Isaiah's BIG April highlights

Isaiah had a VERY special month of April.  Not only was it his 8th birthday, but also his 1st Holy Communion!!!  It was so beautiful to see our youngest son finally old enough to receive Jesus!  He has been looking forward to this day for soooooo long.  These past few years he would keep asking me at Mass, "How long until I can receive Jesus?"  And now he can!  His 1st Communion was absolutely grace-filled.  Bishop Anthony Vetter was the celebrant and homilist, and he really made the 1st Communicants feel so special and let them know that receiving the Eucharist is one of the greatest gifts they will ever receive on this side of Heaven.  When he noticed that there were 2 girl 1st Communicants and 2 boys, he said, "PERFECT---2 nuns and 2 priests!"  And then he looked right at Isaiah and said, "Or perhaps a bishop?!"  Isaiah was just beaming inside :)  

As Isaiah was preparing for his 1st Holy Communion, we discussed whether he would like to receive Jesus on the hand or on the tongue.  I was happy that our church still gave the kids the option of receiving on the tongue even though we are still in "Covid times."  I thought Isaiah would probably want to receive on the hand because that's what most of the kids were going to do, and that's even what our family started doing during Covid, but nope---he insisted that he wanted to receive Jesus on his tongue.  He is such a pious little soul...a true traditionalist even at the age of 8! :)  Taylor Marshall (the famous traditional Catholic podcaster) would be proud :)  

A week or two after his 1st Communion was Isaiah's birthday.  He invited his whole class to celebrate with him at a fun indoor trampoline park in town.  We normally don't do big birthday parties like this for our kids, but Paul and I really wanted to get to know some of the families at the kids' new school, so we decided to splurge.  The kids all had fun (well, everyone except Grant who ended up with a black eye when one of his classmates landed on his face in the foam pit--ouch) :(  But other than that, it went smooth and awesome.  Isaiah felt very special and loved all month long---and he is!  

Here are photo highlights of his special events in April:

Here are some of his 1st Communion gifts:

The Bible is from Grandma Theresa and Grandpa Pat

The green rosary is from his Irish Grandma, Grandma Jean

The books are from mom and dad :)

And now the birthday pics...

Happy Birthday sweet Isaiah!

I love you more than the number of jumps

you and your classmates jumped at Flippin Family Fun! :)

My heart is bursting with joy that you are 8

and that you can receive Jesus now!

I'm so proud of how pious and kind you are,

how sweet and helpful you are,

how handsome and holy you are,

how smart and humble you are!

You are JOY and BLESSING to our family!

Keep being YOU

and keep close to Jesus and Mary

always!

Love,

Mom