Ash Wednesday

It's Ash Wednesday.  My kids don't totally get the gist of it yet but as I tried to simplify if for them I told them, "it's when we begin the count down to Easter, like Advent for Christmas".  That Claudine and Eli seemed to understand anyway. 

We talked once about sacrificing something or "giving something up" for Lent but when Claudine suggested she'd give up school and Eli suggested he'd give up running in the street I decided to let that sit for the time being.  :)  Instead {at Jason's suggestion} we're going to pray a decade of the Rosary each night as a family.  I'm also personally doing a couple extra things.  I'm going to make sure I drink at least four bottles of water a day and I'm not going to check facebook for the next 40 days {this one was also J's suggestion but I think it has merit}.  My hope is one, I'll improve my health by drinking more water and two, I'll spend less time on the computer by passing on facebook.

We started off our Lent by attending Ash Wednesday Mass this morning {also the Mass Claudine and Eli attended with their classes}.  Here's Samuel at five weeks old with his first ashes.  I'm so excited for his upcoming baptism!