What a joy it was to watch our Holy Father on television today, particularly (for me) the Yankee Stadium coverage. The day began threateningly cloudy and some were afraid it might rain, but, once again, the sun came out for the pope! Just as it did twenty-nine years ago.
I watched the coverage from a particularly memorable venue--the local emergency room. Eileen had a gash to the forehead from a run in with a coffee table, and the two of us spent almost three hours waiting for her stitches. The time flew quickly with our pope's smiling face on the screen and the strains of Ode to Joy ringing in our ears. The anchor people on local news 9 spent a long time marveling at the unexpected sunshine, and I felt like an eleven year old girl again.
God is good!
[Update: My friend Heather at Doodle Acres has some incredible photos of the event, not to be missed!]
I remember sitting at the doctor's with Joe, who had an inch-and-a-half gash in his forehead. I could see the white of his skull (Blech! Too much info, I know!) but he was completely content to sit there and watch the NBA game.
Crazy kid.
You, too, are a crazy kid, Alice. You have such a BEAUTIFUL perspective! Yes, I am sure that listening to Ode to Joy made this "little" trial with Eileen all the more bearable.
I do hope she's doing well, though!
Posted by: Margaret in Minnesota | April 20, 2008 at 08:14 PM
Oh! I hope Eileen's all right! What a way to spend the day! But seeing the Pope - I agree - wow. I remember sitting in the Doctor's waiting room three years ago watching the coverage of Pope John Paul II's death - and the election of Pope Benedict (allergies kept us in the doctor's office a lot that year)
And it's wonderful the sun came out for the Pope. When we saw Pope John Paul II in 1995 - it rained. And rained. And rained. And it was October. And I got sick. But it was so worth it.
Posted by: Christine M | April 20, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Wow, what a diversion for the two of you... Thank God for that! I've yet to experience stitches with children, I think I would be a wreck! Blessings to little Eileen...
Posted by: michelle waters | April 20, 2008 at 09:19 PM
Poor Eileen, I hope she is doing okay now. It is always so frightening when things like that happen. With the mention of hospital I am reminded to ask after your mother. I hope she is improving.
It's nice to think of holy blessings coming over the tv in a hospital waiting room.
Posted by: patience | April 20, 2008 at 09:37 PM
Poor little Eileen! But it is just like you to make the best of the situation, Alice. I was surprised at how beautiful the channel 9 coverage was! The Holy Father just could not have seemed more genuine.
Posted by: Jeannine | April 20, 2008 at 09:59 PM
Len and Lenny were blessed to be at Yankee Stadium. It was certainly an experience that neither of them will forget!!!
Hope Eileen is feeling better!!!
Love you,
Heather
Posted by: Heather - Doodle Acres | April 20, 2008 at 10:01 PM
I do hope that Eileen is doing well. I remember a simular incident with Avery when she was two (only I managed to avoid the ER)!
How like you, Alice, to always find the silver lining in every cloud. What a joy you must be to your family and friends.
Posted by: Carole in Wales | April 21, 2008 at 02:36 AM
Silver lining for sure, God bless your little Eileen, I hope she's OK sweetie! Love,
Posted by: Meredith | April 21, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Oh no!!! WHAT a place to watch it all from! I do hope little Eileen's head heals speedily.
Posted by: aussieannie | April 22, 2008 at 04:20 AM
So sorry about the baby's injury! Hope she's feeling better! I went through a window and ended up in the ER, when my Mom was in Boston seeing Pope John Paul, II in 1979! Must be all the excitement of the Pope's visit leads kids to be careless!
Posted by: Mary Beth P | April 28, 2008 at 12:08 PM