Friday, December 28, 2007

Christmas recovery

Well, my week hasn't gotten off to the slammin' start I was planning. We didn't start school, and we are still working on putting the house back together. I'm working on putting everyone back on their usual routines today, and I guess we'll wait until Monday to start up school.

I've been putting off posting Christmas info because my camera is MIA...but I'll just post pics when it turns up. Christmas Eve we went to our parish's pageant and mass. Maria was singing in the choir, and Kain was a shepherd and did well this year as best I could tell...last year we had an issue with him head-butting a kid sitting next to him...but honestly it was hard to pay attention. Jack talked *nonstop* through the whole pagaent and the whole mass. His church behavior has gotten much better. We don't usually have to take him out anymore. But he talks the whole time, this running monologue about what he is seeing, echoing parts of the mass, etc. It's so cute, really, but distracting to those around us I'm sure...but I can't seem to get him to stop! I hate to squelch his sweet attempts at participation anyway. It's just that he gets pretty loud. Here's a sample from Christmas Eve...

"Angels! Angels! Red flowers!"
"Mary and Joseph! Joseph, Joseph! Baby Jesus, Jesus in the manger, Jesus in the manger with STRAW! STRAW in the manger!"
"Shepherds! Lots of shephers guarding their SHEEP! HEAVENLY HOSTS! HEAVENLY HOSTS, MOM!"
"FATHER MIKE! FATHER MIKE! FATHER MIKE!"
"I wanna sing HALLELUJEH! HALLELUJAH!"
"Holy Spirit be with you ALL!"
"CHRIST! CHRIST! CHRIST!"
"GLORY TO YOU LORD! TO YOU LORD!"
"Life of the world to come! Momma say LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME!"
"Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord"
"GRANT US PEACE! PEACE!"
"Communion, it's communion, COMMUNION, MOM!"

I kept urging him to whisper, but it didn't help much. Thankfully the Christmas Eve mass is full of noisy, cranky, yelling kids and I don't think he was noticed too much. And really, I know I have to reign him in for the sake of other parishoners,,,but I hardly think he offends our Lord. He is enthusiastic, he *likes* going to mass, he is involved and paying attention, which is probably more than can be said for 70% of the adults that would be offended by his noise. Still...I've gotta teach that boy to whisper at least...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is lovely! In fact when you wrote he was enthusiastic I misread it and saw "EUCHaristic"...and decided that I wasn't off the mark at all since eucharist means thanksgiving.

We have a dad at church that brings his 7 yr old, 3 yr old and baby to Mass on his own (his wife is JW and doesn't go to Mass) and the 3 yr old loves to sing nonsense words off-key while we sing the hymns. I DARE anyone to quiet her - she is making a joyful noise unto the Lord!

God bless you and your family and wishing you a blessed and holy Christmas season!

Rock on, Jack!

Kelly said...

LOL! I think it is wonderful that he has such love and enthusiasm for the Lord! It is absolutely adorable!