SOMETIMES I ACTUALLY WORK

A few years ago one of my religious education students was still standing in the doorway when everyone else had been picked up.  This little third grader was the daughter of a prominent cardiologist and her parents are very on top of things so I wasn't concerned.  Usually, if this happens, I have to comfort the child, but this little girl began by assuring me:  "My dad was supposed to pick me up, but, well....you know....sometimes he actually has to work."  I could hardly stifle my laughter.

Well, I actually have to work, too.....in addition to handling crisis after crisis, and driving to therapy in distant cities.

This has seemed to be a particularly busy and stressful year, somehow.  I thought I'd just share a few photos and a run-down of a few of the things that have been keeping me busy:

There are always Confirmation events (2 a month!)

And I hosted a Bingo Night for the Religious Ed families

There is a bit of a funny story behind this.  For many years, before I became Catholic, one thing I thought was just wonderful about Catholics was how they built community by getting together to play Bingo!  Little did I know that Bingo is, whenever I've seen it, simply a fundraiser to keep a school open....drawing not on parishioners, but on the wider community.....  I was so disappointed!  I vowed that I'd darned well, make my mistaken vision a reality - at least for one night.  It was; it was a lot of fun.

And we had our Annual Mother/Daughter Conference

The point of this conference is to introduce young girls to the idea of the many changes which accompany adolescence.  It works beautifully, setting mom up as the expert and confidante, "breaking the ice" so to speak so moms and daughters can feel comfortable talking about these things, and presenting some of the "basics".  Usually I have a special speaker who does that "the basics" part.  I do something sweet about imitating the saints, but this time my special speaker couldn't come.  I tried to get someone else, to no avail....this less-than-easy talk was left in my lap.  Oh, well - there is a nice video which covers most of the "difficult" parts.  But - wouldn't you know!  While it worked perfectly the last time we did this presentation, this time - it was dead.  It would not work; I couldn't find the copy.  There was nothing for it - I was left to replicated ALL of the "difficult" content.  But, as so often happens.....my despair led to coming up with a slightly different way to present the stuff; my prayers availed me of the help I needed to un-clench my jaw and talk.....and it went really well.

And we put on our Easter Vigil Afterglow (beginning at 11 p.m.)

I am totally confused as to how a big social, food-service event became my responsibility.....everyone rises to their level of incompetence, I guess.  But, it went fine....and my varicose veins didn't even suffer as much as last year.  I thought the room looked attractive, and the food was pretty good, too.

During Lent I led a weekly faith-sharing group

I took a photo of this corner of the room I used just to show the custodians, actually.  Since I got really tired of having to move that big heavy couch all by myself into this position every week.  There is no reason it can't stay just this way!

During Lent we had a big "Intergenerational Lent Event" - which was a "biggie" as you can tell:

I think they had fun!

We got them "up and moving around" (as they say)

And on Palm Sunday weekend we had our Butter and Chocolate Lamb sale to raise money to donate to New Horizons for Children.  That was an enormous amount of work, but we made over $800 I think.

I should have some photos of butter lambs around, but I don't for some reason!

Now we are moving into first communion season.  We have a Solemn First Communion Mass on May 5, but for a variety of reasons there are always a number of children who make their first communion individually....as this little girl on Easter morning.  (So much for Easter breakfast......)