Ashton's First Reconciliation...

Last Monday night, December 10th, Ashton was scheduled to have his first Reconciliation. He has been preparing for it by going to Monday night classes since September as well as practicing lots of prayers at home with me.

We got to the church at 5:00 and sat down with 96 other kids and their families. Father had the service and talked to the kids about making their first confession, then the woman who is in charge of Christian Formation talked to everyone about how the process was going to go.

We were in the second to last row of the church, they were just going to go row by row and have the kids go in to do their confession. There was supposed to be another priest there that night helping, but he was unable to make it apparently, so it was just our priest Father Francisco Pires. After a few kids had gone in and come out, Linda (who is in charge) got up to speak again and explained how long we all might be waiting since it takes at least 3 minutes per child and there were like I said 96 kids. With us sitting in the back, we could have been there for hours. I, as an adult could have waited it out, but there was no way Ashton and Gunnar would sit there for 3 or 4 hours and we didn't expect them to. So she gave people the option to leave and come back the next Monday.

I admit that Lars and I, and well Ashton were all kind of frustrated at that point. We'd had this date on the calendar for a month and it was an important night for Ashton. Unfortunately it was very poorly planned out, so we chose to leave. However we already had plans for this next Monday so I asked Linda on the way out if there was any way Ashton could do his confession on a different night. She isn't the friendliest or easiest person to work with and immediately said "No. It has to be tonight, or next Monday." So I said, okay...I guess I'll call Father and talk to him about it.

I left him a message that night and his secretary called me the next day saying that we could bring Ashton in on Wednesday the 12th at 5:45. I was so glad.

On Wednesday I was also scheduled to do all the sorting for our Sub for Santa tree at the church at 6:00, so I figured that would work out well. I thought at first maybe Lars could just drive separately and take the boys back home after Ashton was done, but then I thought. No. This was a perfect opportunity for us as a family to help out with the sub for santa stuff together. I have to admit that sometimes it's just easier to do stuff like that without them, but I need to be better about making them come along.

After Ashton did his confession (we were so proud of him!), we got started sorting gifts and the boys jumped right in and were so happy to help. Gunnar collected boxes and brought them to us, while Ashton helped us check things off as we looked through all of the donated gifts. We explained why were doing it and who the gifts were going to and as I sat there, once again I saw God working in our lives...After that frustrating situation with having to leave Monday night, here we were doing something great together as a family. Such a blessing in disguise and so obvious to me that it worked out that way for a reason. So many times in my life I see things like that.

I didn't get any pictures that night, but here is a recent one of Ashton.

 He is growing his hair out and it is longer now than it ever has been his entire life.

It's been driving me a little bit crazy, but now that it is a bit longer and lays down better, it's growing on me and I actually kind of like it ;)
He sure is growing up fast...