Sunday, January 18, 2009

Eddie's Blessing Day


We love coming to visit family, and especially days like today. Blessing a new baby is one of the great traditions of the LDS Church, and the fact that it is such a family affair makes it really fun.

First, just a word about this great little town and the home we have here. We call it the Parrish House in that the renowned artist Maxfield Parrish once owned it. His home was actually across the river in Plainfield/Cornish, a home called the Oaks, but he bought this home we think for a love interest that never worked out. I don't even know if he ever occupied it, but it is the kind of home that he would have loved to paint and I would like to think own. It is sure beautiful in the snow.


Back to the day in honor of Eddie. Chelle's little ones were looking great. Eddie's outfit was great. It was given to Chelle by her brother Chinh and his wife Tami years ago, and she had been saving it for this occasion.

We had a pretty good snow last night, and Windsor Worx, which Brig and his brother Jordan run, have about 20 or so contracts to keep driveways and parking lots clear of snow. So about 5 this morning, Brig left to go plow a number of the locations and by the time church was starting, was nowhere to be seen. Finally just in time he came looking tired but all dressed up in shirt and tie, and gave a very thoughtful blessing to little Edmund Richard Larson.


After church, everyone got together here at the Parrish house for dinner. We of course had to try and get the obligatory family photo's. Maddie and Anders had another idea however. Out of 30 or 40 we took, these are the best!


Here is where the story needs a little further explanation. In this next picture, notice Brig's right hand wrapped around Maddie. Yup, looks like a mechanic who just got done changing the head gasket on a leaky 63 Rambler. Turns out that minutes after the blessing at church, one of the apartment tenants called about a leak, and Brig had gone directly from church with his dressy clothes to change out a pump! Ah the life of a landlord!


It was really fun to have both sets of Grandparents here for Eddie's blessing. This is Steve and Cheryl Larson, Ed's paternal grandparents who were dutiful in keeping church clothes on for pictures. They have moved here from New Mexico. Huge shock weather wise, but they lived here for many years. We actually had a 20 below zero morning on Friday. That was without any wind factor. Yes I did say 20 BELOW!


I had actually changed clothes already to shovel the walks and driveway so folks could get into the house, but got caught for a picture nonetheless.



It was a big crew, but besides cook the food, get the place ready and organize the event, Grandma Vial had time to be the Grandma to everybody. Is this a classic or what, Paula laying out the crafts for the gang!


She even had time to do some serious loving on Eddie.


I really think he likes her!



Finally, today's quiz. Who belongs to each of the beautiful head's of hair in this picture?



We love it here at the Parrish house. Hope you can join us here someday soon! Rich

3 comments:

Alicia Vial Beesley said...

fun post Dad! Thanks for updating us on the blessing. Poor Brig, what a good dad and husband he is!
It is nice to finally see Chelle's hair, she kept telling me she would post it online, but this is the first I have seen. I like it.

Caitlin said...

I thought chelle's hair looked darker....

Darilyn said...

Great pictures. It is such a beautiful place and Merilee and I saw that house when it was first for sale. what a surprise to find out a few weeks later that you guys had bought that very same house. Chelle was trying to get one of us to buy it! It is so beautiful.