The Great Vigil of Easter

Tonight we had the service of the Great Vigil of Easter at church. This was a very special service for lots of reasons, but in particular because this is the first year that this service has been held at our church (at least in recent years). It's a favorite service of both Daddy A and I, and there were six baptisms tonight. The baptisms were the reason that P was so excited about this service. "Baby Piper" and Happy were both baptized tonight (along with a few more church members), and P couldn't wait to watch his friends "get God." "Mommy," he explained, "they will get water on their heads and a cross. The water will come out of a special bowl. Their heads will get wet, and they will get God. I want to stay and watch."
I had mixed feelings about the situation. While I was thrilled that P already recognizes on some level that baptism is very special, and while I am excited that he wants to attend church, I had my misgivings.

• The service began at 8:00pm. Typically, P goes to bed at 8:00pm.
• P attended a birthday party this afternoon. He was outside running around in 80 degree weather for almost three hours, and he ate approximately twice his body weight in candy (an estimation based upon what I actually saw enter his mouth and what I can guess also entered his mouth - and what didn't - based upon the state of his clothing following the party).
• The service is longer than an average Sunday service for our church. P typically stays in church through the children's sermon and then leaves to play in the nursery.

Both of the boys did really well tonight, even without extenuating services. (That said, please review extenuating circumstances above as needed for a refresher. While reviewing, please note that C attended the same party and that he typically goes to bed around 7:30pm.) Given the extenuating circumstances, I would most assuredly label their behavior tonight as rock star level.

C went to bed in one of the cribs in the nursery. It took him abut ten minutes to settle down, and he slept from 7:40pm or so until I picked him up at 9:28pm. Upon his arrival home, he went straight back to bed and is sleeping as we speak.

P went to church. During the first reading, he did ask to leave. We went all the way to the nursery. I dropped him off, agreeing to come back and get him before the baptisms so he could watch. At the last minute, he said, "No! I might miss it. I need to come back now!" He not only stayed for the baptisms, he then asked to remain in church until the conclusion of the service. I think he did well.

I want to reiterate that, while he wasn't by any means a silent participant in the service, P did just turn three, and I offer the following humorous - and true - accounts of our time in church as just that. They will be funny memories of this Easter season, but they do not diminish the great job an exhausted three year old boy did in worship.

Here is a sampling of some of the things I said duiring worship tonight:

"No, P! Do not even tease Mommy by pretending you are going to burn the pew with your candle. It is not okay to light parts of the church on fire."

"Oh, you want a snack. That's good, because it's almost time for a snack of bread. Watch Daddy; he's getting ready to pour some juice. Watch closely, and be very quiet."

"Yes, sweet boy, I realize that Easter is a happy time and that 'Happy Birthday' is a song that makes you happy. I still think it would be best if you did not sing it - especially very loudly - right now, because Daddy and Pastor Michael are leading communion. Other people are trying to hear them."

"The water is still in the bowl up there, yes! And I know you really want to look at it. When the service is over in just a minute, we will walk up there and look in the bowl." (Yup, we did go up there, the water was still there, and he really did just want to look at it.)

Upon our arrival home from church, I helped P change into his pajamas, and offered him the choice of either one bedtime story or going straight to bed. He initially tried to decline both choices, asking for candy instead. When I explained that we would not be eating candy at 10:00 at night, but that the Easter Bunny might bring him some candy tomorrow, he sighed. "Straight to bed, then," he said. He went right off to sleep, and is probably dreaming now of "chocit rabbits." Happy Easter!