All around

This has been a whirlwind Memorial Day weekend thus far. On Friday I attended my school's prom at CR Sparks in Bedford, NH where I had my first ever blackberry (it came with the dessert). On Saturday we all headed to Hampton Beach to help my in-laws get their place ready for a rental. Lynn did most of the work and I took Kevin to the beach to throw rocks. The tide was all the way in so we just sat on the rocks looking and throwing smaller rocks. After that we headed to my friend Bill's house in Raymond, NH for his fiance' birthday party. The kids were knocked out on the ride home. We got back home around 9pm or so and Erin stayed asleep until the next morning!!

Yesterday we went to the 10am mass and Kevin stayed in the pew for most of the mass and Erin sat quietly on my lap (so there is a God after all). On Memorial Day and the 4th of July, the cantor always sings this beautiful song that includes the words, "O Lord heal our broken land and turn our nation back to You." In the middle of the song the whole choir stands up and sings "America the Beautiful." I always get teared up and yesterday was no exception.

It was also the last Sunday for our pastor, Fr. Bob Connors. Tomorrow he begins his new assignment as pastor of St. Patrick's in Watertown. Our parochial vicar, Fr. Chris Casey (who baptized Kevin and Erin), is also leaving to go to St. Agnes in Arlington. Our new pastor, Fr. Brian Mahoney, doesn't come here until June 14 so our senior priest in residence, Fr. Jim Lyons, is running the show for two weeks! Fr. Mahoney will just be the pastor at our parish. Fr. Connors was the pastor of the two parishes in Dracut but now the other parish, Ste. Marquerite's, is going to share a pastor with St. Rita's in Lowell.

After mass we headed to Middleboro for Lynn's niece's birthday party. Today we're going to the annual Memorial Day Parade here in Dracut and that's about it. We have to do some grocery shopping too I guess but that's all. It will be nice to just hang out for the day.