Preparation

 I was talking to my sweet cousin Suzy via Facebook chat last night. She and I both have a child preparing for First Holy Communion this Spring. She asked me if I had started my cooking yet for the celebration after the Mass. Ummm...no. She of course, being Suzy; industrious, never let your hands be idle Suzy, had started cleaning and cooking for the upcoming day and already had stuff in the freezer. Me? Zilch. Zero. Oh, wait, I ordered the cake - does that count? I have also planned the menu and started making a list in my head - does that count? And I had Kenzie start cleaning out my kitchen cupboards. I think she got three of them done the other day. You can't tell anymore that anything had been done to them, either. Such is life with a 2 year old who puts things in all the wrong places and is just...messy. I found a yogurt container in a basket of laundry that was brand clean - now it's a sticky mess! - I think he's out to destroy me.

Anyway, we have about 10 rooms that need a thorough scrub down. Not to mention my rather ambitious menu. Why can't I let myself order out and forget about it? I also have a myriad of other things to do before all the sacrament stuff the last weekend of this month. Jonah is serving so many Masses for the rest of the month, including the Easter Vigil, Easter morning, the Confirmation Mass (with Bishop Conlon!) and the First Communion Mass. So, I had to buy him shoes. I wasn't about to let him serve Mass for the bishop in ratty shoes! Jenna and Kenzie are singing for all of those same Masses. We also are hosting Easter dinner for Doug's side of the family. Before that, we have Meg's choir concert and a birthday party. After Easter, my three middle kids have to spend a week doing standardized testing at a church 20 minutes away. When, exactly, do I think I am going to do all this cooking and cleaning? Anyone out there want to volunteer to help? I need an Alice. Remember her? Always cheerful and kept the Brady Bunch house running smoothly so Mrs. Brady could soothe Jan's hurt feelings and figure out why Bobby was telling lies? Where is Alice when I need her?!

So, any of you ladies have any cleaning and organizing tips or tricks? My plea to Oprah went unanswered, so I guess that means I am going to have to get this place whipped into shape by myself, and it's not looking good. I mean, I don't know if this is something ingrained in me by my mother, or what, but if you have a priest coming for dinner, your house needs to be pretty much spotless. You don't want him dropping his keys in the couch, moving a cushion to retrieve them and pulling out Popsicle sticks or stinky socks, or broken crayons, or  Please God, No! a dirty diaper an old apple core. (Aren't you all just dying to come to dinner now?)

But, we have some of the most important preparations already complete. My Kenzie, who is being Confirmed, has a sweet dress and shoes. She has finished all of her Confirmation work, and is ready. Kolbe and I found a suit, and he has learned his prayers, and his form for Communion. He is so looking forward to it - it's a day he has waited for a long time! I love how excited he is! I have my small gifts for my parish school of religion class  - they are being Confirmed, Kenzie is in my class. I need to find a gift for my Kolbe, and I want it to be meaningful, because he has so looked forward to this day. What a blessing these two sweet, beautiful children are. Both have a tremendous love for the Lord that I try to imitate, rather than the other way around. Their love and faith is as yet completely unquestioning. Blind faith  - what a gift. If only I could make sure they keep in all their lives!