. What a lovely family.

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  28. Oh this is one of the most gorgeous baptisms I've ever seen! What an incredibly special ceremony and a very special dress, too. You are so blessed, Katy (and I normally don't say stuff like that - but it's so true here)!

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  29. Katy this made me teary. Thank you for sharing it with your beautiful pictures and carefully chosen words. In my church we baptize infants and the days each of my girls were baptized were very special. They all wore the same gown I wore and received from my Grandmother when I was baptized. What a little blessing Olive is to this world.

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  30. Beautiful! We do infant baptism with sprinkling of water, and we baptised our little Jackson a few weeks ago. It's always such an amazing reminder of God's love. (Our minister incorporated the baptism into the service and at one point he looked at our family and said, "someday little Jackson will grow up to be really big, just like his... big sister!" My five year old just glowed! :) Pretty sure everyone expected him to say like his 6'5" dad, so the whole congregation was tickled)

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  31. Ok, now I am looking at my oldest daughter, she's only 5 now but her birthday is in July and we live in California. That looks awesome.

    It looks like you guys were the only ones on the beach, did you arrange it that way?

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  32. This was just beautiful! Will you come and document even a single moment in my life? Everything you touch is gold. The dress is stunning! I am now thinking my kids may be getting baptized at my parents in Florida... the beach? Just stunning!

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  33. What a beatiful day! I love the pictures and how well you captured it all. How neat. Thank you for sharing!

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  34. This is a beautiful baptism and a beautiful dress. Thank you for sharing. I'm not mormon but I love Jesus Christ.

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  35. I read your blog because it brings me such a feeling of peace. Your family is lovely inside and out.

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  36. This is so beautiful. Made me cry. I know you are so proud of all your girls...and your little guy too.

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  37. Olive was beautiful! I'm soo sad I missed it! Please forgive us! She sat with me on Sunday during practice and totally cuddled up to me and it was so sweet. She was pointing out her part to me on my copy of the program and was so proud that it was about baptism and that she was already baptized. She's such a sweetie!
    Great pictures, btw! Did I already mention I'm so sad I missed it?!

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  38. Congratulations Olive. You are one special girl! Love, Grampa

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  39. This is so special - I'm really touched by you sharing it!! Congratulations to Olive indeed - what a big milestone for her. I'm not mormon but I sure am Christian...and being baptized into a covenant relationship with Christ in this way...amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    xo

    Christy.

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  40. I was raised in a Christian home and have always struggled with faith. I keep telling myself and others that I am not a believer, only a believer in the principles and morals that faith teaches us. I have a hard time convincing myself when I see a beautiful post like this. I'm sitting here with tears on my face, my throat tight with emotion, completely moved. Guess I'm not as big a skeptic as I make myself out to be. Thank you for this-perhaps my soul is still open to being saved.

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  41. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

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  42. Great post. Thank you for sharing your life and not just your sewing. My Chicago church baptizes in Lake Michigan each year. So much more awesome than in a tub in a building. I pray that someday I will get to witness my daughters professing their faith in the lake.

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  43. What a lovely story and beautiful pictures. I am sure your whole family will remember this day for years to come.

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  44. This is so touching - it causes so many sweet emotions to stir in me. Thank you, thank you for sharing this. This is what God's love feels like - simple and beautiful.

    As a side note - I grew up in FL and your beach photos make me homesick every time.

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  45. katy, this is so amazing. thank you for sharing, and congratulations to your family on passing this milestone.

    Thanks so much for your kind words over my way . . . I've had baptism on the mind, given our current situation--we're from an infant baptism tradition (catholic) and will probably do a "quickie" hospital baptism before the medical procedures get started for the baby. But I like the idea of coming back to the water as an older child, or even an adult--to remind oneself of that moment of initiation, and add to it some beauty and peace that it may have lacked.

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  46. We are not a religious family, but we do honor family, ritual and community. I love seeing how others do the same. What a wonderful, special day for all of you. Many congratulations to Olive!

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  47. Very cool Katy. All of it. Very cool. Beautiful and perfect, just like you said.

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  48. What a beautiful day! Such great pictures as well. Congrats Olive!

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  49. I literally teared up reading this for the joy I felt for you and Ryan and sweet Olive and the hope I have for my own two to be baptized in a few years. I think we may have a trip to the ocean in our future when the time comes. Cedar Key is only 30 minutes away, but our beach of choice is St. Augustine and I think a 2-hour drive is worth the memories if it's like the beautiful scene you showed us here.
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful life, Katy. :)

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  50. how wonderful! beautiful Olive, and her beautiful siblings and mummy and daddy :)

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  51. What a beautiful way to make this memorable for Olive, and everyone else.

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  52. Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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  53. Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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  54. So beautiful! Thank you for sharing this with us!

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  55. I have been blogging AND blog stalking for years. And this has to be the most perfect blog post I have ever seen. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this special day in Olive's life. And congratulations on your big step, Olive.

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  56. What a beautiful moment you captured in photos. Adorable. I especially love that her dress has sleeves. I detest baptism dresses without them. Your family is darling!

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  57. Yay for Olive! Beautiful seems to be the word that everyone is using. I can't find a word more fitting.

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  58. What a beautiful post. Congrats to Olive :) I always wanted to be baptized in the Susquehanna River (NY-PA border) where I grew up, but with a birthday in January that didn't happen!

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