Dirty Bread for All

Last weekend after we sat down in our pew at mass an usher asked Robbie if our family would present the gifts.  After the collections basket is passed, a family carries the water, wine, Eucharistic hosts/bread, and money in a basket to the priest at the front altar.  This used to create unimagineable anxiety for us as parents of toddlers.  Each child wanted to hold something made of crystal containing wine or filled with the bread of Christ.  However, now that the youngest Overlease is five years old, our worries are few.   The children really enjoy this ministry.

We took our places at the back of the church and each child was given something to carry.  As we neared Fr. Storey,  our new pastor, Henry tilted the gold dish of hosts, and the big one that the priest using during the consecration of the gifts tumbled (in what seemed like freeze frame slow motion!!) to the ground.  Before Robbie or I could do a thing, our quick thinking young son snatched it up and put it back into the dish with all of the other small, clean ones.  I was mortified.  We were kind of in the spotlight, as the saying goes, and it was not a good moment in time.  Fr. Storey took it with a grain of salt and a chuckle and told us not to worry about it.  I think he even made a little joke, but it was lost on me in my state of stress.  The big girls realized Henry's error, but Henry seemed to wonder what in the world was wrong with Mommy and Daddy for worrying so much.  Afterall, he picked up what he spilled!  Once back in our seats, I whispered that if the bread ever spills again, he should pick it up and hand it to the priest separately.  Yet again, this story falls into the category of things that I never thought to tell my children not to do.

"When I grow up, I am going to live ALONE!!!!!!!!!!"

Last night I went to a parenting talk on Supporting Positive Behavior.  Many of the women there had very young children and babies.  I was the mother present with the oldest children, and I had been in the moms' group the longest.  As I listened to the struggles described and strategies suggested I was struck by the notion that it really does get easier.  The age of reason makes a huge difference in our success as parents.  Children do reach a point where they do what is right because they know it is right.  However, my days are not filled with smooth sailing.  Last night someone was crying in frustration about elementary school homework, and somehow dirty dishes were again left on the table, rather than being cleared and put into the dishwasher.  Patience is my constant prayer.  Over the weekend Henry had a whole day where he felt totally outnumbered by his sisters.  He was not a happy guy, and he acted out with crying and some screaming.  Robbie and I dealt with this by giving Henry some time to cool off alone in his room.  At one point, he articulated his utter frustration amazingly succinctly.  He made the following declaration with a voice that rose in volume and intensity with each word, "When I grow UP, I am going to live ALONE!!!!!!!!!"  His voice thundered.   We ran into Fr. Larry that evening, and he almost fell over he laughed so hard at that story.  He has two older sisters, so he tells Henry that he prays extra for him, having three.

Vivian is in birthday party planning mode.  She suggested a roller skating party, and I told her that when the sisters did that they were older.  I said that I wasn't sure it would go very well for 5 and 6-year-olds to roller skate.  "Oh, we'd have a falling over party?"

Fun Times with Pete the Cat

Today when I picked up sweet Vivian from half-day kindergarten she excitedly informed me that she is now an official member of Pete the Cat's Shoe Tying Club.  She even received a License to Tie.  If little classmates can't tie their shoes, then they can ask a friend with a license.  Vivian had to demonstrate her shoe tying skills today to receive this recognition.  She's pretty happy!  She's such a big girl now.

Henry got a great book for Christmas (from me) called Pete the Cat's Groovy Guide to Life.  In the book quotes are shared from famous people throughout history.  Henry did not recognize some of the authors.  After reading, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighitng a hard battle." by Plato, Henry said, "Play-Doh, that's cool."  I said, "No.  Plato.  He was a philosopher."  My son replied with, "Cool, a velociraptor?"  It was like a Who's on First skit.  He did the same velociraptor thing with a Confucius quote.  Henry's favorite quote was by Helen Keller.  "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."  I used Wayne Gretzky's, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take," on Henry after his decision to try something somewhat scary and new resulted in a really cool opportunity.  I commended him on taking a chance.