40 Days to Kindergarten: Day 7 | July 18, 2026 | Alessandra's Baptism

Today was one of those days I’ll remember forever. It was Alessandra’s baptism.

We got to the church with plenty of time to visit with family and friends before everything began, which ended up being such a blessing because we weren’t rushed and could actually soak it all in. One thing that meant so much to me happened before the ceremony even started. The pastor took the time to bring Alessandra up individually to the baptismal font ahead of time and walked her through everything that was going to happen. He showed her where she’d stand, explained what he’d be doing, and answered her little questions. She had brought her angel bear for comfort, but I honestly think that little walkthrough did more to calm her nerves than anything else could have. It was such a simple act of kindness, but it meant the world to us.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. She has the most wonderful padrinos, and it was so special having them and all of the people we love surrounding her as she received this sacrament.

My favorite moment came right after Father poured the holy water over her head. He smiled at her and said, “You’re baptized now!” She looked up with the biggest smile on her face, just absolutely beaming. She looked so proud, so excited, and so happy. I’ll never forget that smile.

Afterward, everyone came back to our house to celebrate. My mom had Olive Garden cater lunch (seriously… shout out to Mom because that saved me 😂), and it was perfect. Everyone ate, visited, and caught up while the kids ran around playing together.

Then it was time for gifts. One thing that made me incredibly proud was watching Alessandra open each gift. She held each one up for everyone to see, thanked the person who gave it to her, and was genuinely excited about every single one. Watching your child be kind and grateful is one of the best feelings in the world.

After gifts, we cut the cake, everyone hung around talking for a while longer, and before we knew it the day had come to an end. By then we were completely exhausted… but in the best way. I honestly can’t remember the last time I cried tears of pure joy, but today I did.

Looking around at all of the people who love our little girl, watching her take this important step in her faith, and seeing the happiness on her face… my heart was just so full. It was one of those days where everything felt exactly the way it was supposed to.