Today our extended family gathered for my newest niece’s baptism. There was much rejoicing as Veronica Rose, youngest of six, was received into the church. I adore baptisms. I love the promises, the reminder of how faith begins not as something we do but as a gift. I also love seeing everyone. All the kids who are all getting so big—two of her older cousins, Mary and Joseph, were Veronica’s godparents.
Because my in-laws live on the other side of Boston from us, it was an all-day affair for us. We left the house at 8:30 this morning and got home at about 7:30. All the kids were exhausted and cranky by the time we got home and bedtime was an unpleasant ordeal; but it was totally worth it to get to spend the day eating wonderful food and being with wonderful people. I love our family.
Midway through Mass I discovered Anthony’s first tooth when he shoved my finger in his mouth and I felt a sharp place on his gum. It’s funny because just the day before I’d commented on his recent excessive drooling and how all my kids really drooled at about four months but then didn’t actually get teeth till seven or eight months and all that time everyone would be telling me they were teething. Ha! What do they know? It’s not teething, it’s just drool! So I assumed the drool was the same with Anthony. And I thought it was cute how excited he was to be putting anything and everything into his mouth. I even bought him a new teething ring. But it never occurred to me that he was actually teething.
I was totally unprepared to feel that sharp little point in his mouth and spent the rest of Mass thinking about it. Oh so not ready to deal with my sweet little nursling biting me. That’s when nursing suddenly becomes so much less cuddly. And with all my kids even if they aren’t biting, I find those lower teeth uncomfortable as they scrape when baby sucks. Oh well. I suppose I’ll have to embrace this new season whether I’m ready or not.
I’m not as much of an introvert as you are but I know what you mean. I am finally almost done unpacking and setting everything up, even hanging everything up but I know I need a day or two to not do much of anything. I tried to say Morning Prayer yesterday and got nonstop interruptions. I couldn’t even get past the Invitatory without “Mom!” this and “Mom!” that. Throw in the electrician at 8:30 and the next thing I knew it was lunchtime. Not having a chance to rest or recharge for myself has also made me snippy, impatient and unbelievably moody. Usually I take Sundays as my “day off” but unpacking/setting up has usurped that for over a month. Cecilia, if you can believe it, asks to do “school” every day and she has even got Felicity asking to do it too. It is wonderful, except for the fact that I’m not organized or recharged enough yet. One of my goals this week, as I am so close to being out of things to do in the unpacking/set up category, is to just take some time for me to recharge.
Hope you get your much-needed recharge time!!!
Oh I know exactly how you were feeling!!! May you find the peace… And the bread… That you need. Yes prayer is just that, isn’t it. It will bubble up from your heart… A well you can’t keep down