Riley Finn Thomas' Blessing Day

We were excited to be going to Seattle again.  This time is was for Riley's baby blessing and Alisha was going with us.  I had made Riley a light weight baby blanket from some of the material that Granma Harmon left for me and I had quilted hearts on it just like I'd done on the quilt that I made for Will and Jenni when they got married.

 

We stopped at Maddox for dinner on our way down and

Dan enjoyed a fresh strawberry pie after dinner.

 

Taylor wasn't too sure about all of us when they picked us up at the airport

 

 but Will fixed us lunch and it didn't take long before we were having a great time together. 

 

 We got to meet little Riley Finn and he seemed to like his new blanket.

  Soon after we got there Elizabeth brought the kids up to North Bend and we got to spend some time with all of them at the neighborhood park.  It was so fun! 

 

 

After the park Elizabeth and I took the girls shopping for new Easter dresses and we all came home very happy.  Here's Miss Gwenevere modeling hers for us.

 

We had a yummy dinner with ice cream for dessert.

 

Before too long the Roemhildts had to head home to Tacoma and Dan got settled on the couch.

 

Saturday, I got to go for a nice walk/run around the neighborhood

and it was good to see some of the sites that Will and Jenni see everyday.

 

I found the trail behind their house and followed it to their backyard.

 

Back in the house, Dan and Alisha were napping and 

Taylor was busing making a blanket fort on the staircase. 

Sunday morning came all too soon and we readied ourselves for Church.  This was going to be the big celebration day.

 

There was lots of family in attendance to support little Riley.  Ron and Carolyn (Jenni's parents) were there as well as Granma Lindsay (Carolyn's mother).  Tessha and Patrick came with Anderson and Evan and James and Elizabeth's family was there, as well as Dan, Alisha and I. 

I recorded the blessing and sent a copy to Will and Jenni later.  I gave them the handwritten original at the family reunion later in July.  I also have a copy that I'll include on the 2014 photo CD at the end of the year.  But, I'll say here that it was a beautiful blessing and I felt privileged to hear it and write it down.  So tender....

After Church we went home to take family pictures.  This is no small undertaking because Ron and Carolyn are professional photographers and they know how to take a good photo. 

Here are a few of them.

 

 

After pictures we all changed out of our Sunday dress and lo and behold, Riley and I were in matching outfits. 

 

Will got out his baby book and we had fun remembering his younger days.  Riley looks just like Will and apparently he is just as "pleasant" as Will was. 

 

Later, Elizabeth and I took the kids on a walk while the others got dinner ready. 

 

 

 We saw a wild turkey in someones driveway

 and found a stream.

 

And then we headed back for dinner- Haiwian haystacks.

 

 

especially dessert.....

 

After dinner the adults rested and visited and the kids enjoyed a movie upstairs.

 

 

 It was one wonderful day and we were so grateful to be a part of it.

Thank you Will and Jenni!!

Thank you for everything!!

 

Will took us to the airport early the next morning and we arrived home safe and sound later that afternoon.  However, Dan had fallen during the pictures and hit his head on a table.  By Tuesday night it still hurt so we went into the ER.  Because he's on coumadin (warfarin) for blood clots we were also concerned about a possible brain bleed.  We spent several hours there but he was given the "ok" and we went home around 2:00 feeling better about it.