Is It Still March?

Yes, it is. Seems like I've lived at least a month in the past few days, though. Funny because January and February moved slow as snails and I felt like I was in January the whole blessed time. Now that March is here it is just blowing right by. I guess that's why it's wind?

Well, since it's still March I feel compelled to write well. Can't wait till April and the pressure's back off. It will be back to the writing worthy of deletion for me. So, today was Malcolm's First Communion Retreat. Wow. Big title for second graders, huh? It was actually fun, funny and bittersweet. Fun because the religious educators are really good teachers and they know how to make learning fun. Funny because........well.......Malcolm is my kid and he's funny. Bittersweet because I know how much my mom would have loved to share this with Malcolm and it makes me and him think of her a lot. It's funny because driving to the church I was thinking of ma and how I would like to talk to her on the phone after the retreat and let her know how it went and tell her some funny story about Malcolm. And.....it's as if she heard me.

I have composed a list - albeit a short one - for the day. I find I write well (and I use that term loosely. "Well" when referring to my writing means just that it wasn't deleted. ;o) when forced to stick to the confines of a list. So, a list it is!

March 6, 2010. First Communion Retreat

1. Malcolm was uber-excited (are you paying attention?) about getting to see the "back of the church." This is a little seen area behind the altar. I must say I was a little excited, too because I couldn't for the life of me remember what the heck was back there (I was pretty sure it wasn't Jesus, though ;o). So, he's first in line during the entire church tour part of the retreat (right behind the deacon). And when he goes behind the altar the microphones just happen to be set to pick up all noise behind the altar. So, the entire church heard him when he said, "Wow! It's a big kitchen back here!!!"

2. He had a strange look on his face when he sat back down next to me after practicing receiving the unconsecrated host and wine (stick with me all you non-Catholics ;o). I said, "Are you okay, bubby?" He said, "Yes, but that tasted awful." I said, "Yeah, I know. It doesn't taste all that great." He said, "No, it doesn't taste like Jesus." ;o)

3. He cried while we watched a movie called, "Grandma's Bread." Curiously, we both pointed to it when we saw it on the agenda. I was dreading it and I am not sure what he was thinking. It was a tear jerker and I did my best to maintain my composure. It was about a grandma who makes this special Easter bread with her grandson. She dies right before Easter and he goes on to help his family make her special bread for his First Communion celebration. It was probably from the 50's, but surprisingly it was not hokey and it was very sweet. In the car on the way home bubby said, "Mama, I had a really good time at the retreat." I said, "I did too, bubby. What was your favorite part?" He said, "Well, I really liked finally seeing what the heck was in the back of the church. What was your favorite part?" I said, "Well, I liked seeing the back of the church, too. And I really liked that movie." He was surprisingly quiet. Then he said, "Yeah I really liked it, too. It was good, but it was really, really sad though and it made me think of grammy."

"Yeah, I said. Me too."