Oh not to be the parent

We (The oldest -- a pilgrim, and me -- the mom, a chaperon) went to a World Youth Day gathering in Boston yesterday. The littlest one, who seems to get certain ideas about the church, knowing there wouldn't be a whole lot for little kids, tagged along. It may have been the promise of donuts, or pizza, or the fact she'd get to see Cardinal Sean for the time time.

I knew by the time we had separated into groups I was going to be having one of those I wish I weren't your parent days. After eating donuts, we were asked to make one big circle, and then count off by six. The tag along wasn't next to me... I hoped our numbers would match as I had been saying from the time she opened her eyes, "You stick with me today." I was a one, she was a five. When we went to separate, she refused to break ranks with her new found friends. Not to cause a scene, I found one of the pilgrims from our parish and asked him to keep an eye on her.

Through out the hour of group activities I watched as she ran ahead leading her group from activity to activity. At one station I saw her helping out by holding up signs, and for the whole hour she appeared to stay with her group despite listening to talks on packing, not complaining, and making time for prayer. At the end of the activities, I caught up with her, and thanked her keeper, while inquiring into a behavior report. "She was fine" was what I got from the teen, with a smile. I could only imagine just how fine she was.

Not to let her out of my sight, or more than an arms length away, we sat side by side at Adoration, where she leaned over and asked if she could have her picture taken with the Cardinal. I replied I didn't know, but we could email him for a signed photo. I'm sure he'd have a copy for such an enthusiastic young Catholic. She was all smiles.

Over a pizza lunch the stories and reports from the field activities made it back to me. "Are you her mom?" It was a priest from a neighboring town.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, as I sheepishly looked over the top of my glasses. "Yes."

"She's a great kid. She had us all in stitches. Did you really lose her twice at Disney this year?" (Remember I'm a chaperon for this around the world adventure...)

"Yes, hard to believe, but yes."

He walked away laughing. What had she been saying? Or better yet, what hadn't she said?

Next it was the parents of her babysitter. "Your daughter just delighted my boys. They loved her, and all her stories, especially the ones from Disney."

I confessed that this was probably one of those moments where I wished I wasn't her mom. For then I could really enjoy all her antics. They just laughed.

At the end of the event, according to all reports, she had stolen the show at the Catholic trivia station by shouting out the answers. Then at the boomerang toss, she nicknamed the winner Fr. Dundee. She wants to take a field trip to his parish some Sunday.

And the priest that headed up the Catch Phrase game commented that he can't wait for her to be old enough to attend a World Youth Day -- 8 more years. "She said she couldn't read, but she tried. Did you really lose her twice at Disney?"

"Yes, yes, I did."