Caroline made her First Communion on Saturday, May 11. The church was filled with all the First Communicants from both the parish school and the parish religion classes (PSR) which Caroline was in. She wore the same dress and veil that I wore for my First Communion in 1987 - that my mom made for me!!! It fit her almost perfectly!
Group photo time before the Mass began
The children all processed in at the beginning of Mass - here Caroline enters our family's pew.
The children all went up to receive Our Lord first, one at a time, before the rest of us did. Here, Caroline's PSR teacher stands beside our pew to cue her to get ready to go up for her turn.
Caroline receiving the Eucharist for the first time!! We also have a print of a close up from the side that they had someone taking to give to the families.
Each child made a banner to hang on the side of the pews. I am not sure how or when this became the norm, but I made a banner when I was in 2nd grade preparing for my First Communion, too. Except mine was on a wire coathanger instead of a nice dowel rod, ha.
After Mass, Father Patrick was available to bless any personal items the children had brought (Caroline brought a new rosary from Gramma and Grampa)...
...and to pose for a picture with them.
Caroline with her PSR teacher, Mr. Lewis, and the assistant, Ms. Theresa, at the reception afterwards.
Caroline with her friends Emma and Claire at the ceremony (yes, they are twins, and yes, Caroline is taller than most kids her age!).
Here she is with her friend Raina (who is one of the few kids her age close to her height!). She also wore a family dress that had been worn by several older relatives for their First Communions! These three friends (plus three more we didn't get pictures with)are all homeschooled... they made up quite a large chunk of the 2nd grade PSR class this year.
We stayed briefly at the reception and then headed home for our own family party, and for more photos! Cecilia and Lucy posed with their big sister.
Caroline with her godparents: Karen, who was my best friend in high school, and Mike, one of my brothers.
Caroline with Gramma and Grampa...
...and Uncle Tim...
...and Daddy and Mommy...
...and Gran and Grandad...
...and Aunt Sara.
Then I finally let her go change her clothes! ;)
The party food - yum! Tim monitors everything from his spot in the corner. He'd gotten permission to come home from the seminary a day early and driven here from Ohio early in the morning to be able to make it in time, after having just gotten over an illness - we were so glad he could be here!
We had roast beef with horseradish, turkey, ham, cheese, rolls, a fruit tray with dip, blue cheese buffalo chicken dip with carrots and celery sticks, cheese cubes, an olive cheese ball and a cream cheese bacon dip with crackers, a veggie platter with dip, and ro-tel sausage cheese dip with tortilla chips... plus cake and cookies!
The cake, from Publix. I had bought a decorative chalice to place on it, but... I couldn't find it. :/ Maybe it will make an appearance before Cecilia's First Communion!
The cookies!! I made some lamb shaped cookies because Caroline prayed the Little Lamb of Jesus novena for nine days prior to her First Communion day.
I also made these chalice and host cookies and had a blast decorating them excessively with royal icing and sprinkles and shimmery powder stuff... trying to make them a super special treat for a very special occasion!
Here is a close-up of one of the cookies. The sprinkles were done in several different patterns for variety.
And a picture with the flash. I couldn't decide which was better.
You can see the First Communion paper dessert plates we used under the cookies.
The best way I know to celebrate a huge milestone - lots of food for lots of family members!
Aunt Crystal helps Caroline put on a necklace from her and Uncle Mike.
Pretty!!!
The cookie recipe made a ton of cookies... more than 50 of them, I think. So we served them on the table along with putting some out in a basket as favors for people to take home (and I still ate waaay too many of them!).
I found the First Communion tags here at Shower of Roses. Just printed them out and tied them on the baggies with pretty white ribbons! Everything white on this day!! :)
The drinks: mango iced tea with honey and coffee punch!
Caroline opening presents from everyone... she got so many generous gifts, including a Bible,bookmarks, jewelry, a rosary, and holy cards!
It was a special day for her - how I love to celebrate these special days in the faith formation of my children!
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