Joy

For the past few weeks I've been concentrating on reporting on cancer research news and shying away from more personal news. This past weekend I took a break from my advocacy work to join family in Kentucky for the baptism of my niece's son D.

The baptism took place during the Saturday afternoon mass at St Mark's Church in Richmond. The priest spoke about the joy of the Trinity and all I could think about was the joy of family. The Church family and my family. D became a member of the Church and his family was celebrating this occasion. Family drove and flew in from NJ, my daughter flew in from Kansas, friends came from the neighborhood and from as far away as Michigan.

But in a way, past members of the family were there too. Draped over his christening outfit was the family christening gown. D was a bit to big to actually wear the gown. The gown was made by my grandmother Carmella in the late 1890's for my Aunt Marion's baptism. If I understand correctly my cousin Marion and her children as well as her siblings wore it. My niece and my daughter Theresa also wore the gown. And here was D in 2011 wearing the same gown. What Joy!

Everyone smiled as the priest poured the Holy Water and then the Chrism on D's head. I knew at that time that Aunt Dora, my mother and father and Roberta where looking down on all of us an smiling too.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing! I am blessed to have been able to share the Joy of D's baptism.