Dedication

This morning Clara was dedicated at church. It was a really special day. We wrote a letter to her and read it to the congregation and then pastor Russ said a few words and prayed for her/us. I'm so glad we were able to fit it in before Leah & Trav move to California (in just over one week - ugh). It was such a blessing that many family members could be there and stand beside us. Here is our letter -for family and friends far away- to get a little taste of the day and to stand beside us in prayer as we raise our little girl...

Dear Clara Girl,

We awaited your arrival with anticipation and now are overjoyed to have you in our lives. You are truly a miracle and we thank the Lord every day that He entrusted you to us. You have surprised us already by showing us an ever-increasing capacity to love. This love continues to grow with each new day. It is already amazing to watch your personality unfold as you change and grow. You are beautiful in every way and we love you so much.

We promise you, precious one, that we will raise you with all the love we can give. We promise that we will be on our knees for you, Clara, praying to the Lord who gave us this Love. We commit to loving the Lord with our hearts first and seeking Him. We trust him with our lives and now we trust Him with your life. We realize that you are His child. You are a gift from Him and we want to daily give you back to the Lord, who gave us the greatest gift, his son, and continues to give us all good things.

We pray that you will grow to know Jesus, too, Clara. We pray that you will learn to love and trust Him as your savior and closest friend. We look forward to serving and loving each other as a family and extending this service and love to the community and world around us. While we commit to praying that the Lord protect you from the evil in this world, we also pray that you will learn to love and engage the world. We pray you will make a difference for His Kingdom using the unique gifts and talents he has blessed you with. We are excited to watch these gifts unfold.

We love you so much, Clara Joanne, and we are certain that you are the biggest blessing in our lives so far. You are truly a gift from God. Our lives are forever changed since you came into our world and we will be thankful always.

Love,

Mom and Dad