8 Is Great

Best day of Hyrum's life? Probably last Saturday.

It was his eighth birthday. There were presents, of course.

And some pretty ugly-looking but very tasty cupcakes and a birthday song from the family. Those cupcakes. Sigh. The frosting was cold, the cupcakes were soft, we had no real knife to spread the frosting. At least they had a cute topper, right?

That wasn't the best part.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, baptism is performed when you're eight years old. Rarely does the baptism day fall on your actual birthday, but Hyrum was lucky. His baptism was at 11 am on his very day.

I had been up most of the night before really sick. So sick, in fact, that I was late to the baptism because I was at urgent care and the pharmacy getting stuff for a massive sinus infection (part of the reason the cupcakes were such an excusable disaster). I'm so glad Brad got him all ready and together and there on time.

 I walked in just as the opening song was ending.

It was beautiful. So many of our friends and family came to support him on his special day.

And both sets of grandparents came.

Weird that I only have four kids left at home. This looks so . . . incomplete.

We were so proud of him.

It was a beautiful day that I hope he never forgets.

As I was tucking him into bed that night, I leaned down to kiss his forehead and said, "Happy Birthday, Rum. I hope your birthday was great."

He sleepily turned over. "Thanks, Mom. It really was."

Remember this day always, my little son.

As long as I'm living . . .