I Christen You...John?

Cary, Mike, Dad and Will

The Baptismal Party: Jason, me, Patrick, Jackson, Cary and Will.

Rather last-minute, we decided to have Patrick christened at St. John's Church two days after Christmas. Father John Senette, who christened me, most of my siblings, and Jackson, was wonderfully flexible about all the arrangements. There was already a service planned for the Feast of St. John, with carols at the end of the service, and a reception at the Rolands' afterward, so we just changed the Evening Prayer to a Eucharist and added the Baptismal liturgy. So I suppose it was only appropriate when Father John Senette quite deliberately christened our second son as 'James Patrick JOHN Curry' on the Feast of St. John at St. John's Church! Patrick's godparents are Will Benton, Ann Fraser (my siblings), and Khris Vest (Jason's cousin). Cary graciously stood in for Ann, who was serving as priest at her new church in New York.

It was a lovely service, and the Baptismal candidate was in a great mood for most of it. Unfortunately, my rough-and-tumble son is not cut out for a lacy antique christening gown. Not two minutes before Father Senette began the liturgy, Patrick caught his finger in the lace at the top of the gown. I'm sure the entire church heard my gasp as he ripped the whole front of the gown open in a huge L-shaped tear! I nearly cried. The gown has been passed among children on our side of the family and amongst our distant cousins for generations. I managed to hold the dress together for the duration of the service (thank goodness there's a slip!), and we removed it as quickly as possible afterward. Granny and Mother assured me that it was fixable, and not the first time the gown has needed repairs. It is, after all, an antique.

We only just made it to and through the service for another reason: Jackson and I were just recovering from a nasty 24-hour flu. It hit Patrick particularly hard the next day. So it was with much regret at missing wonderful company and food that we declined to attend the reception at the Rolands'. We headed straight back to Foxfield, and took the picture below. Nancy and I finally got all the kids dressed in their Christmas best (Patrick's newly-laundered) and all awake at once. Thanks, Nancy for dressing Laurel in a repeat so we could get this shot!

All the Benton grandchildren