In God's House

Charlotte was (officially) welcomed into our Church on Saturday night during the Great Easter Vigil. It was a lovely, candle-lit service, focused largely on the seven (!) children being baptized. Charlotte led off the night (the beauty of being at the beginning of the alphabet), dressed in an her Godmother Julie's baptismal gown. It was mended and pressed by my surrogate Godmother, Cynthia, who spent a few tense weeks worrying alongside me...would it fit? would it fit? Stop growing! And it was positively the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, handmade, Julie's mother says, in the Philippines. And Charlotte rocked it, if one can politely do that in church. (pictured above are Charlotte with her Godparents, Julie Dugger and Andrew Stewart).
Our little group packed the pews where Charlotte, as if on cue, rhythmically thumped the hymnal as the choir sang. She was polite and uttered not a squeak when her head was bathed in holy water. We completed the evening with suptuous late-night dinner at Le Bergerie, courtesy Charlotte's grandfather. It could not have been nicer.

Charlotte received many beautiful baptism gift, but the prize for originality goes to her godmother, who extended the Dugger family tradition to Charlotte by giving her a sterling mint julep cup -- which as Kentucky tradition dictates, has the President's initials engraved on the bottom. I'm hoping Julie won't mind if mom borrows this one on occassion -- at least when the ponies are running at the Derby.