..blessed..

my dear sweet gus,

what a wonderful day today was! surrounded by all the people we love, and who in turn love you, you were given a name and a blessing by your dad. it was a day full of love, and one i will remember for a long time.

it was a little bittersweet blessing you in our new ward. so far i have loved our new ward, and everyone we have met, but if i'm being honest, i still miss the woods cross 7th ward. that is where both of your big brothers were blessed, and it still feels a little strange each sunday not to attend church there. however, we have felt very welcomed and at home in the dry creek ward, and your blessing really solidified those feelings for me. it's a wonderful thought to think that this is the ward we will {hopefully} spend a very long time in, and i love that all our new friends from the neighborhood were there to witness you being blessed. i hope that in many years to come, they will talk about how they watched you grow from the day you were born. :)

my heart is never as full as it is on a blessing day. seeing everyone set aside their busy sunday schedules, finding people to fill in for them in their wards so they can show up to our ward and support us on such an important day - it means the world to me. i was a little worried that some wouldn't come since they didn't know how to get to our house, or maybe that others wouldn't come because they had already seen our house, but almost everyone we invited came. the chapel and our home were filled to the brim, but i wouldn't have it any other way.

dad was a nervous wreck sunday morning, rehearsing in his head the things he wanted to say. i, in turn, felt very at peace sunday morning. normally i am running around like a chicken with her head cut off the day of a party, but thanks to grandma's help and getting some things done ahead of time, i didn't feel rushed our stressed at all. i still had butterflies in my stomach - maybe sympathy nerves for dad?! haha let's just chalk it up to excitement. you have brought such an added measure of love and joy into our home, and i was so excited to spend the day celebrating you!

your blessing was beautiful, and there was a very strong spirit in the room. dad was so choked up in the beginning that he almost couldn't speak. i said a quick prayer before and during, for heavenly father to help dad, and i feel it was answered very quickly. there was no denying that the spirit was working through him, helping him bless you with those things you may stand in need of in this life.

"Our Dear Heavenly Father, by the authority of the Holy Melchezedik Priesthood which we hold, we take this infant into our arms to give him a name and a blessing. The name we have chosen for him and that he shall be known for throughout this life and on the records of the church is August Keller Powell. Gus, we bless you with a desire to gain a testimony of the gospel and that you will serve a full-time mission when you are of the appropriate age. We bless you with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to gain a good education. We bless you that when the time is right you will find a worthy companion to take to the temple and be sealed to for time and all eternity. We bless you with good health and a strong body so that you may be able to fulfill all the callings that you are appointed here on Earth. We bless you that in times of difficulty you will have the strength to choose the right. Gus you are blessed with two older brothers who adore you and we pray that you will follow their example. We bless you that you will set a good example for your friends and your siblings and that you will follow the path which our Heavenly Father has set for you. Gus, we bless you to always be aware of the love that your family has for you. Your mother and I love you more than you will ever know. These things we ask our Heavenly Father to bless you and any other blessings He sees fit. We say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

{transcribed by my cousin, heidi hansen}

he did an incredible job, and i couldn't have been more proud. you, my dear, also did amazing. i must say, i was a bit nervous that you would be wide awake and start screaming haha but you slept peacefully through the entire blessing. you also didn't have a blow out, which is another thing i felt grateful for. :) the circle consisted of so many people who we love so much, and i know they love you and your dad as well: dad, grandpa hansen, grandpa powell, ben clark, dave mcconnel, mike ferrell, dan walker, micah platt, zach spencer, robby nelsen, randy osborne, dallin crane, and the members of the dry creek bishopric.

i bore my testimony in sacrament, and heidi was wonderful enough to send me a copy of that as well. i don't know how she does it! for the sake of documentation and also so i have it to look back on, i am posting that here as well:

"For those of you I haven’t met yet, I’m Becky Powell and we’re so grateful to be in this ward. I just wanted to stand and bear my testimony that I know this church is true. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon, it’s always been the foundation of my testimony. I feel like it’s gotten me through all the difficult times in my life. Since becoming a mom I have really gained a strong testimony of the power of prayer. There have been many times, as I’m sure you can all relate to as a mother, where all that is really left is to get down on your knees and pray for help, or wisdom, or whatever you feel you stand in need of. I feel that my Heavenly Father has answered those many times right as I’ve needed them. I’m grateful for the gift and blessing it is to be a mother and for the joy that my three little boys have [brought] to my life and to our home. I’m thankful to be married to a worthy priesthood holder who is able to bless our little boy. I’m grateful to be a member of this church and for all the family and friends that are here to support us today. I look forward to getting to know many of you. I would just like to bear my testimony of the knowledge I have, the truth of the restored gospel, of our Savior, and the gift of His atoning sacrifice. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

after sacrament we had everyone over for lunch. clam chowder and broccoli cheddar soup in bread bowls, a caesar salad, veggie tray, candy and swig cookies for dessert. it was delicious, if i do say so myself. i was worried that not everyone would fit comfortably in our home, but was pleasantly surprised that it didn't feel too crowded at all. our friends seemed comfortable in the basement, where the girls sat at the table we set up to eat while the boys sat on the couch watching football. all of the kids were running between the backyard and the playroom. our family who had never been to our house before went on little tours and many sat comfortably at the kitchen table.

you were a little angel baby all day, as you were passed around from person to person. you were content to be in anyones arms, either sleeping or being your flirty little self. i think you especially enjoyed getting to know your grandpa jimbob a little more - we sat by him during sacrament and you just sat there and smiled and talked to him for at least half the meeting. :)

i hope as you grow, you will always know of the love that so many have had for you since the day you were born. you are one lucky little dude, to be surrounded by so many supportive and loving people. you truly have been such a gift to our family, gus, and i thank the lord daily for the role you play in our lives. i am so lucky, blessed, and honored to call you my baby boy. i could eat you up, i love you so. :)

love,
mom