Isaac's First Reconciliation

Isaac had his First Reconciliation on Paml Sunday!  His godfather was here and got to hear his confession.  Isaac got to pick out a tub of ice cream to share with the family afterwards.  He was nervous, but he said he felt so much better afterwards.  We are so happy for him and proud of him.  Next up, First Communion in Italy!  It is still in the works, but we are trying to set it up in Florence at San Miniato.  Hopefully, that works out.  It would be so perfect since seven and a half years ago, our favorite monk called us on the phone saying he had been praying for us and the upcoming birth of our son, Isaac.  Turns out we were at the hospital still in the delivery room holding our newborn baby boy when he called.  He's now an abbot at San Miniato.

They don't have palms here, just these holly branches or something.

Isaac and his godfather 

And just because we were dressed up and he's a cutie pants...pictures of Bobby and me.

Genna's 1st Reconciliation

Genevieve received her First Reconciliation last Monday night.  She had been fairly nervous in the months leading up to this day, but we did a lot of talking about it, different examination of consciences with the whole family, and even a practice run through with Isaac as the priest.

Genna planned to go behind the screen so we set up our pretend confessional using the pantry door.  They had scripts that I typed out.  I wrote some common kids sins and a couple of crazy ones that I know she hasn't done.  Hannah did the first practice run with Isaac since she is an old pro at this now so Genna could watch.  Then Genna gave it a go.  She's smiling because, "it feels weird calling Isaac Father."

Everything went well.  She ran back and was the first one in the confessional which was quite different from Hannah being indecisive about which line to get in and being almost last.  She felt Great! afterwards she said.  We carried on the tradition of getting Frostys from Wendys after for all the kids and giving her flowers.  Instead of a family dinner before like last year, we did a lunch with friends (their daughter was receiving her sacrament as well) earlier in the day.

1st Reconciliation

 Hannah had her first Reconciliation last Wednesday.  She was very well prepared and I could tell by the questions she asked me on occasion while doing her examination of conscience that she was really thinking and praying about it.  She told me that she never forgets her sins and that it was easy.  The bad thing is that she never forgets anyone else's sins either, she told me, but she said that she tries not to think of them.

She wasn't even very nervous.  This is her in line with her book of sins.  She wrote them down so she could remember them.

Before pic- Excited!

 Hannah was last in line since she couldn't decide which priest to go to.  She said that she liked them all.  So we just picked a line and even ended up switching when the other line moved faster.

After pic- Can you see the difference in her smile?

 After she was finished, Hannah said that she felt like a "newborn baby."

Father lovingly teased her and made her feel right at home.  He even told her she was his best confessor that day.

Genna kind of messed up this picture with her itchy nose, but I didn't notice it at the time and therefore did not have a redo.

While she was in line, her daddy went to the store to get her some roses and picked us each up a Junior Frosty to celebrate.