Just for the record

All eight of us stayed up all night for the Easter vigil.
We arrived at the church just before midnight and got home at about 6am, whereupon we tumbled into bed, and slept the sleep of the just until noon.
For the baby it was business as usual; feeding , playing with her toes and sleeping.
Comcille napped on the floor for about 40 minutes.
Gabriel snoozed where he sat for a while..
Honor, who had been put to bed at 7pm and had 4 hours sleep before the vigil, stoutly refused to be coaxed into napping. Mostly she was fine until about 4 in the morning when she started plaintively calling out "Car! car!" which meant "Take me home!".

Even though we were daunted by the idea, lots of people had told us that it was unmissable and I'm really glad we girded our loins and went for it. The church was packed, there were plenty of other families with young children, in fact so great was the attendance that there was a simultaneous vigil going on in a nearby convent to take the overflow.
At times I was really deeply moved by the beauty and drama of it all.
All night, despite moments of great yawning tiredness, I had this bubbling, happy feeling throughout.
I just love being Catholic!
I love how the church helps us to experience the mysteries of our faith through the liturgy, through the seasons of the liturgical year, through fasting and feasting, through art, through music, through food. These sacred ceremonies, which are celebrated today around the world, go back to the time of the ancient church. They make visible our supernatural unity with the mystical body of Christ across time.
Wow.
How did I miss this first time round? Why didn't I see and appreciate then what I do now?
This is a question that still baffles me and I don't have any answer. I just don't.
I once was blind but now I see.