First Communion

I haven't posted anything in a donkey's yonk.  (I've been dying to use that phrase since I first heard it a couple weeks ago!  Tee hee!!)  I haven't had a lack of blog fodder, I've had an astounding lack of time!  My grandma used to have this little plaque hanging in her kitchen that said, "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."  I always thought that was just a quirky piece of bad grammar, but now I completely understand it!!  It seems the more I do, the more I have to do.  I call PARADOX!!

So, what has gone on in the last two and a half months, you ask?  Well, to look around my house, not much!  I've had a bunch of epiphanies, and spiritual breakthroughs, but I can't remember any of them now.  I've also had a bunch of really good ideas, but I can't think of any of those right now either.  That's the problem with being a genius, you're very forgetful.  :-P

Here's what I do remember; Annalise made her First Communion at the end of April.  It was AMAZING!!!  I home schooled her for her sacraments all year this past school year, so to me this was a very special First Communion.  First Communion is very special anyway, but the immense pride I had from knowing that I had such a huge roll in making that happen...  It was incredible!  I had a difference of opinion with our parish priest early in the school year as to weather or not home schooling for the sacraments of reconciliation and Communion was acceptable.  According to canon law, it is not only acceptable, but encouraged.  According to Fr. Andy, it's not acceptable at all.  Since the parish priest has the final say in any matter, that was that.  Annalise was not going to be permitted to make her first reconciliation and  First Communion at our parish here.  After speaking with friends and various family members, I asked the religious education director at our old parish in Georgia, and she asked the pastor.  He said he would accept my home schooling, and let her receive her sacraments there.  There was a lot of driving back and forth to Atlanta over the past few months, but it was so worth it!  Her first confession was a little wonky, but all first confessions are.  We didn't know the priest, and he didn't know why we had come such a long way!  It seemed nobody told him we were coming, and what our story was, so he was really confused!  On the other hand, Communion was flawless!  Some of my best friends in the world were there to celebrate with us!  These ladies have been there for our family in some way since before Annalise was born!  They've been her preschool teachers, and they've watched her grow, and blossom.  It was perfectly fitting to have them there for this celebration, and they wouldn't have been able to make it if she had been able to make her First Communion down here.  I felt like writing Fr. Andy a sincere letter of thanks for being so immovable on his policies, because it was so much more special that we went "home" for her sacraments.  I have uploaded some pictures of the day on flickr.  The pictures that look like they were taken by a professional photographer were taken by my friend, Patti.  She is a magnificent photographer!!


Flickr