A Party for a Priest

A few weeks ago, pre-Sandy storm, we did a quick drive up to Brooklyn to celebrate Jocelyn's father's 40th anniversary of being a Father (the one with the capital F - as in ordained as an Episcopalian priest).

It was a really big deal.  Family from all over the world came to celebrate with the him and the family.

Aunts, Uncles, Friends, Cousins... everyone went to Brooklyn.

It's good when people come together for happy occasions.

I ran a race that Saturday (blog post to come on that soon) and Jocelyn was in Florida for a work conference.  She flew to Brooklyn Saturday night and I drove to Brooklyn Saturday night with the kids.  One of my best friends (a key member of that "village" I am always talking about) came down from NY on Friday night just so that he could help  drive me back to NY Saturday night - he did me the biggest "solid" and mitzvah ever!  Thank you Uncle Greg!

And it was a good thing, as en route to NY on Saturday night  - about 1 hour into the drive - kids asleep - dark and cold outside - we hit something in the road and got a flat tire... yep we did...

We pulled over on I95, called Triple A and waited as the cars and trucks zoomed by.  The truck came within 20minutes.  They changed our tire and put our donut on - without us getting out of the car.  Totally awesome!  THANK YOU TRIPLE A GUYS!

We made it to Brooklyn and Jocelyn was waiting for us.  Of course when we got there both kids got up an spent the whole rest of the night carrying on in our one room... uugggghhh.

We made it to the morning and then there was plenty of family around to entertain the kids.  It was a really great day for the kids playing with all of their family.  We got a new tire for the car and joined the family at the house for the celebrating.

Around 1pm the amazing food started arriving on the table and more people gathered around.  There was a serious feast spread out before us.  Around 4pm, we all made our way to church for the special mass and ceremony.

Jonah and Vera were dressed in their very best.  We had seats reserved for us in the first row.  Jocelyn gave the first reading.  Jonah & Vera lasted in the service just that long... about 15 minutes before they both totally lost it... their two cousins sitting next to us, remained the whole time... such is life (they are 1 1/2 and 3 1/2 mos).  But Jonah and Vera did manage to make their voices heard.  When Grandpa walked into the church, Vera screamed Grandpa, Grandpa and was fighting to run to him on the pulpit.  I managed to calm her down by force feeding her goldfish crackers.  Then Jocelyn got up for her reading and Jonah started screaming, "Monsters, Monsters, Mama we have to get the monsters..."  At that point, most of the church ladies, as I call them, started laughing...  I was hoping someone would just grab the holy water and sprinkle my kids with it to exorcise the demons within them (and so they would shut the hell up...) but no such luck.  After her reading, Jocelyn walked back to our seats and both kids were screaming at that point, so she picked up Jonah and I picked up Vera and we walked all the way out of the church...  many church goers smiling a knowing smile and chuckling as we walked by...

We hung out in the front of the church for a while playing in the yard.  Then we just had to wait the 3 hours for the services to be over.  After, we made a quick appearance at the reception in the church basement.  The Bishop made a point to tell us what a lovely family we have and he laughed at our how vocal our kids were... he thought it would serve them well in the future.

Quickly we took some pictures and headed back to the house to change in to PJs and pack the car.  Sandy was coming to NY and we needed to get to DC.  We would pass each other in the dark Sunday night - we left late and got home early Monday morning safe and sound.  Thank you "powers that be" for taking care of us that night. 

It was a good trip.  It was a trip worth making. When it comes to big moments in your family's life - it is always important to make the trip - if it is at all possible.  That's how we roll over here. 

Amen to that!

Ending on Easter, Egghausted and Exhaling...

It is very very very late... but I promised a post every day and we need to end our holiday celebration on a high note so here we go!  We woke up in Brooklyn this morning for Easter Sunday and put on our Easter best.  Jocelyn's dad is the priest at the Episcopalian church and we go every year to 9am morning services.  This morning was sunny and beautiful.  As always, we sat in the first row, reserved for the family of the priest.  The kids made it through 90 minutes of the 120 minute services.  Jonah and Vera sang their own words to many of the songs.  Vera was happy happy happy until she wasn't and then she was just tired.  Jonah was good but then just needed to get out and run.  They did better than some of adults that I know.  After church, there was plenty of running around with their cousins and friends in the front yard.  We also wished many of the neighbors a Happy Passover-as the church is right in the middle of Crown Heights-a religious Jewish neighborhood.  Some of our good friends from Manhattan also stopped by for the festivities and brought some yummy homemade "kosher for Passover" chocolate clusters for dessert-well done!  There was the mandatory egg hunt contest and the giving of Easter baskets.  And of course a full Sunday Easter dinner was served.  Lots of hugs, kisses, drinks, food, friends, family and just plain old good happiness and celebrations was had by all!  Nothing can beat that!  Jonah and Vera loved every minute they got to hang with their Grandma and Grandpa and all of their relations.  Around 6pm we put on our PJs, packed up the car and started on our way home to Washington, D.C.  We made a few wrong turns along the way, hit some traffic and after almost 7 hours, we got home safe and sound.  All in all, a pretty fantastic three days of adventuring and celebrating...  pretty much a perfectly kaleidoscoped holiday weekend!  Thank you powers that be for giving us each other, such a good time and keeping us safe!    Check out some of Sunday's silliness below:

all dressed up and ready to go... up the stairs?

all dressed up and ready to play cars!

mama and Jonah!

post church fun in the sun!

tulips!

grass!

you say there is going to be an egg hunt...

not sure I want to play...

all right gonna give it a try- there is one!

forget the egg hunt... I found the basket full of eggs!

a little blurry, but the only photo of the two of them...

Jake and Vera!  Best Buddies

Aaron and Jonah!  Cousins... boys with balls!

Having Easter Sunday - literally- with a little Passover on the side (black hat style!)

Sunday Easter dinner includes Matzah in the middle of the table!  Thank you Uncle Jerry!



The happy family!



as the day ends, the Easter Bunny makes an appearance in her bunny feetie pajamas

Jonah is so happy!  a basket full of treats and a balloon!  whoop whoop!

The last photo of the day: Vera chillin' with Uncle Jerry waiting to go home!  Priceless!