The boys sang again in the children’s choir for the family Easter mass. I love the relationships we are building with the priests and with the parishioners. It makes religion easier. Much to this hermit’s dismay, it appears the secret to life is participation. When you participate and are engaged, everything (family, school, work, religion) seems like less work. Not all the time, but usually. I’ve mentioned this before, but moving to the front of the church was a game changer for us. (Holy cow! That post is from 2011!) Getting to know the priest on a first name basis was another scary-but-worthwhile move on our part. Now I feel comfortable texting him to see if he wants a Starbucks. He tries to go all “vow of poverty” on me, but I see through him like cheesecloth.
We enjoyed a quiet Easter this year at our house with just my mom, brothers, sister in-law, and of course, Miss Gabby. My youngest brother, Paul, brought over the best tasting empanadas I have ever had. I ate two, and I don’t even like empanadas that much. Usually I can get by with eating half of one!
The boys received their traditional gift of “shoes I wouldn’t normally buy for growing boys” from my brother and sister in-law. Last year they got Chucks, and I can’t believe Mikey was able to fit in those shoes last year. I remember they were big on him, even! The basketball shoes he got this year are 2 sizes bigger than the Chucks he got last year. This, people. This is why I don’t buy the boys fancy sneakers. Nikes, Sketchers, Chucks, okay. Lebron James basketball shoes? Hahahahah. No. What my brother and sister in-law paid for those shoes…crazy town! The boys love them, though. If Mikey could sleep in them, he would.
Mikey and Nico might have been surprised by the shoes, but they got to surprise my family with the hermit crabs. It seems like everyone forgot we had them. Even my mother in-law said, “Wait, are those the same ones from last year? And they’re still alive?” Of course they are! Our school festival goldfish lasted 5 years, thankyouverymuch. I’m quite good at keeping animals alive that normally only last weeks. I suppose hand feeding a hermit crab a slice of watermelon at the table while my mom has a stroke has something to do with it.
Happy Easter! Im not to the point of texting with our priests but I feel more kinship with them now than I have felt with priests in a long time. It is good to be known in our parish family!
Love that post about sitting at the front. I too found I got much more out of being at temple when we were engaged in activities there. That’s on my list of things to put some effort into, as once Rachel had her bat mitzvah we pretty much dropped out. Thanks for the inspiration!
LOL I’m the same way with shoes!! My son’s feet are now larger than mine and are well on their way to being the same size as his father’s, which worries me because if he gets PAST his father we head into ‘special order’ territory, and my son is only 11. So I’m trying to teach him to take care of his shoes so those special order monsters will last and last and last…
HA! JUST, literally JUST, had the conversation with a friend about the difference of sitting in the front!
As for shoes, I feel your pain. My kid has already grown out of her (expensive Nike) shoes that she got less than 3 months ago. I did not buy said shoes. Thank goodness She’s growing like crazy and right now it’s hard for me to want to INVEST in anything expensive when I know she will be out of it before I blink. She’s 8 and almost 5ft tall- I swear 3 of those inches came in the last 6 months. Sigh. Love that the boys have a fun uncle to buy them ridiculous things. LOL.
I can’t believe how big your niece is getting! This just reminded me of how long I’ve been reading your blog!
“When you participate and are engaged, everything (family, school, work, religion) seems like less work. Not all the time, but usually.”
I need this tattooed on my head as a constant reminder.