He Has Risen, Alleluia

It is the end, it is the beginning it is the climax.  So much happens liturgically today.  If you allow yourself to follow along you will feel apart of something so much bigger than even this world.  The Easter Vigil Mass is full of little signs, they are everywhere.  Take in what you can and enjoy!

Looks like Easter is upon us!  I love the smells in the back of church this week.  

We had a friend joining the church today at the Vigil Mass so we wanted to see what was going on.  Sugar, Jumba and Bagel went several hours early to save a "good" seat for the family.

The twins got ready next and we all headed off.

Pooler's friend Dalton decided that he wanted to learn more about the Catholic church.  It took him a while but his appetite for information is a beautiful thing.  He entered RCIA months ago and is being baptized today!  Pooker is his sponsor.  We are beyond excited for him!

Our climate in Houston is good enough that we can start our Vigil outside.  Everyone gathers as is handed a candle.  The reading begin at the beginning of time and it is visualized with the bon fire that spreads into the church with every candle.  Each of us carry Christ message into the world, we are the light of Christ.  So many little things can be seen in the ceremony on tonight.  I love it!

The church fills with light as people come in.

Taken form St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, The Woodlands TX Facebook page

When the lights go on we can all see that the tabernacle light is off and the doors are open.  We are without for a little longer, but don't fret because He Has Risen! 

I know it we cannot see it in these pictures but our friend is being baptized.  We are so happy for him.  Our hearts sore with joy.

In these pictures he is being Confirmed.  This is so beautiful.  Congrats to Dalton and Welcome to the Catholic family!

Pooker and Dalton represented the entire congregation as they brought up the gifts for us.

The Mass was beautiful and notice that as Mass ended the tabernacle was now closed and the red sanctuary light was on.  Our Lord is fulling present again within the Eucharist.  

We were so joyful during this remarkable time.  Here I am with a friend from church.  Adam was very excited to share with us his Fourth Degree Knight status and informed Jason that I wanted a picture with him.  I did so it was all good.

We just love this family.  The K family had one of the children in a car accident a week back so she wasn't able to join them.  She is recovering well (thankfully) but has several breaks in both of her legs.  We were excited to see that our colors complemented each other so well.  This is family that always matches as well for the holidays.

Without being Catholic themselves, Dalton's family wanted to support him.  We are so very happy for this young man.  Welcome to the Catholic family!

Chris is in the striped shirt to the left.  He is always popping up in our family pictures.  We have come to expect it.  I am not sure how he knew what color to wear but he was ready.  Love that kid.

JavaJava joined us for this Mass and it was very special having the entire group together.  He and Pooker made sure he would match as well.  We learned an important lesson looking at this picture later.  JavaJava and Pooker need to make sure they are near each other in future pictures.  That is one gorgeous group of people.  I wish I had gotten a picture directly after Mass.  We were too late and bing rushed out of the church.  I like to try to get out Easter and Christmas chats with the tabernacle in the background.  There are too many of us to see the most important part of what makes out church so special.  

I have to include our dear friends the W family.  They went to Mass the next morning but shared their picture with us.  It fits to put it here.

Happy Easter! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Egg Time

It is time to sort out the details that make Easter fun.  While we pray and attend services and say the stations of the cross to understand our Lord's love for us, we also do little things for preparing.  Eggs are a sign of new life and rebirth.  Christ died so that we have new life.   

Before we can color them we must prepare them.  60 eggs should be enough for all these guys to dye a few eggs.

I was quite surprised when Pickle came down and starting poking the eggs causing many of them to crack.  I don't know why he did it but I was furious.  I made a few more and hoped that we could all have a fun time together, coloring the eggs.

Good Friday meant one simple meatless meal.  We didn't even mind that we didn't have a lot because we were spending time with each other. JavaJava and Pooker had just returned from visiting with his family and were just in time for some serious egg preperations.

Everyone was home.  This time is rare.  Sugar flew in that afternoon, and Bear had arrived the evening before.  All my kiddos were here. Do you know what that means . . . a mess.  Let me just say that in the end there were only about 35 eggs that survived to be hidden by the Easter Bunny. It looks like they had fun.  I am thankful that the mess was outside!

This is one of my favorite pictures.  It isn't the pretty Easter shot but it is the Good Friday one.  We just have the messy first to get to the pretty.  We must go through Good Friday to arrive at Easter Sunday!