Yesterday, on Mother's Day, four of our beloved grandchildren made their First Holy Communion together at an 11:30 Mass: son #4's triplets (identical twin boys and their sister) along with one of son #3's daughters (the middle child of his five). They are all in second grade together at the same Catholic school; one of the boys is in the same class as his sister, and the other has his cousin as a classmate. How great is it that these kids get to grow up together, go to school together, and receive the sacraments together? To receive the Holy Eucharist for the very first time together?! What a blessing it is, for them, and for all of us Pearls.
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| At the after-party, at son #3's house. |
Speaking of Pearls: the names of the eight children who were making their First Holy Communion yesterday were listed via projector on the wall of the church before the Mass started; and how awesome it was to see that half of the kids on that list had the same last name. None of my first cousins lived anywhere near us when I was growing up (there were only eight of them, all on my mother's side). I can't get over how special it is that these eight Pearl cousins are neighbors and classmates, and they have five more Pearl cousins who live less than two hours away and with whom they get to spend time regularly. (And thank goodness for our Vrbo lake house up in NY, where all 23 of our grandchildren get to spend a week together every summer!)
I can't imagine what our life would be like if we hadn't had the courage to leave NH in 2017 and move down here. When we first got to VA, the four First Communicants were all still in their mothers' wombs. The triplets would be born shortly after our move, and their cousin a few months later. We have literally watched them grow up; we've had front-row seats. And we got to watch them receive Our Lord for the first time yesterday--what an honor for their Papa and Grammy.As their big day was approaching, I got all nostalgic and wanted to look for pictures of myself on the occasion of my First Holy Communion. But unfortunately, very few of those exist. I remember seeing one many years ago, a blurry black-and-white snapshot of me in my white dress and veil, standing in front of our house, holding a little white purse and the missal I'd received during my Catechism classes leading up to the sacrament...but I couldn't tell you where that picture is. (I was at a public school then, and wouldn't start attending Catholic schools until mid-way through third grade; so I was in CCD classes for Communion prep.) I do have one small color snapshot of me in my Communion dress, taken at a May Crowning ceremony where I had been given the honor of being crown bearer. I have vague memories of being surrounded by much older kids, and from the looks of them in the photo, they were probably high-schoolers.
My mother was an archivist of family memories, a scrapbooker and photo album keeper; she saved every scrap of memorabilia imaginable (and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to her eldest daughter--I am just like her in that respect!). So years ago, she passed this photo on to me along with the May Crowning program, stained and yellowed with age. I love that she even saved that program!
My mother used to sew quite a bit, and she had made my dress herself. It was cotton eyelet, an A-line number with short puffy sleeves, and it had an empire waist with a white velveteen ribbon around it, tied in a bow in back. It was a fairly simple dress. One of my memories from the day I made my First Communion was of another little girl in white in my First Communion class informing me, "You have the wrong kind of dress." (I was a shy kid and I'm sure I said absolutely nothing in reply.) I do remember looking around after she said that, at all the lace and tulle and long, full skirts, and thinking that my dress was indeed different than most of the others. But because my mother had made it, I thought it was the best. That comment might have cut me to the quick another time; but I don't remember feeling hurt by it that day.
Maybe the only thing I do wish was different about my sweet little First Communion dress, looking at it now, is that it had been a bit longer and had fallen below my knees. But this was 1966, and I think hemlines were creeping upward. Look at the gal in pink, though--I'm just loving her 60's vintage dress. And her lace chapel veil.
I still have the beautifully illustrated little missal that I received shortly before my First Communion day. Sixty years later, I still have it. I cherish it.
This sweet little book is one of my most precious possessions.
We gave each of our grandchildren Rosary holders that I'd found on Etsy, featuring St. Michael for the boys and Our Blessed Mother for the girls. Also, cards with $10 in them. I wonder if any of them will have those Rosary holders 60 years from now? I wonder if any of them will be as sentimental as their dear old Grammy?
