Humberto knows that I love him.  He knows for lots of reasons, but yesterday I confirmed it again to him when I attended a meeting with a priest, on Winter Solstice, to discuss what Catholic hoops we will have to jump through to get married down here.  I never thought I'd be (so?) grateful for having been baptized as a wee babe in said Institution.

When I left the house I had a dread in my stomach a kin to heading to the dentist for a root canal. Fortunately it wasn't and won't be as bad I thought.  This religion will accept me apparently, right along with God(dess).   Woot!  Close call.  Did I mention I did this on Solstice?

The Hoops, in no particular order are:

- we get to join a Bible study group. Fortunately my boss and his wife and the woman I live with are all devout Catholics who are also my friends.  They are all involved in about 3 church groups each, and in January, Humberto and I will be joining them weekly for a bit of Psalms and a smattering of Genesis.

- study the Catechism.  If any of you devout readers out there have a good link to English Catechism...that would be super helpful.

- meet with the priest every 2 weeks to discuss what we've studied of the Catechism and bring up any 'doubts' or questions we might have.  I may hold myself back and extract my nose piercing for these regular scheduled events (I'll arrive on foot instead of by broom too, never can be too careful).

-informally visit about 10 Catholic couples,  asking them about raising kids, being married, life as a Catholic...etc.

Finally,  I need a scanned copy, then the original (...Mom PLEASE don't send it in the mail!!) of my Baptismal Certificate.  I had no idea, but when someone gets baptized a Catholic, they get entered into a huge registry.  Then, when they get married, the priest in your new parish (Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras) contacts the priest in your old parish (Fernie, BC, Canada) and says, 'Hey, this chick is getting married.  Do you have any information about whether or not she's already married a Cuban?'

The priest smiled a wide, satisfied, smile when he explained, ' You see, we have GLOBAL CONTROL.'  Ya.  Don't I know it dude. Don't I know it.

This will be a year unlike any other, and I am SOOOO happy for that!