We finally got to the last activity on our Christmas-to-do list, on New Year’s Day;  Taking another trip to Our Lady of La Salette Shrine.  With everything else we were doing to prepare for Christmas, this trip was one thing that we just couldn’t find a day for.  Because we truly needed a whole day.  The Shrine is over an hour away from us.  Decidedly, New Year’s Day was the perfect day anyway, in some ways.

But let me backtrack first.

On New Year’s Eve, all 6 us of us were going to stay up until midnight.  Do you know HOW exciting that is to 6 year olds??  Ridiculously so.  It was pretty low key–we were still feeling a little partied out from all of the Christmas excitement. But {A} was making treats, and the little ones were enjoying watching her. As the night went on, they talked more and more and more. I truly think they were afraid if they stopped talking, they would fall over in slumber.  Except one of my little boys.  He wasn’t tired, so he said. Surely did not want to go to bed. But….he was really enjoying the snuggle with me for a very-long-time. Perfectly content, still and quiet….watching the lights on the Christmas tree.

Now here comes the most pathetic thing you may ever have heard.  By 11:20, most of us couldn’t take it anymore. I HAD to go to bed, and I wasn’t much sad about it. By the time all the kids were ready, and we were all in bed, it was 11 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT!!  And I do believe every one of us were asleep my 10 minutes until.

So the next day, we all REALLY wanted to go to the La Salette Shrine.  Time was running out, and I really need to do something that day.   As Michael got all of the shoveling done, I contemplated and re-contemplated the VERY frigid temperatures of the forecast that day and night.  Once Michael got in, we hemmed and hawed and discussed it until we were blue in the face, while the kids begged and asked repeatedly, to go. So I gathered in my head everything my father had ever told me about dressing warm in cold weather (he likes to talk about that topic), and dressed my whole family accordingly. (Well, not physically. But I’m the planner in the family. By default. lol)  We were going, and the kids were ECSTATIC.

On Our Way

As we drove, we all answered 10 great questions that apply to the our own selves in reflection of the year behind us, as well as the year ahead.  It helped us all better formulate what we have learned, how we can grow from it, and what we want for ourselves in the future.  I was so touched by some of the kids answers.

So, the National La Salette Shrine is quite a place. It’s a Catholic shrine, honoring Our Lady of La Salette, with beautiful grounds, a church, candle sanctuary, gift shop cafeteria and bistro, and even a carousel. We all just love to go there.  We went last Christmas for the first time, and knew we’d be back this year.

So on our agenda once we got there was Penance for 3 of us, Mass, lighting a perpetual candle for my mother in the sanctuary (for her birthday, and the repose of her soul), walking the grounds to enjoy the festival of lights and huge nativity IF we could stand the cold, going to the gift shop so the kids could spend some money burning in their pocket from their uncle, and dinner.

We were devastated to learn that Penance was over being received at 3:00.  But by the grace of God, and a conversation with a deacon who was drawn to talking to us, a priest was beckoned, and we were all able to confess with great relief.  Honestly…..it was a very-big-part of our trip, and our hearts just really wanted it by then, being overdue and the first day of a whole new year.  So we were very, very grateful to the priest.

Mass and the Crucifix

From there we happily went to Mass.  It was a holy day of obligation anyway.  But we would have gone anyway, being my Mother’s (and the kids’ Mémé’s) birthday, and the first day of a new year.  IS there a better way to start a new year, than with Mass? We think not. The church at the La Salette Shrine is just beautiful, too.  Architecturally fascinating. But the kids were absolutely taken with Jesus crucified over the altar. They have seen Jesus crucified in many forms, but this was the most dramatic they have ever seen….and I think it was hitting a little more home with them.

I think we (adults) all know, that most images of Christ crucified are very much ‘cleaned up’, as to not be too difficult to see.  I think we also know that what we see is far from the reality of just how horrific, gruesome and brutal His death really was. A death he suffered, for each one of us. This cross of Christ crucified was closer and a bit more realistic though.  (But not even close, really, as in truth, He was brutally beaten and tortured, beyond recognition.) I believe it’s made of carved wood.  I couldn’t stop photographing it after Mass.  Mass was very nice….filled with peace and hope.

Lighting a Candle for Mom/Mémé

After Mass we went and lit a perpetual candle for my mother / Mémé’, in the sanctuary, which is a non-heated virtually all-glass building…but so beautiful with the candles that encircle the Blessed Queen Mother and fill the whole building.

