A Feast and a Birthday

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Today is a big day at our house -- a beautiful feast and a birthday boy. Today, as you know, is the Feast of the Assumption, when our Blessed Mother was assumed body and soul into heaven. And the birthday is number 13 for my Noah.

I have told Noah's birth story before, but I will tell you again what a beautiful memory I have of lying in bed with my newborn draped across my lap listening to the feast day Mass in the atrium below, thanking God for the brand new life of my baby and the eternal life of Our Lord's mother.

Today that baby is as big as a man. Though he is just entering 7th grade, he is taller than his mama and can swap shoes with his daddy (actually his feet are even bigger than his daddy's). He will undoubtedly tower over all of his brothers (they'll wish they were nicer to him when he was young). He has the fierce temper of a red head, but the tender heart of a teddy bear. He's smart as a whip and has a eagle eye, and after a visit to Parris Island this past week he claims he's going to be a Marine, God help me. I'll pray hard for a chaplain.

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy.

Happy Feast to you.

Hail, Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria!
Hail, Mother of mercy and of love, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim!
Sing with us ye seraphim!
Heaven and earth resound the hymn!
Salve, salve, salve, Regina!

Art: CARRACCI, Annibale
Assumption of the Virgin Mary
1600-01

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