Our Ash Wednesday in pictures

What a FABULOUS evening. I wish we could have started our day with Mass instead of ending it - because it does sharpen your focus, but it was nice to do it as a family where Hubby was playing for the evening. It's always nice to go to the Cathedral - we sit near where Hubby plays the flute which puts us in the front row - which Lovely LOVES because she can see everything, and for some reason still works out great with both girls - even little Val - maybe because they CAN see everything, they sit captivated - I barely had any fidgety issues that can come up at Mass usually for their ages. That makes for a great mommy Mass experience :) I enjoyed it so much - I could feel it in my soul.

I always carry my camera with me in the diaper bag, and aside from the top picture (I always take a pic on Ash Wednesday! I'm a mama dork) I found myself snapping my camera silently before Mass, and one time during. Call me SILLY - but I was really in wonder at Lovely. As we waited before Mass while Hubby practiced, she wanted to go pray across the sanctuary (!!!) at the altar of Joseph and young Jesus. She went all on her own - and I snapped a few pics. She touched me and my soul. Call me a proud mama, a touched mama, a cheesy mama with a camera - but I just wanted to capture it. I just felt so proud and touched and in wonder of childhood faith. Such a innocent thing to witness.

a little closer in...


These pics are just for me to remember these little moments - we're not a perfect family, we haven't raised perfect little church kids...., I'm trying to give up yelling for Lent (!!), but what I felt as I watched her I just wanted to capture somehow to look back on when I need to see this and remember. So please forgive my pictures.

Being in the front row, when it was time for the consecration, there are no kneelers. Being an older, traditional (beautiful) set up - people go and kneel at the altar from the front row. Lovely just went along with everyone else - I was a bit stunned. I needed to sit with Val in the pew - so I had to sneak out my camera again. Again - for ME. I loved locking eyes with my husband in the choir and both of us just feeling...something. Our little girl...being a part of something really BIG.



Anyways - it was a great worship experience. I'm filled with peace and pumped for the season. I got some pics after Mass of Hubby and where he plays, the girls and the beautiful altar (one could just take so many pretty pics here) and some family shots. Why not, eh?




The homily went over much of why we do Lent (and why we give up meat on Fridays - though how in the past it had a different meaning of solidarity/sacrifice with the rich and poor when meat used to be so $$$$$) but Father reminded us how the solidarity with all who practice Lent can be food for the soul. Each Friday - and daily with praying, fasting, and giving - 1 billion people are united in the world doing something to connect us with something great and bigger then ourselves in the same ways. What a feeling that is, when you think about that perspective. It's way bigger than little old me. But then, what Jesus did below....yeah...that's the biggest of all.

A blessed Lenten journey for you....much, MUCH love.