Last year, as I lit that candle, I was a mess as we tried to say a prayer for my Mother. This year, I was stronger, and it made me realize the grace of healing God has brought me. Of course I knew better than to push it, missing her so much this time of year, and being her birthday to boot….so Michael said a beautiful spontaneous prayer, {A} said a Hail Mary with the kids in a huddle, and we were on our way.

The center candle was lit and is burning for her.  It will burn for 6 days.

Can’t Miss the Gift Shop

From there we went to the gift shop, and spent a good hour there. Helping little ones figure out for themselves what they want to buy can be a time-consuming and exhausting feat.  And it certainly was this night.  In the end, the little ones each chose a necklace, and a holy water bottle which they are chomping at the bit to fill up on Sunday at church.  {A} bought a statue of her favorite saint, St. Michael the Archangel, and a pocket coin of some sort.  All of the kids got in line, and paid for their own purchases by themselves.  Which their Daddy and I loved to witness.  The little ones were so darn proud, taking care of buying their own things, with their own money, and proudly taking their bag as they responded to the cashier, “Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too.”

The Frozen Shutter Hand Incident

We decided we were starving, and wanted to eat somewhere on the way home as the cafeteria options weren’t inspiring us.  Daddy-Boy, {A} and some of the little ones also determined it was way-too-bitter cold to even think about walking around.  (As in, dangerously low and frigid temperatures.) I agreed.  However.  I needed my photos of the festival of lights.  It’s the highlight of the La Salette Shrine!  Now understand….to really experience the festival of lights at this shrine, you just need to see it with your own naked eyes. To really take it all in cannot even begin to be done with a camera.  (It’s not easy to photograph either.).  But, I was taking photos anyway.

Thankfully, my family understands that taking photos sometimes IS a NEED for me, more than a want.  So as starving and tired as they all were, Michael drove the van around the lot, and I hopped out here and there to attempt to photograph this and that. I started with the Bridge of Angels, and caught a couple on the way back to the van. It was BITTER COLD.  Like…hard to breathe, can’t feel your face in 2 seconds, kind of cold.

Jumped back in the van, and thought I’d just open the door, stand out from where I was, and take a shot of this.  Not sure I like it, as there were 3 kings on camels all lined up but anyway…….

Then we were coming around to the stuff I really wanted to try and capture.  An amazing HUGE nativity scene, lots of stone steps, statues and light set ups everywhere.  I especially love the light snowflakes everywhere. Now all of these were quite a hike for me from the running warm van with my family in it.  Lots of snow, ice, wind, and sub-zero temps.  But I needed my photos…..

As I came back around to the van, many parts of me were frozen numb.  But before I climbed back in I had to take a shot of this one last statue……

And then I got in the van…..and began to experience THE most excruciatingly painful shutter hand thaw I have ever had to suffer! I am telling you….it was all I could do not to cry out loud.  I tried to suffer quietly and get through it, but my little ones in the back kept asking me what was wrong, as I whimpered.  To which our oldest daughter answered them “Mama is suffering her natural consequences“…with a hint of satisfaction in her voice.  I talk to my kids ALL the time about ‘natural consequences that come with the choices they make.’. And I did HAVE to take photos, despite the sub-zero temps, right? How right she was, my little smarty pants.  I really thought I was going to lose 3 fingers. In fact, if it would stop the pain, I was almost hoping they would just fall off.   Finally, the pain subsided, and I was able to keep them.

We headed to dinner at a really nice pizza place, and then took the long ride home.  It was another night we were happy to get to bed.  But the next morning, (this morning), I had a photography gig very, very north.  My daughter/assistant came with me, and it was a good job we were happy to do…despite how tired we were.

Hope in Faith For the Coming Year

So here we all are on the 2nd day of the year. I feel hope and happiness about the year ahead, in my heart.  Excitement. That’s what the new year brings me every year, with maybe just a tinge of fear that the year may hold something not so good.  But that is what our Catholic faith is for. Our Heavenly Father takes care of us.  He always has, when we give all we can to Him. And doing so brings us greater faith, hope, and inner peace. So let us begin living the year of 2009, and when the year comes to a close, may we feel we have grown closer to Him, to each other, and be closer to the kind of people He created us to be.

Once again, we wish you all a new year filled with your own happiness, health, blessings, peace and every-growing faith.

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