Jacob's Big Day

Last weekend we traveled to Springville, Utah to enjoy some wonderful family time as we blessed Jacob in the ward (in our church we call the congregations wards) where Paul grew up, where his parents still live.

 

In our church babies are given a blessing (typically at church during sacrament meeting) where they are officially given a name which will be on the records of the church and that they will have throughout their life.  It took us a long time to decide on a name for Jacob.   A week before the blessing Paul said to me, "Jacob's middle name is Ernest right?" Oh, my! We tossed around the names Matthew and Ernest for a long time and finally hours before leaving the hospital I told Paul to just pick one, he chose Matthew.  You see unintentionally the rest of our kids' name follow sort of a pattern.  Their first names are Bible names and typically their middle name has been a family name or a name of someone who was like family.  We felt we should keep with this tradition for baby #5.  The name Jacob is a bible name but really he is named after his 5th Great Grandpa who was the first Strong to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and who was among the  Mormon Pioneers who were driven from Nauvoo and settled in the Salt Lake Valley.

Matthew, well it too is a bible name, it was the name my parents would have given me if I had been a boy, but in reality we just liked it.  To truly follow the tradition of the rest of the kids perhaps we should have named him Matthew Jacob, and have him go by his middle name . . .   I did begin to wonder for a minute when Paul was giving the blessing if  he had forgotten Jacob's middle name or if he was going to change Jacob's middle name right there in front of everyone, he made a longer than normal pause between Jacob and Matthew.  Regardless I believe Jacob has a name he can be proud of and a name sake whom he can look up to.

What made this occasion extra special is that Paul's brother, Richard, also blessed his baby.  Richard & Mallori's baby was born just a week after Jacob.

Jacob & Taylor were such good little babies.  After the blessings of each of them were completed the Dad's held them up for the congregation to get a good look at the little ones, there was oohing and awing heard throughout the congregation.  I had to smile and wonder was this reaction from family who had come to share in the day, was it from those who have known the Strong family for many years or was it simply because these babies are so cute and people couldn't contain themselves at seeing such cute babies? :)

Jacob continues to be a sweet, "good" little baby.  Heavenly Father knew that if was going to send another baby to our family that I needed a good one or I may crack.  I am grateful daily that he is the sweet baby he is and really am glad that he is part of our family. 

In a way he makes our family complete.

 

 

We took lots of pictures last weekend and I have included many for those inquiring minds out there. :)


3 generations of Strong's

4 generations of Strong's

Elder & Sister Brown with Jacob
Grandma Sue & Grandpa Steve were able to take a Sunday off
from their mission at the Heber Valley Camp to join us

3 sister in law's with their sweet babies
Mallori, Jill & Tracy
with Taylor, Kayson & Jacob



Jacob born Jan. 15, Taylor born Jan. 24, & Kayson born April 5
 



cousins lovin' their binki's

We took Jacob over to meet Grandma Great Strong. 
I think he had a message to share with her from Great Grandpa Strong because the whole time we were there he was "talking" away and had huge smiles. It is not uncommon for him to be social, but he was more so than usual.