On angel children

Last Saturday I met my new favorite baby: Mari! I might get pictures up here soon, we'll see. I went to Idaho Falls for her baby blessing. I got to hold her for several hours on Saturday evening and we totally bonded. I talked to her about her blessing that would happen the next day and what she should expect so she wouldn't be scared. I think it worked, too! She behaved like an angel. As tends to happen when one is teaching, I learned something about baby blessings as I talked to Mari about hers. I was looking at her sweet little face--seeing my cousin Patti in her features--and I wondered who she is, what the spirit is like that's inhabiting her little body. I realized that I don't know, but God does and that the baby blessing can be a glimpse into the spirit and personality and characteristics that already exist in this person. She's had a life before birth and God knows her and can let the rest of us know a little of her too. What an awesome blessing! Mari and I are going to be friends forever now because we learned together and felt the Spirit together.

On Sunday after church family and friends were gathered at Patti and Alan's. Patti was in the kitchen with Ryan. I don't know what their interaction was about, but I heard Patti call him "angel boy." I smiled; she has assumed at least one aspect of the parent role that I'm familiar with. Growing up my mom would call me "angel girl." I've heard my aunt call her kids and grandkids angel boys and girls. Not long ago I overheard another cousin refer to his child as "angel boy." This got me wondering where it started. If my cousins do it, and my aunts and uncles, then I think it's safe to assume that my grandmother did it. I wonder for how many generations past and future there have and will be "angel boys" and "angel girls" coming to my family. What a great legacy!