...and it was Good

Let me first say thank you to everyone who has been visiting.  I very much appreciate it.

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I was baptized and confirmed this past Saturday (the fourteenth of January) and received first communion Sunday.  It was quite an experience.

Pictured: a kneeler.

Baptism was interesting; I had only once witnessed a Catholic baptism and it was for an infant.  An adult baptism is much different.  We started outside of the church; the priest stood in front of a kneeler (I'm not sure of the proper name for it) and I behind with my Godparents on each side of me.  There were a lot of people there, so I focused mainly on the book Father was reading from to keep from being nervous.
The prayers were beautiful in both English and Latin, and the ritual of the ceremony was moving for me.  Towards the end of our time outside I knelt three times and recited the Our Father, being signed after each prayer by my Godparents and by Father.  The signing was intimate in that I could feel the energy from each who signed me.  My Godfather was reserved, kind of serious energy, not without excitement; my Godmother radiated warmth and love; and Father was full of solemn anticipation, not without joy.  Feeling each of their energies was the most moving part of our time outside.
After some prayers in Latin we moved into the entrance with the Apostle's Creed.  I was anointed with oil and the second the oil touched my skin I felt a mixture of emotions: joy, relief, determination.  My spirit was being rejuvenated, as if waking from a restful sleep.  More prayers and we moved into the sanctuary to the baptismal.  I bent over and water was poured across my forehead.  When I straightened I was given a lit candle and the ceremony was complete.
My baptism was conditional because I couldn't remember if water had been used when I was baptized the first time, so Father and I headed to confession.
Confession was not nearly as scary as I had thought it would be.  I effectively psyched myself out for it because I had absolutely no idea what to expect, but the whole experience was rather pleasant.
Confirmation was shorter than the baptism, but no less potent.  My sponsor stood behind me with her hand on my right shoulder and we did the responses together (she lead me, mostly, being more experienced with it than I).  When I stood from the kneeler in the sanctuary I very nearly started crying; I have never felt more at peace than I did in that moment.  I felt, again, like I was home after a very long journey in a foreign land.
Everyone had congratulations for me, but I was concentrating so hard on not actually crying that they sort of blurred together.  I have a feeling that my wedding might resemble that.

My baptismal name is Catherine, after the patron saint of art.
My confirmation name is Cecilia, after the patron saint of music.

Communion brought more peace, although it wasn't what I was expecting.  Communion had always been bread and grape juice/wine at the U.C.C. church I had gone to.  I knew that Catholic communion was different in that it was just a wafer, but for some reason I had been expecting something bigger.
At any rate, it was a wonderful experience.  I look forward to sharing in it every Sunday.