Rome: Day 6

Well, on our last day as you already know, we went to the Epiphany Mass celebrated by the Holy Father and here he is processing in just before he makes his way over to our dear children for their blessing. After he blessed them, everyone in St. Peter's clapped and cheered. It was so very moving.


We had to get our seats at 9am and wait an hour until Mass began. So the kids were a little restless. Then I found out this was to be a two hour long Mass, and I tried to take deep breaths and trust that the kids would make it. We bent some of our typical Mass rules to make it through without disturbing others since there was really no where we could go with a loud baby. I let Isaac snack a bit which is normally not our family policy. Also, I pulled out books to let them look through. They were religious books, but usually I prefer the girls not to look at books during Mass anymore since they are old enough to be participating. Three hours is a long time to sit still and quiet for young children, so we did what we could. I guess because of all this rule bending and the extended time, I felt the kids were not as good as they usually are at Mass. I was discouraged by this. Isaac didn't really cry, but he was loud especially when he was looking at his books and yelling Jesus in his typical fashion. But I was surprised again at how many people came up to me and told me how wonderful my kids were during the Mass. One older lady touched my cheek and said the sweetest things to me about my family. Several nuns practically crawled over the scattered chairs after it was over to tell me things like, "I have never seen kids behave so well in all my life," or "I wish all moms took care of their children the way you do." I was so touched and uplifted because I didn't think I was doing anything particularly special to warrant such praises. It was oddly humbling because I had been thinking I hadn't done a very good job of keeping them all quiet and still so as not to interfere with others' participation in the Mass. So I refuse to take any of the credit. Again, thanks be to God!

Pope Benedict XVI praying the Angelus outside

The nativity scene in the Vatican piazza

We saw many nativity scenes in every church and the girls called them activity scenes. They enjoyed looking at all the different activity scenes.

After the Mass we went to lunch with about a dozen seminarians and our priest friend. That was very enlightening and refreshing. It is rare to be surrounded by priests and nuns these days, so we relished it.

Then we headed towards our next adventure...the overnight train back to Germany. I thought the kids might have trouble sleeping, but they did great! Isaac loved the "Choo train" and enjoyed looking out the open window with Daddy for the first hour. Then is was time to read stories and settle in for the night. We had our own little compartment with six chairs lining the walls, three on each side. Hannah agreed to sleep on the floor and Isaac slept on me. Genna laid across two seats and Daddy squeezed in where he could. Within fifteen minutes of turning off the lights, all children were fast asleep for the night. For Brian and I, however, not so much. The train stopped every half hour or hour and then had to check our tickets again. We did not know that we would be stopping so frequently and for about twenty minutes each time while people boarded and such. How ridiculous! How is anyone supposed to actually sleep on one of these trips? That's what I would like to know!

Looking out the window

The trip was seventeen hours total. It was eleven hours before we made our first train change. Then another three hours, then another forty-five minutes, then one last two hour train ride. I was dizzy for days after this never ending train ride. I felt like I was still on a train, especially when I closed my eyes. But we had the experience, and now we know never to do it again!