If I were a German...

Today is the Catholic holiday called Fronleichnam in German (we English-speaking folk call it Corpus Christi, meaning literally "the body of Christ"). I looked up what the feast of Corpus Christi actually was using google and found that it is indeed a very Catholic holiday --- "This feast is celebrated in the Latin Church on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday to solemnly commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist."

I've learned, living here in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, that the Germans here have got it made. Seeing that Catholicism and Protestantism are both so highly regarded (at least in a historical manner), the Germans take it upon themselves to celebrate both Catholic and Protestant holidays. Case in point, everything is shut down today in order to celebrate Fronleichnam. Most Germans that I asked had no idea what the holiday was about, but had to cross themselves and thank the Lord (ha!) for another day to sit outside and grill.

Maybe we should start lobbying Congress to call all Muslim holidays official 'vacation' days. I, for one, wouldn't mind extra days off to sit outside and grill, and maybe even have a glass of beer (nonalcoholic of course, as to not be offensive) to celebrate.

Note: No Germans or Muslims were meant to be hurt in this post. It's supposed to be read a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Note: Today is exactly 6 months from Elena's arrival into this world. Amazing to think that we haven't damaged her too much yet (at least physically... heaven only knows the psychiatrist bills that we'll be paying at 16).