Did y'all know that Nick is Catholic? He's not a practicing Catholic, but he grew up that way. His parents and one of his sisters go to mass every Sunday and my oldest niece (who seems SO grown up now!) had her first communion last Sunday. I don't think Tommy has ever been in a Catholic church or sat during Mass. I was pretty nervous because they tend to be pain-stakingly long for a toddler to sit through right around 2 hours. He's used to our 1 hour good ole' fashioned Methodist service and he barely manages to get through that.
We managed to get all 4 of us dressed in decent clothing and to the church on time. That, in and of itself, is a miracle. We found the family and grabbed an aisle seat because I had a feeling there would be a few grab-and-runs in the middle of the service. The church was GORGEOUS. Huge ceilings and beautiful and gigantic chandaliers (that I had an irrational fear were going to fall off the celing and crush our entire pew). Tommy couldn't stop looking around. I was glad that, for the moment, he had something to keep him distracted. I personally like going to an ocassional Catholic mass. I think it's interesting to see everything that goes on and it had been long enough since I'd been to one that I had forgotten everything they do...the incense, the rosary before the service, the kneeling and standing and kneeling and standing and kneeling (you get the idea). But there WAS something completely new to me--the preist went down the aisle flinging holy water on us. I wasn't sure what was happening until water got all over my glasses and I was all like, "What the?!?" But Nick assured me it was a blessing and Tommy thought it was hilarious!
We made it through the first hour pretty well. Then our sweet little angle baby girl that NEVER gives us attitude started giving us attitude. I thought maybe she was hot, so I tried to take her jean jacket off. Epic fail. For some reason, even with the help of her Papa, I could NOT get that stupid thing off. It was just making her madder and madder, but after about 5 minutes, I finally got it off. I truly could not figure out the problem. It fits her fine--it's not like it's too tight. Anywho.....
Nick took Tessa to the lobby and Tommy was getting restless, so I pulled down the little padded bench that they kneel on and let him use that baby like a balance beam. It worked for a while. He fell off of it no less than 17 times and whimpered every time. His shins are bruised like nobody's business, but he was having fun and being quiet so I let him keep doing it. Then it was time for communion. Oh my. We watched sweet Isabelle take her first communion with her mom and dad (I MAY have teared up during that moment). Then the confusion began. At our church, you can take communion whether you're a member or not, but at their church, you have to be Catholic, so I told Tommy we had to stay sitting. He was NOT understanding why he couldn't have crackers and juice too. He kept "whispering", "Ne have cackgers and duice!!.....MOM! Cackgers!! Duice!!!!" Sigh.
Nick came back in with Tess and then they started saying a prayer. I don't remember which one it was, but if you've been to a Catholic mass, you know that it starts to sound almost musical when they're praying because everyone's saying the same words in the same tone at the same time. Apparently, Tommy agreed because he ran out into the aisle, grabbed his crotch and started dancing. I was doing the embarrassed mom laugh and trying to get Nick to get Tommy. He was too busy trying not to laugh out loud. I saw the piano player watching Tommy and laughing and I was slightly mortified and may have been just a smidge proud at the dance moves my son was busting out (he didn't get it from me because Mam can't dance!). Nick finally caught his arm and pulled him back into the pew. Luckily, the mass was coming to a close. He managed to sneak in two or three more dance parties before we finally got out of there. I'll have to go back sometime without the kids so I can actually relax and enjoy it!
But I've learned not to get too stressed out over things like that. Between Tessa's jean jacket fiasco, Tommy's balance beam and his aisle performance, I was really close to being done. And I did get momentarily frustrated. But overall, it was pretty funny! In the grand scheme of life, embarrassing moments aren't the worst thing that can happen...............
Now, getting hail damage on Black Betty was pretty close to one of the worst things!! Okay, not really. But we went to a lunch party at my sister and brother in laws house to celebrate Isabelle. It had been cloudy and a little windy but I wasn't expecting anything too bad. And then it hailed. In a half mile radius. And of COURSE, we were smack dab in the middle of that half mile radius. We had just decided to start loading the car. Nick walked out the door with Tommy and then turned around and walked right back in because it was hailing. We had no choice but to wait it out. And poor Black Betty........she's no longer unmarred and perfect. So sad. There's a post to come on that.
