Before Elisabetta was born Carlo and I had already discussed what our wishes would be concerning Betta’s big day. My dad blessed Valentina and this time around we thought we’d shake it up a bit and ask my brother Jose to do Betta’s blessing. If we have a 3rd baby (which we plan on it), then I will ask my little brother to fly over the ocean just to make me happy.

A few weeks after Betta was born, we arranged everything with the bro. We had wanted the blessing to be done the 1st weekend in May so that we could also do Valentina’s party as well. Turns out, Jose was going to be in the UK for work the weekend after Easter. So with permission from the Stake President, the Bishop said it would be no problem to have her blessing on another Sunday.

It had been raining all weekend which seems to be normal when the Minnesota couple comes to town. The only other time they came to visit, it was also raining. It was nice to have Jose & Lizzy see my ward and meet some of the people who have been so great to us. Besides my brother, I had asked our Bishop and my friend Nicola to participate in the blessing. Bishop Massano was called to be the bishop in January. Before then, he was just our friend Marco and now I have a hard time trying to figure out how to talk to him. Do I use the formal or informal**?.. I use both. Seems to work both ways too. I asked Nicola to participate a few weeks before as well. He was one of the first people I met when I moved and at the time was the Ward Mission Leader and Gospel Principles teacher. Now he has a Stake calling and I don’t get to see him as much. So when I asked, he said he would make sure that he wouldn’t be at another ward that day.

Jose gave a great blessing and the Sunday after, I had several people come up to me and tell me what a beautiful blessing it was. The exactly words were actually “veramente bellissima”.  Carlo was also with us on Sunday but had to leave early. (which is why he’s not in the pictures.

Unfortunately, their flight back to the UK was early and they couldn’t stay longer so we rushed off after Sacrament to get lunch started before they left. We did manage some quick pictures before catching our bus.

Jose w/Elisabetta, Bishop Massano, and Nicola

Myself, Jose, and Bishop Massano

Lizzy, Valentina, Jose and Elisabetta

Of course no blessing would be the same without a blessing dress. I am very lucky that my mom saves EVERYTHING.. or at least almost everything. Elisabetta has now been included in the grand tradition of being blessed the in the same dress that I was blessed in. Valentina wore it as well as 2 of my nieces.

One of the many great things about my ward is our amazing Relief Society. Anytime a sister has a baby, they are presented with a big box of goodies. They generally do it on the day of the baby’s blessing but since we had to leave quickly, I got it a few Sundays later.

I totally hit the jackpot with this package. I got 5 packages of wipes, along with baby oil, diaper rash cream and things like that.