Life Passages and a Giveaway

It's been a while since I had time to post, but life happens. This is going to be a long one so bear with me, or quit now!

FIRST COMMUNION

I was raised in the Catholic Church and went to Catholic school until fourth grade, so my religion along with all of it's rituals, is very important to me. All of my children were baptized in the Catholic faith, received their First Communion and Confirmation. Three of the four were married in the church, and my son has had last rites twice. All of my grandsons have been baptized in the church and now the oldest, Payton, has received his First Communion. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. I was excited when I received the invitation.

I've been questioning him about his preparation as it had gotten closer. I especially tried to help him with Reconciliation! Payton was one of ten in his class. My heart was about to burst as I saw him walk down the aisle!

This is as "holy" as Payton can look!

We decided to have dinner at our house, following ten o'clock Mass, in honor of Payton. Many relatives were here including both sets of grandparents, Great Grandma Bev from Texas, great aunts and uncles, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I didn't make much of the food, but it was delicious! We served buffet style.

The tables were set in the dining room, family room, and sun room.

His brothers watched as he opened his gifts. He received a rosary, religious medals, books, enough money to open a savings account of his own, and a Walter Payton rookie card. (Walter Payton is his namesake.)



FUNERAL

As all of this preparation for First Communion was going on we were in contact with my Aunt Ruth in Tennesee. My Uncle Bob had been in the hospital for a week when he had a major cardiac arrest last Friday. When they revived him he was put on a ventilator. It didn't appear as though there was brain activity, but they did some tests and waited a few days to make sure. My Aunt Corrine flew to Tennessee on Sunday from Texas, and we put Mom on a plane Monday morning. Monday afternoon he was taken off of the respirator and took his last breathes.

My Aunt Ruth didn't marry Bob until she was 35. OMG! 35! We thought she was an old maid! Oh, how your view changes as you become older and wiser. They didn't have children together and my sister and I have always been very close to my aunt.
Wednesday Bud and Kathy, my sister, picked me up from school and we drove through the night to get to Tennessee. Thursday we attended the funeral for Bob. Friday we spent the day doing a little shopping and Bud fixed a few things around the house for Ruthie. We headed home Saturday morning. We will be going back in June to do some more work on the house so she can get it ready to sell.
GIVEAWAY

So, my 100th post has passed and I am prepared to do a giveaway. So, leave a comment on this post before Monday, May 18th and I will enter your name in the drawing. If you post and you are a follower, I'll enter your name twice! If you post and mention my giveaway on your blog I will enter your name three times. Just be sure to mention in your post if you've put it on your blog. " What will I win?" you ask! Well, I will make you an apron similar to this one:

And this one:


You get to choose the color. And once it's yours you can do what you want with it--wear it, give it as a gift, sell it, or dust with it. I don't care once it is yours! BUT, you probably will not receive it until the end of June. What with it being the end of the school year, and full weekends, I'm just not sure I'll get it done before then. I might, but then again, I might not!