I've been encouraged before, too

I was clearly touched by the cheerful words of the man who was proud of the record he and his wife held--having 8 children in 11 years--that I posted about yesterday.  I wonder what our record might be some day, and I hope I can tell some sweet young mom how many I survived!;)

It occurred to me that there is one more very very beautiful witness that I received shortly after the birth of my seventh child.  It was our very first trip back to daily Mass.  Now, daily Mass goers tend to sort of "know" the other daily Mass goers, even if they haven't met yet.  Our family draws attention in general, but 7 children filing up for daily Communion definitely catches some eyes.  So, whether or not these people know my name, they had been watching me grow larger with each month of pregnancy, and when we ceased attendance for a week or three, I'm sure they had their suspicions as to what we might have been up to.

I'm always proud to take my babies to church for the first time, just because it's so fun to show them off.  This day was no different. Only, it was just as hard as it usually is...finding shoes, coats, etc. This time I couldn't find (for the life of me) a blue baby blanket.  It was cold, and I needed something, so out of desperation I grabbed my newborn son's big sister's old blanket, which did have an amount of pink on it.  This would not normally be a problem, but I knew that people would be watching and that if they saw pink, they'd guess "girl".  (This is indeed what happened, but I made great efforts to swath my son in blue from that day forth).

I was not in a good mood.  I was grateful to be at Mass, receiving Our Lord again, but I was suffering as overwhelmed and frustrated mothers who are pushing themselves a bit tend to suffer on the inside.  I was in consolation, though, having received Communion. I was regaining peace, and Mass ended.

Now here's the incredibly beautiful witness that I've been so long in getting to. It's just worth the build-up.  The parishioners began filing out.  An elderly couple who I do not know slowly moved past the glass windows of the cry room, where we were.  The old man held the arm of the old woman, who walks with a cane. They peered in, smiling huge smiles. And then that old lady with permed hair and glasses hooked her cane over her arm and clasped her hands together, shaking them in a victory shake over her head.  I beamed back and fought the tears that I do not have to fight now as I type.

This hobbling old woman, cheering me on for having successfully delivered a new child into this world.  Talk about the joy of those who believe.  Her life is loosing its quality.  She is past her prime and looking toward eternity.  I guess for me it was almost as if the "great cloud of witnesses," that the Bible speaks of as encouraging us and surrounding us, was made visible for me.  I know that Heaven rejoices at the creation of new life.  That day, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth was cheering too.