First Communion

My oldest niece, Halle, had her first communion Saturday. It was a lovely, sunny day in Perrysburg, and the ceremony was in the lovely, ornate, St. Rose church. Halle was chosen from her class to bring up the offertory, a special honor for her that was no surprise to me.

Grandma and Grandpa Hoying made the trip, and we all had Eston's cake and sandwiches afterward. Oh, yes, and mimosas.

On my First Communion, I remember--other than have the blessed Eucharist for the first time--that I received from my parents a bag of cat food in a paper grocery sack, a symbolic present to announce the arrival of my new kitten, who I later named Skittles. In Perfect Parent form, it was written on the bag that my kitten's fur was completely white and still too young to be taken from her mother.

What a special, special day.

(Emersyn whispered to me after church: "Do you know that the wine is Jesus' blood?")

Yes, my dear, I do. And I am so grateful for what that means.

I think they do, too.