Baby Parent Dedication

WARNING: LONG POST

PRIZE FOR READING: A GREAT VIDEO OF CADEN AT THE END!

(I realize you could skip to the end, but promise that if you do, you'll go back and at least skim... )

Today was a very special day in the Cox Household and because of this special day, Caden is rocking with his daddy rather than writing his usual "What a Weekend" post. On this particular day and weekend for that matter, it wouldn't be appropriate for Caden do to the talking. Today, I must do the talking!

All week I have been contemplating the phrase "baby dedication." So many people call it this. Justin and I were both "dedicated" as babies and so were our siblings... it is normal, natural, the thing you do, and I've used the term "baby dedication" my whole life when referencing the event. Now that I'm a parent however, I just can't get my mind around the term. How do you explain baby dedication? What is the baby dedicating to exactly? It's us, the parents... we are the ones being dedicated! Parent Dedication...Our church does call it this, but my whole life I've referred to it as "baby dedication" and in emails and phone conversations this week I've said..."Caden is being dedicated this weekend..." I stand corrected... Justin and I are the ones being dedicated! I am dedicating my life to the ministry of my family and Justin is dedicating his life to the leadership of our family. 

It is a lot of responsibility, but an incredible honor all the same...to shepherd a child's heart! What an exciting piece of this journey that will be, when Caden decides on his own accord to enter into God's sweet grace. 

Today was such a special time for us. Justin and I were overwhelmed by the day more so than we imagined. Not of the commitment that we were making but of the love and support that we have as we step out in faith in raising Caden! Both sets of grandparents and 3 of his 4 great grandparents were able to make the trip and Aunt Cori too! 

One of the pastor's on staff prays with each family who is dedicating a child themselves after the actual dedication is over. During our family's prayer time our pastor said it best. He said that Caden was a very blessed little boy to be surrounded by such a legacy of Christ-followers... at that moment I realized wow... he was right...we are so blessed to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses! And then the tears! Justin and I will not be the only shepherds in Caden's life, He will have many at His disposal!

Each family is asked to pick a verse for the dedication. We chose Romans 5:1-5, one of my very favorite passages.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hopes does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

I always want Caden to remember that no matter our circumstances or our joy or our pain God is ALWAYS the same! We always can hope in the Lord and in Him and only in Him can we find peace! 

What a great morning!

So there you have, Baby Parent Dedication in a rather large nutshell!

Now for the fun photos to document the weekend!

Saturday started with the community-wide garage sale (I LOVE GARAGE SALES...didn't find anything good this time though) and then ended with an afternoon of errands. We put Caden is his first two-piece shorts outfit of the summer for his exciting day!

SUNDAY CAME!

Here we are before the big event with some of our good friends! Little Caroline and Caden are going to be buds! She's an older woman too, hubba, hubba!

After church, we entertained family at the house with lunch and cake!

Aunt Cori got first dibs on Caden once we were home!

Caden's cake... I used a new bakery and I was very pleased with the result... and the MOST important thing is... it tasted like CAKE, not like decoration!

Caden and his Great Poppa relaxing before lunch... do you see why my child ALWAYS wears a bib? Drool-monger!

Just before lunch Caden made an outfit change so we could roll and around and show his new tricks to his guests! Now we're rolling both ways... what fun!

Caden, mommy's bust and the cake! 

CAKE TIME! I included these pics in an attempt to get everyone who attended on the blog. 

Caden and his Great-Gram! Droolin', droolin'!

Four Generations of Whitakers!

Four Generations of Fords!

And now for your viewing pleasure... we ended our exciting day, relaxing on the back porch with the Cade-man! Boy he loves his daddy... can you tell?!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!