Highlights from Church

Madeleine had a lot to say both on the way to church and during the service itself.  As we drove along Route 2A, she pointed out various sights out her window. 

MADELEINE: Mommy?  What's "Passage to India?"  A bank?
ME: No, it's an Indian restaurant.
MADELEINE: Oh.  I thought it was a bank.
JULIA: Madeleine, why would there be a bank called "Passage to India?!?"
MADELEINE: Because.  It just sounds like SUCH a bank name.


Once we were in church, we all used the bathroom, then headed to the front pews, where the Sunday School children sit.  Since choir is still on hiatus, I got to sit with the girls and hear what really goes through Madeleine's brain during the service.

The Sunday school teacher handed out Liturgy books so that the children could follow along with the service.  Unlike the book I use to follow the service, this was a child-friendly version with explanations of various rites and formal titles for the various prayers being said by the Priest.  For instance, the Prayer of Thanksgiving.

MADELEINE: (nudging me and pointing to her book) Huh?!?  ThanksGIVING?!?

Yeah, come on, church officials.  Thanksgiving isn't until November.  It should be the Prayer of Halloween first, don't you think?

ME: It's not a prayer for the holiday of Thanksgiving.  It's a prayer for giving thanks.
MADELEINE: (disappointed) Oh.

At one point, Madeleine began audibly sniffing the air and making a disgruntled face.  She leaned over and sniffed me, and upon deciding that I was not the emitter of the offensive smell, started sniffing herself.  Upon sniffing her hands, she realized she'd found the culprit.

MADELEINE: Huh?!? (putting her hands up to my nose, after which I caught an anti-bacterial scent, as of soap) The DOCTOR'S office?!?
ME: ....
MADELEINE: Maybe it's from the BATHROOM.
ME: From the bathroom soap, I bet.


Later in the service, Madeleine became convinced that her best friend's Jewish father was in one of the pictures in her Liturgy book.

ME: I don't think that's him, honey.  First of all, he's Jewish.
MADELEINE: Yeah, but maybe he was just, like, doing it for the picture, not for real life.

Surely that must be it, and not the fact that there are likely a plethora of white men with gray hair that might resemble each other superficially. 

Madeleine's best friend's father

Apparently, also Madeleine's best friend's father (left)

The best part of the church experience today, however, was the ice cream social for the Sunday School kids after class.  Julia had gobbled her entire sundae up by the time I thought to take a picture, but here's Madeleine looking like a happy camper:

Mid-day ice cream treats are always welcome by the Rowe kids!