Celebrating One of Our Feasts!

Ever since I can remember we have celebrated St. Patrick's Day. I actually have always loved how my grandmother would fill her house with Irish decor even throughout the year to honor our Irish heritage. She even has a Santa Claus with clovers all over him. Whether it's the shamrocks in my mom's house, the constant buying of green attire throughout the year to prepare for the occasion or the green die my Aunt Dana puts in the potty's (we all know that leprechauns pee green on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, right?), it has always been a day to celebrate in the Church year and because we're Irish, of course. Hence the middle name Quinn for my mom's maiden name, QUINLAN.
A few months before I met Patrick, my amazing husband, I was going through a particularly tough time... the toughest... and one day I received a package in the mail up at college from my grandmother. It was a huge statue of St. Patrick. No offense, but she could sometimes barely keep track of my phone number, so for her to get a handle on my address was fairly impressive. I knew he had made it to me for a reason. So, I began to pray to St. Patrick for God's will in my life. About a month later, Patrick showed up. So, he has been very good to me. So good that my first born's middle name is Patrick too!
This year we didn't hesitate to make the drive for the annual St. Patrick's Day party that my parents throw with the Hogans. We always have such a blast. A hall, a dj, green beer. Doesn't get much better. Too bad this year they didn't play an Irish jog so Patrick could do the River Dance... one of my favorite moments of all time.
Today while working I received the beautiful picture of my boys decked out in their green... so sweet. And Patrick courageously attempted our first Jigs Dinner... corned beef and cabbage, carrots and onions, potatoes, rye bread, and (brownies... not Irish). I am so excited to have started this tradition. We even ate on our china; something we promised to do for our family's feast days.
I was told that if I could add one tradition a year to my repertoire as a Catholic Mother that I am rockin'. So, one down! Gotta love the Church.