A Fresh Start....both blog and soul

Well, all but one of us is a year older since I last blogged- someone should really coin the phrase, "time flies"- and while I think I am down to my sister as my only surviving reader, I still plan to catch up on all of our boring goings on from the past few months for my memories' sake, because God knows that if I don't get things written down, I will surely forget these golden years and all of the kids' silly antics that pretty much only a mom cares about.  So, wish me luck in this venture, because I have to tie the children up, give them chocolate and turn on Curious George in order to sit down, and hopefully make a semi-coherrant post!

I think a great way to begin again, is with a post telling of Henry's recent First Reconciliation which took place on the evening of January 30, 2014 (the anniversary of his Baptism is Jan 29th).  Josh and I really wanted to make this day special and memorable for him, so we hired a babysitter for the rest of the boys and took Henry to dinner at the restaurant of his choice, Red Robin, before heading to the Church.  He relished the one-on-one attention and seemed a bit nervous, but mostly spoke of his excitement for his up coming confession.  We gifted him with a new Bible, and he immediately opened it up and began reading until our food came.  Henry loves to read the Bible!  Back when we lived in the hotel on base, he spent his whole quiet time reading an adult, small print Bible that he had found in the nightstand drawer, and would relay the stories to me.  I think he made it threw the first few books which is impressive considering he was only 5.

At the Church, the parents waited in the pews as the children processed in, all perfectly reverent.  Father read a reading from the Gospel, and talked to the children for a few minutes.  Then, one by one, the children walked up onto the side alters where the priest was waiting to hear their First Confession.  After their confession, the children knelt on kneelers in the center of the altar to do their penance and then one parent helped their child light a candle.  The whole experience was beautiful, and all of the kids did perfectly.  I remember crying before my first confession, but these children didn't seem at all nervous or scared, and all of us parents were so proud.  So, I brought the camera along to get a photo of Henry and our Priest afterward.  Josh talked me into allowing him to take pictures during Henry's confession.  I was worried about invading his privacy and a bunch of other stuff, but in the end, I am so glad we captured that moment in photos (and all of the other parents were taking pictures as well).  Henry sat up straight on the edge of his chair and talked with his hands, and was masking a smile the whole way off of the altar.  Absolutely precious and of course, brought me to tears.  And now, I shamelessly share the photos with you...

"Bless me Father, for I have sinned, this is my first confession..."

Henry receiving absolution for the first time

Afterwards, at the reception for the children, Henry kept saying in reference to his confession, "That was SO AWESOME" and how he wanted to go to confession daily!  It really made me happy that he was so well prepared, felt comfortable, and absolutely loved the sacrament!  So, after the children finished their confessions, and loaded up on sugar, there was much running and screaming going on.  After we told a very sweaty Henry it was time to go, he informed us that he had been chasing the girls, and we literally saw his eyes open to the world of chasing girls!  For the 30 minute drive home, we got an earful about how "chasing girls is so much fun"!

The next day he said, "Mom, Father said that the goal after confession was to feel so much better, and that is exactly what happened to me" then he proceeded to update me hourly on the fact that he hadn't sinned since his confession.   He is a keeper....

P.S. I will be back posting some of the catch-up posts