Silas's Dedication on the beach!

In mid July we had Silas's Dedication (similar to a baptism except that it's more about the parents' declaration of how we want to raise Silas rather than his declaration of belief, which is what a baptism really is). Tiffany and Chris extended their trip to stay for it (thank you! we loved that!!) and Bowis and Taylor drove down from LA (as did Hubbs!). We were touched by all who came, by how big our family is here...

Crystal Cove State Beach. This is the beach where I grew up. Not as a child, but grew up through my 20's and into an adult. It is the first beach I spent time on after I moved away from my family and started calling California home. It's the beach where I spent my first Thanksgiving with only my husband. It's the beach where I've walked for hours, working out life's questions and reckoning with God. It's where I've started friendships, spotted dolphins, saved seals, written in my journal, pocketed life-marked shells. It's where I sat with my husband having a picnic the day I went into labor with our first child. And it's the beach where we decided to have Silas dedicated.

What a sweet babe; he lay his head on Ben's chest as we all sang "Jesus loves me" and rested there until we were through -- his own private lullaby sung by a chorus.