Blessings of St. Nicholas

We started on the "eve" around here. It was foggy and rainy and miserable (inside and out) on Friday and I was making honey cakes for some fairly ungrateful children. The only solution for that these days is doing something to make someone outside of our family happy. So, we packed up five boxes of cakes, colored some St. Nicholas pictures, stuck on a blessing and headed out.

 

 

DH was the helper and hung them on the doors of our friends' homes and stealthily made his escape. There was one close call which only added to the excitement in the car. Leaving packages for friends while driving around to look at Christmas lights...I highly recommend it!

St. Nicholas gave said children a little more than I would have liked (hee, hee) but he's got more compassion than I. By the end of the day they had earned all their loot through good works for others. And who can argue with little man who is now on a mission to seek out and eat all the gold coins?

wait...there is chocolate in my shoe?

 

After breakfast the older three had monthly CCD and then the group headed to the local nursing home to sing Christmas carols. This is my least favorite thing...ever. There is something so humbling when I see these lovely old people, at the end of their lives. It is so touching how much they love interacting with the little ones. It was such an amazing experience to have today, on the feast of St. Nicholas, who gave with love to those who need it most.

I think we'll talk to them about it tomorrow. I will be interested to hear their thoughts. They had lots of little kid comments..."those old people were really nice; I liked making them happy"

my sweet pot-bellied blonde

After the carols, home for lunch and out again with #1 & #2. He requested that she attend his First Penance as moral support. It was really touching how she was able to calm him when he was so nervous at the start. It was a beautiful glimpse into what, I hope, is a deeply connected relationship throughout their lives.

What a great First Penance service! Our religious education department is awesome and even though some of the little boys were too scared to go to the chair alone at first, everyone made it through. The principal/nun called #2 to make his penance and he didn't even look back. Afterward he said, "when a principal and a nun tell you it's your turn, you can't say 'no'" LOL. Here is the newly cleansed boy. We shall see how long he stays shiny ;0)

 

What an amazing day. One of those that you just see and feel God all around and the peace that only He can give. I even ran through the pouring rain with a grateful heart. I pray I, too, can keep this feeling for a while. It seems like the perfect way to celebrate Advent.

 

We are blessed!