Earlier this month, a very special thing happened: Sid and I became godparents again.

Neteyam is baptized by Fr. Jeff Lewis at St. Mary Catholic Church in Spokane Valley. Neteyam’s dad, Dylan, holds him while Sid and I look on (photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/family).

On July 6, 2025, Neteyam Perry was baptized at St. Mary Catholic Church by Fr. Jeff Lewis during the 9 a.m. mass. We stood next to our dear friends, Dylan and Fidela Perry, as their son was washed of original sin. We accepted the role of godparents and vowed to serve as strong Christian role models to Neteyam for however long we are on this earth.

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

For Dylan and Fidela to give us the opportunity to be Neteyam’s godparents is a nod to our friendship as well as the trust they have in us. In just about four years we have gone from not knowing them to serving in one of the most important roles one couple can bestow upon another. We met through our Young Adult Catholic group and shortly after that we found out we were neighbors. The rest is history!

Sidney and I with Dylan and Fidela at their wedding on June 3, 2023.

But even after we moved to a different neighborhood, our bond remained strong. We celebrate the Fourth of July each year, make annual memories at a favorite Hibachi restaurant, watch “The Chosen” together, and try to help one another out whenever we can. We have an epic group chat and we think similarly on many issues. Fidela and Sidney share a love for Taylor Swift while Dylan and I bond over “King of the Hill” 😂.

Sidney holds Neteyam at his baptism. Sid and Fidela share a bond over Taylor Swift (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

It has been such a blessed several years getting to know Dylan and Fidela. But with all that said, what brought us together at the beginning and what continues to be the glue of our friendship is our faith. And there couldn’t have been a more profound way to underscore our shared commonality than the honor of serving as Neteyam’s godparents. For Dylan and Fidela to trust us with such a responsibility is humbling.

The four of us plus Neteyam at the baptism on July 6.

In an age where the selection of godparents can sometimes be an afterthought, I know (or at least think) that Dylan and Fidela probably made a deliberate choice influenced by prayer. So, besides the “humbling” aspect of being selected that I mentioned above, there is just a bit of pressure as well. Sid and I are far from perfect—in fact, we are sinners. But thanks to God’s grace, we know we can pull this off.

Hanging with our godson after his baptism. What an honor and blessing (photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

Make no mistake about it, baptism is an effective and necessary sacrament. To watch Fr. Jeff pour water over my godson’s head and anoint him with the sacred Chrism oil on July 6 was pretty awesome. With Neteyam now officially part of the Church community, it is time for Sid and me to serve in our role as godparents to him. Please pray for us. Don’t Blink.