I am falling behind and not taking many pictures lately about anything that our family does and I am sad about it because those memories are lost! But here is a memory that will never be forgotten. Kalena made the decision to be baptized. In the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we believe children are born innocent and are not to be punished for Adam and Eve's transgression in the Garden of Eden. By the time they reach 8 years old, that is the time they are held accountable for their their mistakes. It is amazing how much a child does learn in the first 8 years of life. They hunger after learning and knowledge. I have seen it in Kalena especially. She is such a smart girl and I know she has yet a lot to learn, but do we really ever not have a lot to learn?
Anyway, she made the choice and was she ever so ECSTATIC about that day to come. She was so happy she really didn't even think about her birthday until Dad and I reminded her about it. But, when Feb. 2 came she was one happy girl ALL DAY LONG!
The events of the day:
1. Waking all the kids up. Tunoa was a happy camper too.
2. Opening her necklace she got from Grandma. She wore it all day long.
3. Doing her hair. I don't think we got one serious picture of her this whole day. She kept making faces, just like her dad.
4. Waiting for mom to finish getting ready, now that all the kids are ready to go.
5. Her and dad ready to go into the chapel to have the opening part of the program from the stake. President Ika told the mother's to get journal's for the kids that day. I never fulfilled that request, such a failure, but she did have a book to write down her feelings so I will keep that and cherish it.
6. In the chapel getting ready for the program to start, you would think it was Leilani's special day but she just had to have her dad.
7. After all was said and done, I had to get a couple of pictures with her. My one regret was that we didn't get a good picture of the family that day with her.
After the baptism Grandma Bandmann left to go home. We all chilled out at home and then went out to eat at Chuck-O-rama. Kalena's favorite place to eat. She is such a special girl. She tells me sometimes that she doesn't like to play with certain people because they aren't following the rules (not that she does all of the time, but I am amazed at how wonderful of a girl she is growing up to be). I LOVE her with ALL MY HEART! It was definitely a special and exciting day for her to enter the waters of baptism and become a member of the church of Jesus Christ.
