Patrick's Baptism & Parentheses

Almost two weeks ago, we finally celebrated Patrick's baptism. We would've done it sooner as with our other two, within the first month of their birth, but Patrick was early, we were all getting over that bout with sickness, and then Chris's parents went to Scotland. We'd been hoping to have them attend the baptism since it's a really important sacrament and celebration, but they happened to have a wedding in North Carolina on April 13th, so they missed it anyway. While they were on their trip, we set the date a month in advance, and chose the day when our friend Fr. Pat Lewis was scheduled to administer the sacrament (I think that's how to phrase it; I'm not good with appropriate or correct Catholic phrasing all the time and am working on it).

I had looked forward to this day before and since Patrick was born.

For Patrick's godparents, I'd asked my brother, with whom I am still impressed for continuing to attend church weekly while he was in college, and my friend, whom I admire for her love of and practice of her faith. It's always been difficult to choose godparents because we strongly believe the person should be a good witness of the Catholic faith and either family or close friends.

Because planning and preparing for parties tend to stress me out, I made sure to frequently discuss it with Chris and make my lists (grocery on paper, other items and to-do's in my head, and each scheduled appropriately on the new family calendar Chris and I are attempting to use through Gmail).

I like parentheses. I try to use less of them, but I like them. It's additional information I would like to include, but don't really need to include. Again, unnecessary parentheses for unnecessary information.

Anyway... Chris made grilled cherry chipotle lime chicken and his own brioche buns - regular and a rye version. My mom made fruit salad, a cake, and cupcakes. My grandmother brought fluff, which I do not care for but Chris, Andrew, and apparently many others at the party love since it disappeared rather quickly.

 The baptism was beautiful. Granted, it was not complete without Lucy sucking her thumb and holding my hair for most of it, a breakdown by little Sofia because her mom was by the baptismal font acting as godmother without her, and Lucy falling off the pew during the mother or father blessing (don't remember which, but I was no longer holding her).

It was a beautiful day with a little breeze that would make hair flying in front of my face the norm for most pictures in which I appeared. However, I forgot that with beautiful days and no need to wear a jacket comes with it the likelihood of a sunburn. Lucy, Chris, and I got sunburned. Andrew, in his choice of favorite shirt, wore a long-sleeved shirt and avoided a sunburn. I'm so thankful for the good weather because I don't know how we would've fit so many people in our house.

I'm still excited that my baby has been baptized in Christ and am still looking forward to the day when my two boys can be altar servers (and, of course, receive their First Communion and Reconciliation).

There go those parentheses again.