Her First Confession

This past weekend Peyton received her second sacrament in the Catholic Church. It was her first confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Oh boy, I thought she's going to be there all day since she has a lot of confessing to do! But, she told me matter of factly that her religious education teacher told them that they should confess no more than three things to keep the process moving for all the other kids and parents. Then she proceeded to tell me that she was only going to confess two things. Hmmm, I thought, I wonder which of her many sins she was going to confess because after all there's a long list - from whining, throwing temper tantrums worse than a 2 year old to being mean to her siblings to being stubborn and unhelpful - she'd definitely be there all day. Maybe I should be grateful the teacher said only to confess three or less sins!

Off she went and I can say she wasn't the least bit nervous. No real angst about having to admit any wrongdoing. Hell, I don't even want to go to confession because I'd have to say how long it's been since my last confession and I really can't even remember and that would be my real angst. But not her, she's not scared of the priest but off she goes slightly annoyed that she has to spend her morning in church. According to Tom (because I was with Austen at baseball practice), once in church she paid attention more than she usually does. Then when allowed, she picks one of the many priests to embark on her first of what will probably be many confessions by her.

Again, she's not nervous, sits right down and chats him up. Tom says he can't hear what she's saying but she's having a regular conversation with him. Cracking him up I'm sure.  She must've sweet talked him because later she tells me he only gives her one Our Father to say. One Our Father? Are you kidding me? I can remember having to recite Our Fathers and Hail Marys til I lost track of how many I said. She also tells me she told him that she's sorry she doesn't follow all of our rules and that she is unhelpful sometimes. Sometimes. That's interesting. Now she has to go back to the priest and do another confession for lying. Ha! Oh Peyton, life would be so much duller without you!