First Communion

Michael made his first Communion today. He's such a big kid that I can't believe it.

This picture is of him at the reception afterward. If he looks relaxed, I think he is. He did the second reading today, and though it was only two sentences, I think he was nervous. I know I was nervous. He got to the pulpit, tapped the microphone to see if it was working, read the reading (which he's been practicing for two weeks), and stepped down. We were so proud.

The Mass was really nice. I wonder if my family came away from my Communion Mass so uplifted. I think Michael was nervous as well receiving the Eucharist for the first time. The ceremony was designed to that we would be right there observing him taking Communion for the first time, so we saw him eat the wafer, almost forget which hand he needed to make the sign of the cross with, and take the wine (I forgot to asked him how it tasted). Lori was tearing up off and on during Mass, and at that moment, I tried hard not to as well. My first son is a big kid, and he has been for some time, not just because he made his first Communion (and not because he's so damn tall for his age). Today was another milestone, just like his baptism, the day he started walking, the day he started riding a two-wheeler, his first day of kindergarten.

After Mass, we went to Buca di Beppo's for dinner, and we were seated at the Pope's table. We had every grandparent in town this weekend, and it meant so much for them to be here. The boys closed out the long day swimming with Grandpa Jim and getting frozen yogurt. We've been looking forward to this weekend for a long time. It lived up to its expectations.

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