Alan's Blessing Day

Welcome 2017!  Boy am I glad to see you!  

We could not have started the new year off any better than blessing this sweet little man at last!  

I am a huge fan of 9 o'clock church and was super proud of myself for getting to church on time (hallelujah!) with all the guests in our home and 3 little ones to get ready by myself (Burke has PEC and ward council in the mornings).  Alan's blessing outfit totally drowned him even after my mom hemmed up the pants and arms.  It was the smallest they had, however, and we thought he still looked dapper even if his bow tie eclipsed his face half of the day! :)

Dapper baby!

Baby Alan was an angel and didn't make a single peep, but stared intently at the circle of righteous priesthood men with purity and innocence emanating from his wise eyes.  Burke offered the most beautiful, touching blessing.  He told him that his name came from his two amazing grandfathers who have left a wonderful legacy for him to follow.  He blessed our sweet boy to be a strong man of God in a troubled world.  He blessed him to serve a mission and marry in the temple.  He blessed him to be an example to his sisters and any other children that may come along.

Burkie and I with Alan who is starting to look sleepy after all festivities

He reminded Alan that he had been blessed to be a twin and that he would work out his probation here on Earth while his brother Aiden fulfills his mission on the other side of the veil.  With a voice thick with emotion, Burke said Aiden will be waiting for Alan on the other side and Alan will receive help from him along the way.  It was a lovely blessing and I was emotional seeing our little miracle baby held up for our amazing support network of family, friends and neighbors to rejoice over with us.  I saw many wet eyes in the congregation as hundreds of prayers have been poured out for this special boy and his brother.

Alan and Aiden

Although I know stillborn babies don't need a name and a blessing, part of my heart ached as Burke sat down, wanting so badly to have another baby to pass to him and have him return to the front to perform another ordinance.  I was grateful the blessing had at least mentioned Alan being a twin and later in the day took a picture of our twinless twin with the "Aim for Aiden" pillow I gave the family at Christmas to remind us of him.  

I often wonder how it would have felt to hold not one, but two beloved sons in my arms.

It made me cry to see Alan next to a representation of his brother, wondering how they would have looked in white next to each other.  I wondered if that twin bond would have been evident already.  I wondered if we would have struggled to tell them apart.  I hoped fervently that Aiden was there and able to see his brother's blessing.  I bowed my head and prayed that he could feel our love for him and how badly we wished he could have been loved on by his aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents just like Alan was on that happy day.

Burke says I look 12 in that picture. Ha!

We so look forward to seeing who this calm, peaceful spirit becomes in the months and years to follow.  Truly, he is a miracle baby and we are so very grateful he is with us.

Family shot - four months later and the girls are still obsessed with their brother!

1) 4 generations of the Adams family 

2)fro-headed Uncle Brett and Marie making baby Alan laugh

3) The three Alans in my life - Alan Senior, Alan (Burke) Junior and baby Alan David

1) 5 out of the 8 of the Bush children with our parents (so rare to have that many of us together!)

2) Bush kids with spouses

3) Mom and Dad with Alan, Darcie and I