Comicon & The #Arrow's Autograph: McLoughlin Blue Laws are Alive and Well

When Aron and I were first dating, we were not exactly what you would call religious. I was going through this "down with men because they are all going to just hurt you anyway so why even bother building anything meaningful" phase at the ripe old age of 24, and he was ready to settle down at almost 29 years old. I met my match with this guy, that's for sure. He turned my thinking around just by being this awesome person. I truly believe God brought him into my life for a reason and here we are almost 20 years later.

Anyway, maybe a year and a half into our relationship we started going to Catholic church (he was raised Catholic and I was raised ... hmmm, how do I explain this? ... I was raised by two parents who had been raised kinda super-Protestant? My parents did not raise me to be religious but gave me all the major moral stuff they were supposed to ... and for this reason I am able to hang out with all kinds of different people and be okay with them and not think everyone has to be just like me).

So his parents were doing this thing where they didn't spend money on Sundays and didn't go places where people had to work on Sundays, either. We thought that was a cool challenge and a nice way to remember God just for one day and also to slow down a little bit.

All these years later and we still practice this, only sometimes we feel so alone! Yes, we get gas if we are on the road on a Sunday. Yes, I have been known to buy some Jawbusters at QuikTrip on a Sunday when I forgot it was a Sunday or was having major Jonesin' for Jawbusters. Mr. Kerrie has had to work on Sundays sometimes. I often check in with work things on Sunday. Yeah, I feel a little guilty. Am I weird? I don't know if God cares if we do this or not. Maybe we are extra special blessed because we try to honor something bigger than ourselves for one day. Maybe we are deluding ourselves. I don't know. We are in the habit of doing it. And sometimes it hurts.

Like when Comicon is coming to town and my son who is in love with the show Arrow gets excited to see Stephen Amell and get his autograph because the actor is coming Saturday and Sunday. Then the network schedules him somewhere else on Saturday so he is only coming on Sunday. And I give my husband puppy dog eyes and ask if he would reconsider our Blue Laws but I'm pretty sure he will say no and he does. And Comicon thinks they are all awesome by honoring the Saturday Only passes on Sunday. But we can't go on Sunday, or won't.

It's hard to live in absolutes as a parent and yet you can't flip flop ALL THE TIME (because then you become an inconsistent parent like myself). You have to have some stuff set so the kids know what to expect. My son did not act super disappointed but I knew he was.

If this guy says it, it must be true!

Update! Mr. Kerrie is working in Houston, where the kids and I have never been, so we are leaving SUNDAY (eek – travel on Sunday! we will have to spend money on a hotel room!) ... for a few weeks and would not have made Comicon anyway. We love you, #Arrow.

Updated as of June 28, 2020: We still do this! Yes, Sam played some Sunday soccer games for a season, but we all attended, so it became a family thing. Michael's boss at work was not thrilled when he told him he wasn't allowed to work Sundays, but it's worked out. Joel does not work Sundays because his boss does not work Sundays. Nobody mows around my house on Sundays, and we *try* our best to get our weekly house cleaning done on Saturdays.

Updated again July 29, 2021: Michael has gotten another job where they do not care that he can't work Sundays. Michael is 18 now, but he still lives at home. I'm interested to see how this plays out in my kids' lives when they move out and are on their own. I don't expect them to be just like us, but I hope they keep Sunday as a special day of meaning.

Focusing on faith, family, friends and fun usually works out nicely.

Are our kids bored sometimes on Sundays? Sure. Do they also have some amazing Sunday memories of getting together with friends, cooking out, hearing some inspiring homilies at church, swimming, playing games, helping their dad make dinner, read-aloud sessions with Mom, and so much more?

I sure hope so.

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