Celebrating First Communion

Yesterday was a very special day. After months of preparation, classes, and First Reconciliation, Sullivan received First Communion at a special Mass at our church at 4 p.m.

The First Communion Class actively participated in the Mass, and the children were responsible for the welcome, the First and Second Readings, and the Responsorial Psalm. Sullivan was responsible for the Presentation of Gifts, and he dutifully carried the wine -- the blood of Christ.






















The class also sang "God's Circle of Love," and dedicated it to their parents. I never fail to get emotional when I hear the beautiful voices of children singing God's praise. After the song, each child was called to the front of the church and the parents joined them, carrying the banner we made last week at retreat. Sullivan presented me with a rose and we took our place along the outer aisle to hang his banner.

It was a very sweet Mass and I am so proud of Sullivan and his commitment to grow in his faith.

I pray that as he makes his journey in this world he will remember that his relationship with God is most important.

In celebration, after the Mass we joined family for dinner. Sullivan got to choose the location and despite his brother's plea for an alternate location, we dined at the infamous "Golden Corral," an
all-you-can-eat buffet complete with a dessert bar and ice cream station.

Golden Corrall is a long-time favorite of Sullivan's and he used to pronounce it Golden Carafe. Thanks to Sullivan, our family still calls it this today, just as Cracker Barrell is known as Crackel Berry, Chick-Fil-A will forever be Chick-A-Lay, and Target is Kro-get (a cross between Kroger and Target). These are just a few of my favorite Sullivan-isms.

He is a child of God.

That Was Chinese

So tonight we're sitting on the bleachers at Hagan's soccer game and Oakley is in a silly mood.

Ballgame concession stands seem to affect her that way -- she gets all giddy. Pizza, hot dogs and M&Ms send her right over the edge.

She starts some nonsense talk ...

"Chinme mwaha nenochu. Manemane
shupe."

"What did you say?" I asked. "I can't understand you."

"You can't?" she asks (all serious-like).

"No, I can't," I said.

She smiles up at me and quips, "That was Chinese."

funny girl

Photo Shoot

I took Oakley on Saturday to have her first professional photos made. We talked about it all morning and she was so excited! Maybe she was just excited to be wearing her new dress, because when we got there, she was less than joyful.

She did smile for the camera, but it was not her normal happy smile -- it was her I'm anxious, embarrassed, and completely out of my comfort zone (when can we go home?) smile. Still cute, but I was hoping to capture her true personality.

In the beginning, she stood nervously with one hand behind her head. The photographer snapped away and then asked her if she could lower her hand and show her the pretty dress she was wearing.

"No thank you," Oakley replied. I was trying to stay out of the way but had to intervene and tell Oakley to put her hand down.

The photographer continued to snap away. Then she asked Oakley if she could sit down on the pretty white clouds.

Oakley again replied with a "No thank you." So I stepped in and encouraged her to sit down so we could get some photos with her toes peeking out beneath her dress.

The photo shoot continued and Oakley would not lighten up. However, I am really happy with some of the more serious shots we got -- they show off her beautiful eyes and gorgeous lips.

When we got home, we ventured out to the front yard so we could have our own little photo shoot. Here are some of my favorites. This last one cracks me up because she reminds me so much of a little monkey running down the sidewalk:)!

You can see the proofs from our professional photo shoot at http://www.carlisle-photography.com/. Just scroll down and click on "Proofs." Click on Curd and type in our password, which is rugby. There are 40 images. I've begun to narrow down my favorites. Please let me know if you have a top pick!

Spring Break

What a week!! After days of torrential rains and flooding, we FINALLY saw the sun shine brightly today -- the weather was glorious.

Oakley and I worked in the yard early this afternoon and as I pulled weeds, she gathered them all up in a bag. She followed me all around the flower beds and was diligent in her work -- she LOVES helping!!

As a reward, she and I took a long walk this afternoon throughout the neighborhood. We both walked in our pajamas (sad, but true). Oakley was a little more presentable than me; she threw on a necklace, her butterfly wings and a tutu before we headed out. You know, so I could see her fly.

She was so funny as we walked, and she stopped to gather purple clover, dandelions and some other white flowering weed. She chattered about the birds flying overhead, her butterfly wings, and her legs being strong because she drinks all of her milk at school. Then she looked up at me nonchalantly, and said, "This is precious." That's her new favorite adjective and she uses it sometimes appropriately, and sometimes not. But in my humble and unbiased opinion, it's precious when she says it!

It's amazing how a little sunshine can brighten the soul!

And best of all, Hagan returned home (looking all tanned) this afternoon from vacationing in Destin, Florida! He was there all week enjoying spring break with his best friend, Seth, and his family. We all missed him and Oakley was especially happy to have him home.

We decided to bake homemade chocolate chip cookies in celebration, and once again, she was eager to help.

She loves pouring the ingredients into the bowl, and she runs to grab her little footstool every time I start baking so she can be front and center.

But her very favorite part is licking the beater and she always asks to sit on the counter to enjoy her treat.

All in all, a VERY GOOD Sunday!

Cotton

Sullivan and I have shared a long-time "joke" since he was just a few years old. When teasing one another, we will say,

"Have you lost your cotton-pickin', ever-lovin' mind?"

It's usually said in mock horror.

Like in response to me asking for a kiss, or to him, when he asks for a softdrink in the middle of the afternoon.

When he was little, before he could say the entire sentence, our exchange would go something like this:

Mom: "Have you lost your ..."

Sullivan: "cotton"

Mom: "pickin"

Sullivan: "ever"

Mom: "lovin'"

Sullivan: "MIND?!?"

I'm not really sure how this exchange first originated, but it's been carried out through many a year -- he is EIGHT, afterall.

And it never fails to bring some giggles on his part, and a big smile on mine.

Well, not to be outdone, Oakley has apparently decided that she wants in on the inside joke.

I was placing her in her car seat this morning and noted to her that we're going to have to ask Daddy to raise the straps on her seat.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because," I said, "they're getting too tight."

"They're not too tight." she responded.

"Well, they're a little bit too tight, because you've grown so much taller," I said.

Her response:

"Have you lost your mind? Or cotton?"