Easter

Easter was a neat weekend for the Keatings! For one thing, we have been sponsoring 4 cadets and we had the pleasure of having one of their girlfriends stay wih us for the weekend. Haley gladly gave up her room and princess pillow from "Aunt" Jenna. I cooked up an early Easter dinner Saturday afternoon. 3 of our cadets, 2 of which were football players, joined us along with a mom, brother and sister who were in town. I can't remember the last time I cooked so much food! Something that was special to me was using my Grandma's china that my Grandpa had bought her while stationed in Germany. I also used her silver for the first time. My Aunt passed it along to me when we moved back to the states last year. I remember admiring the china and silver when I was little. It was a treat for us kids to ever get to use it.

Easter vigil was that night. I did my 1st Eucharist and Confirmation. I had never been to a Catholic Easter Service. It was really beautiful! We "candidates" gathered around a firepit outside. Father Hurley said a few words and some prayers. The congregation waited outside the chapel for us to enter first. We had candles and lit them as we entered. The chapel was still dark. The pulpit was the only dim light, and there were scriptures and readings following the story of Christ's crucifixion. At the point where he was resurrected, the lights came on and you could see the multitude of flowers and the beautiful baptismal fountain. It has been a gradual, deliberate process for me to join this faith. It felt good and right, especially when we went up as a family on Sunday to take Eucharist together. We are blessed!!