Allbritton or Nothing: Landen made his First Communion!

I think they call it First Eucharist now, but I'm Catholic old school, and I say "First Communion", "First Confession" and I don't hold hands with my neighbors when I say the Lord's Prayer.

The church requires that the boys wear these white ties that they provide, and there's just no shirt that looks spectacular with a white tie. So I decided that he would wear a white shirt, and I found some gray slacks that fit him perfectly. I'm not bragging as his parent, I'm certain this statement is true: Of all the second-graders receiving their First Communion today, his was the cutest hiney. I did not get a picture of it. You'll have to trust me.

It was important to us that Landen not have less of a celebration than Jake had, so we invited Erin's friends and extended family to participate in this celebration with Landen. It was so great for all of them who came or sent cards to congratulate Landen on his special day. Landen doesn't deserve for his day to be less jubilant, but there was a level of sadness present. Jake's First Communion was a huge deal to Erin, who appreciated all milestones and rites of passage and commemorated them appropriately. Thinking about how she belonged next to Landen at Saturday's student/parent retreat and all the festivities and pomp and circumstance today had me tearing up all weekend. I did not want to cry, because I didn't want any of my sadness to affect Landen's joy and pride.

But she was there, because her friends and family loved her and love the boys enough to come celebrate with him. And he walked down the aisle and received his First Communion (we let him have wine too!) between Corey and me with his mother's pocketwatch in his pocket. Jake supported the initiative and wore Erin's Miraculous Medal around his neck. We all lit candles for her before Mass started too.

Landen loves any excuse to be the center of attention, so a birthday AND a religious rite in the same season is just the bee's knees to this boy. He ended up with $160 and several cool gifts. After church we had a pastalaya lunch at our house - our first soiree in the new abode. I only took pictures before we left the house, outside the church before Mass and after Mass with Father Gary. Traffic patterns caused a logistical delay for getting the meal ready for everybody and in visiting and being a good hostess, I was not sticking a camera in everyone's face. It was a lovely day, and my dear boy is upstairs with visions of holy wine and dollar signs dancing in his head.

He's divine, I tell you. And he loves to dress up. Can't wait until he can do it every day.

Best brothers. Landen is going to shoot up past Jake any day now, and then we're going to have a whole new psychological struggle to contend with on the daily.

My heart goes pitter-pat.

Somebody needs to tell this man's wife she's pale as hell. And YES, Corey and I matched our outfits on purpose.

This is a terrible picture of the boys and a cute picture of me and of Corey.

Y'all have no idea how long it takes me to get a good smile out of these kids. As many times as they've had to pose for pictures on their short lives, you'd think they could just snap to and smile away.