Congratulations on your first communion Isabelle!! I'm so glad my crazy kids didn't ruin it and that we got to see you!! We love you!
We managed to get all 4 of us dressed in decent clothing and to the church on time. That, in and of itself, is a miracle. We found the family and grabbed an aisle seat because I had a feeling there would be a few grab-and-runs in the middle of the service. The church was GORGEOUS. Huge ceilings and beautiful and gigantic chandaliers (that I had an irrational fear were going to fall off the celing and crush our entire pew). Tommy couldn't stop looking around. I was glad that, for the moment, he had something to keep him distracted. I personally like going to an ocassional Catholic mass. I think it's interesting to see everything that goes on and it had been long enough since I'd been to one that I had forgotten everything they do...the incense, the rosary before the service, the kneeling and standing and kneeling and standing and kneeling (you get the idea). But there WAS something completely new to me--the preist went down the aisle flinging holy water on us. I wasn't sure what was happening until water got all over my glasses and I was all like, "What the?!?" But Nick assured me it was a blessing and Tommy thought it was hilarious!
We made it through the first hour pretty well. Then our sweet little angle baby girl that NEVER gives us attitude started giving us attitude. I thought maybe she was hot, so I tried to take her jean jacket off. Epic fail. For some reason, even with the help of her Papa, I could NOT get that stupid thing off. It was just making her madder and madder, but after about 5 minutes, I finally got it off. I truly could not figure out the problem. It fits her fine--it's not like it's too tight. Anywho.....
Nick took Tessa to the lobby and Tommy was getting restless, so I pulled down the little padded bench that they kneel on and let him use that baby like a balance beam. It worked for a while. He fell off of it no less than 17 times and whimpered every time. His shins are bruised like nobody's business, but he was having fun and being quiet so I let him keep doing it. Then it was time for communion. Oh my. We watched sweet Isabelle take her first communion with her mom and dad (I MAY have teared up during that moment). Then the confusion began. At our church, you can take communion whether you're a member or not, but at their church, you have to be Catholic, so I told Tommy we had to stay sitting. He was NOT understanding why he couldn't have crackers and juice too. He kept "whispering", "Ne have cackgers and duice!!.....MOM! Cackgers!! Duice!!!!" Sigh.
Nick came back in with Tess and then they started saying a prayer. I don't remember which one it was, but if you've been to a Catholic mass, you know that it starts to sound almost musical when they're praying because everyone's saying the same words in the same tone at the same time. Apparently, Tommy agreed because he ran out into the aisle, grabbed his crotch and started dancing. I was doing the embarrassed mom laugh and trying to get Nick to get Tommy. He was too busy trying not to laugh out loud. I saw the piano player watching Tommy and laughing and I was slightly mortified and may have been just a smidge proud at the dance moves my son was busting out (he didn't get it from me because Mam can't dance!). Nick finally caught his arm and pulled him back into the pew. Luckily, the mass was coming to a close. He managed to sneak in two or three more dance parties before we finally got out of there. I'll have to go back sometime without the kids so I can actually relax and enjoy it!
But I've learned not to get too stressed out over things like that. Between Tessa's jean jacket fiasco, Tommy's balance beam and his aisle performance, I was really close to being done. And I did get momentarily frustrated. But overall, it was pretty funny! In the grand scheme of life, embarrassing moments aren't the worst thing that can happen...............
Now, getting hail damage on Black Betty was pretty close to one of the worst things!! Okay, not really. But we went to a lunch party at my sister and brother in laws house to celebrate Isabelle. It had been cloudy and a little windy but I wasn't expecting anything too bad. And then it hailed. In a half mile radius. And of COURSE, we were smack dab in the middle of that half mile radius. We had just decided to start loading the car. Nick walked out the door with Tommy and then turned around and walked right back in because it was hailing. We had no choice but to wait it out. And poor Black Betty........she's no longer unmarred and perfect. So sad. There's a post to come on that.
Congratulations on your first communion Isabelle!! I'm so glad my crazy kids didn't ruin it and that we got to see you!! We love you!
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