Catholic Carnival #151

Merry Christmas, dear readers! If you have a little extra time in your Christmas stocking this week, be sure to check out Ebeth's gift to us ... a lovely, Rockwell-themed Carnival full of thoughtful posts that will nourish both mind and spirit. So head to "A Catholic Mum Climbing the Pillars" with a hot mug of toddy and enjoy!

To be honest, I was a little late opening this particular gift this year. We were out of power for three and a half days, and got to experience our own frenetic version of the

"Twelve Days of Christmas."

Twelve meals a'grilling,

Eleven stores a'hitting,

Ten gas cans pouring (into the generator),

Nine children dancing (really only three, if you count the dog, but seemed like more),

Eight Kleenex-boxes emptying (did I mention I have a cold?)

Seven piles of snowgear melting,

Six loads of dishes a'washing (yes, by hand),

Five pumpkin pies (one at a time in the convection oven)!

Four new DVD's (still in the box)

Three indoor campouts (another round of Scrabble, anyone?),

Two out-of-town guests,

And one Christmas tree without the lights (fa, la, la)!

Next year it's Christmas at Grandma's (in Georgia, where my mother says the power never goes out).

The highlight of this Christmas was the "midnight Mass" (10 p.m. at my church), which my parents attended with us. Craig is singing in the choir, and they came specifically to hear him sing! It was nice to have mom sitting next to me, to belt out the alto part of the Christmas carols.

The other Christmas gift, serving on the altar with our senior priest were five (count 'em) young men from our parish currently in seminary studies. I feel a little guilty admitting this, when there are so many other parishes closing -- even here in Michigan -- due to shortages of vocations. But we have two priests and two deacons ... and we keep them all busy, all the time. Father Will has a gift with teenagers, and his hard work is bearing rich fruit.

Even with the little inconveniences of powerlessness (thanks, DTE!), we had so much to be thankful for. Family who had traveled all the way from Georgia, and didn't turn back when they heard it would be a dark Christmas. A warm, generator-powered home with outdoor grill to do the turkey and convection oven to do the pies. (No oven, but stove is gas.) Two children who are growing up fast. Christopher got his first "big boy" suit (complete with jacket and vest), and we were delighted to discover he was as quiet as a mouse at Mass "because this is how a gentleman behaves at Mass!") Sarah got her very first watch ... I think we're going to have to wrestle it off her when it's bathtime.

Merry Christmas!