I often say
when I do something, I do it really well.
That includes head colds.
I am ready for this flourishing cold to cease.
*
Meanwhile,
it was a year ago tomorrow
that I traveled to Brampton to see my Oma
with my family
and that night
my Oma fell,
and
she fell asleep in the Lord just days later.
*
One of my Mom's sister called her
to talk about it and the memories...
I am so glad I was able
to memorial service for my Oma
last year.
*
One of the miracles of this time
was not only that
my sister Rebecca and her husband Mark
were home and got to see my Oma
with myself and my family
just before she fell,
but that I was already dating
the man who was
introduced to you in
February as Orthoman
and now is my beloved
Mr. Husband.
*
The second miracle around my Oma's death
is that because my sister and brother-in-law only come
once a year, typically,
to the States from Romania where they live
and care for orphans,
Mr. Husband came to Michigan to meet
my family while my sister was home.
And he came the night before my Oma died.
I could not tell you all then about this aspect of it
as our relationship was still so new
and the changes
including knowing that I would need to leave
Ottawa to marry him
were a bit dizzying to me.
But come Mr. Husband did,
with flowers for myself and my mother
with his warmth, laughter and love.
*
When my Oma had fallen,
it was late at night by the time I found out
and it was too late to call my then
boyfriend the wonderful Orthoman
but I texted him
and then emailed him the next day on the train.
I texted him on the train right before I
was getting off for home in Ottawa
from Brampton
bring your passport to Michigan
realizing that my Oma may be dying
and my Orthoman would not be able to
have the choice to come with me
to the funeral if she died while
he was visiting myself and my family.
*
And so he left work early
to get his passport
that was safely at a friend's house.
That was the other crazy intense part of this story.
Mr. Husband had owned a wonderful
Dutch house that he got
two offers on
(he needed to sell it due to too long of a work commute)
the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend
that he first visited me on.
The house was packed and officially sold on the day
my Oma fell;
early on in our relationship I had sent him
the
Akathist to St. Menas
as he really needed his house to sell
and it was not long afterwards that he got the two offers
on the same day;
a sunny day in Ottawa when we were newly
meeting and greatly in love.
St. Menas is one of the Saints that is quick to hear
and send help.
*
And so Mr. Husband sold his house and just
days later flew out to Michigan
to be with myself and my family.
*
He came with us to Brampton and saw
where my Oma lived
and was with me at her grave
where we prayed for her.
*
My family loved him
and I knew that I would marry him,
and told Mother Gabriella
on new calendar
St. Nicholas Day
that this seemed to be what was happening.
*
Orthoman, now Mr. Husband,
and I were at the monastery
last year for St. Nicholas Day,
the day before we all went to Brampton
for my Oma's funeral.
*
I know.
It is all so full of God's mercy and compassion.
Sometimes I fail and get anxious and forget
God's abundant mercy in my life.
But it is there,
God is the steady hand of love
in our lives
even in the midst of deepest sorrows.
*
And so a year later
I and Mr. Husband are married
and soon it will be one year anniversary
of my Oma's falling asleep.
I had mailed my Oma pictures of
my Orthoman that
I had taken that first
Canadian Thanksgiving we had
and she was so happy for me.
She said that
everyone wants a little bit of happiness.
She knew we would marry
and my Mom,
when she and her sisters were packing my Oma's
things after her falling asleep,
packed a lovely Dutch sugar spoon for me
for my wedding
that my Mom gave me months later at my
family bridal shower in Michigan.
*
I told Mr. Husband that I loved him
for the first time on
Western Christmas Eve.
The day that my Oma turned 103 in heaven.
*
And so my life has turned from tragedy to
comedy, for as Mr. Husband tells me
the comedies always end with a wedding.
*
When I tell Mr. Husband that I still worry about
it turning again to tragedy he
tells me there is nothing we can do about
the future.
Good reminder to be with God today.
*
And so I have been working
hard on our wedding book.
A 150 page wedding book.
Full of beautiful
beautiful
pictures like these two:
St. Phanourios will
always be our family Saint
as we were married on his day.
Above is a picture of the icon we had made
in Romania
for my church as a gift.
And our two wedding icons from
the Greek monastery in Quebec.
*
This past week I finally
put up our wedding crowns
on two small hooks
above our bed.
I still have to take a picture of it.
The wedding book has been taking over
my life and I feel that I am indeed
creating a book
a story of the wonderful
day of our wedding
which was a very blessed day from God.
*
For all of this,
I give thanks
to God for His great mercy!
