First Communion... the end of the photos

So we spent the afternoon in our backyard.

Celebrating the beautiful Sacrament of First Communion.  

We had trays and trays of the most delicious Italian food from Hartford. Amazing!



My Mother on Mother's Day with her three. (tommy, trent, and tara)



Cousins were up to their happy business of just being together.



This is Abigail with her cousin, Ian. He and Anna are the same age. Just two weeks apart. Abigail has always, always, always adored him... which makes me happy. (same hair color... love that too)



I was beaming all day.




He's the one that let me make all my 'first communion dreams' come true. He never asked questions as the boxes and brown packages arrived day after day in April. But then again he always makes my dreams come true.



Abigail with Uncle Trent.





Anna was my helper that day and leading up to. She doted on Abigail in a way I'd never seen. She ironed all of the napkins and she left me encouraging, destressing notes on my pillow each night.



We had dessert inside. And this just might be my favorite picture of the day.  I think she sort of looks like the lamb here.



She is delicate, petite, and the lamb cake was just perfect for her.













She opened sweet gifts.









And okay, I'm not okay with this. The party had to end.



There were bare feet all dirty on the bottom, hair all askew, missing parts of her after dress, and favors being handed out as they drove away.

In other words. It was perfect.

So my little girl let me take a few last photos of her.



With her banner from church.







I snapped and thought of the day.



Of the Catholic Church that I love with my whole heart. And of the blessing of being her mama.





'Let the little children come to me...' matthew 19:14