HABEMUS PAPAM!

Habemus Papam!

I had the TV on and as soon as I saw the smoke, I ran upstairs and yelled for the kids (who, naturally, were not napping anyway) to come down to see our new Pope! This perhaps was foolish, as they had to wait an hour. They immediately began bickering over whether the white stuff streaming from the chimney was steam or smoke. 

Then they asked, about a hundred times, where the Pope was, and when they could see him. I explained that there was stuff going on -- he had to get new robes, and had to go to the chapel to pray, and had to pick a new name.

I kid you not, Cody said, "What will his name be?" I told him we had no idea and we'd find out soon, but that it could really be any saint's name. He then said, "I think it will be Francis like St. Francis of Assisi." Glibly I replied, "Sure, maybe!"

Um.

While waiting for him to come out, they somehow got the idea that, and I quote, "The new Pope will pop out on that balcony and spin around and say, 'WHEE!' and then we will play hide and seek with him!" I'd kind of like to have seen that. 

At any rate, it was a joyful moment to share with them. They did their best to ruin it (squabbling, jumping on furniture, giggling maniacally) but it was still great. 

And, Pope Francis. Just as Cody suspected. If only they'd had him handicapping the election on NBC instead of the nimrods doing "analysis." : )