Our Angels

So much to write and so little energy to do it. Grandma is tired!

I arrived in Muncie around 5:00 PM on Saturday. Checked into my motel room and discovered a little refrigerator, so put the deviled eggs in there (three dozen) to save Kendra the refrigerator space at home, changed into my church clothes and rediscovered...oops!...the reason that I had only worn that outfit once since I bought it. The top was so roomy that I was exposed at every move! The first thing I requested when I got to the grandchildren's house was help in getting things pinned so I would not be indecent in church!

Some background information: Both of my grandchildren were to be baptised in the Catholic Church there on Saturday evening, and Robin was to be confirmed and take her First Communion. At the house were godparents-to-be Katie and Lou, and their four children. (Count 'em, seven kids there!) The service was to be from 8:30 to 11:30 PM, which meant that the other grandparents couldn't be there because of their Methodist Church choir commitments on Easter Sunday here in Plainfield. In any case, when I got there, children were in various stages of waking up from naps. Ryan had JUST gotten up and didn't seem conscious yet.

The family had been saving for a trampoline for the back yard. I thought it was a worthy project, and so--as part of their Easter and church commitments, since I had a little tax return, I decided to help it happen. Lou and Nathan were to pick up the tramp on Saturday. In fact, when I arrived in the late afternoon, they were still putting it together. Only Robin and her stepsister had seen it. Robin pulled me over into the bathroom to thank me for it...to help keep the secret until the others had figured it out.

When Ryan seemed a little more awake, I said, "What is going on in your back yard?" He answered that Daddy had built them a tree house. I said, "That's a pretty funny looking tree house!" He said that it wasn't done yet. He still hadn't looked out the window. At that point, Katie picked him up to really look...and once he saw it, he fell back in her arms in shock and said, "The trampoline has been bought!!!" Surprise!

We all had a bit of meatless spaghetti, then it was time to dress for church. It was cool that night, but everyone had sundresses...except for Robin who wore a child's "wedding dress"...for First Communion. But because she was to be baptised, she couldn't have anything on her head. Katie had put her hair in one long French braid down the back. She looked absolutely beautiful...and she knew it! She was carried to the car so her dress wouldn't be soiled...but not before her Godmother gave her a rosary and showed her how to carry it in her hands. Ryan looked handsome, too...except his hair was too long and tousled from sleep...and he wore brown shoes with navy pants. But who cares? It's a guy thing!

Well....I have been to MANY Catholic masses in the past. In fact, my first marriage was a Catholic mass because I married a Catholic man...but THIS one was different! It was an Easter vigil...triduum...before the mass even started. The service lasted over three hours and droned on and on. Even the Catholics among us were standing on first one foot and then the other. Because of the echo in the sanctuary, the participants had to speak slowly into the microphones so that the echo didn't drown them out. The triduum consisted of Scripture readings (long), then responsive songs (long), then prayers (long). And there were SEVEN Scripture readings plus songs plus prayers. It was 10:00 before the actual mass began! After that was to follow four baptisms and some confirmations. Then Communion for the whole congregation.

There were eight children in our party...Lou and Katie's four, Kendra and Nathan's three, and friend Carmen's one. We filled up two pews. The children ranged in age from 3 to maybe 8, but not one...NOT ONE...created a problem after sitting for three hours in a boring service that meant, basically, nothing to them. They were good as gold. I was stunned!

When it was finally time for my granchildren to be baptised, they were called to the altar...two of four who were to be baptised that night. (The other two were adults.) They stepped on a riser and leaned over the baptismal font and had water poured over their heads. Thereafter, they were given aprons with a symbol stitched on them. (I'm sorry...I should know what the symbol means. I just don't.) After the baptism, the newly baptised were sent down the aisles to light the candles of everyone in attendance.

Robin and others were called back up to the altar to be confirmed. They were all annointed with chrism (oil) on their foreheads and given their chosen confirmation names. Robin's was Agnes for St. Agnes. Lamb.
This is geting long. Suffice it to say that we all puddled up. At one point, Kendra let out a sob...then Katie let out a sob...and the next thing I knew, Robin was crying. I started passing out tissues because I have learned in the last few months NEVER to go to church without tissues!

Then there was Communion. All those who were not eligible for Communion were to simply cross their arms over their chests for a blessing. Robin, of course, was to take her first Communion as the ONLY young child in the congregation to do so. (Father Dudzinski had suggested that wine be practiced at home. Katie had watered down some wine to try Robin...but it got rapidly spit out. Robbie won't even take liquid medicine that doesn't taste good!) Thus, my granddaughter got the "body of Christ" but not the blood. She took a pass! She wasn't the only one, so I hope she wasn't bothered. The Catholic Church uses real wine instead of the "unfermented juice of the grape" that most protestant churches use...

When the service was FINALLY over (at 11:45 PM) we called for pictures with Father Dudzinski. Everyone was tired. (Ryan had been rifling through my purse in the pew, looking for something to eat!) Robin's brand new rosary had already broken....and she hadn't done a thing to it. Amazingly, Ryan's brand new rosary had NOT broken, so Father D blessed it. When the pictures were over and we headed for the house, I said good night and went to my motel room (which was very nice).

My next post, which will have to wait for tomorrow, will talk about Easter Sunday...but I want to explain my Easter morning at the motel, first.

I got to sleep at 2:00 AM but was awake at 5:00. I puttered around until 6:15 when I could go for the motel's continental breakfast. The young man at the desk was obviously Indian. He had been there from 11:00 PM and was soon to go "home". I mentioned that the overnight shift must be boring. He said it was...but he had his studies. He was a Ball State student...and when I asked what he was studying, he said computer science. My response was "Of course!" I talked to him about my recent trip to Sunnyvale, CA, and how my son-in-law worked for Microsoft. This young man mentioned that 60% of Microsoft employees are Indian. I believe it! Then he turned on the television in the breakfast lounge....

The channel was turned to a religious service with a choir that started singing the Hallelujah Chorus. I stood up and listened all alone, transfixed. That song holds a special place in my heart. I know every soprano measure of it. It was such a glorious beginning to Resurrection Sunday! The day began bright and beautiful. More about the rest tomorrow. I'm just too pooped to pop!

I hope you all had a joyous Easter. Praying for one friend who did not. I am just grateful for each day.