Whew, Better, Looking forward...

Thank you so much,

everyone who has sent comments my way on my last post,

I can't thank you enough.

***

I know that these feelings of missing Ottawa come to me

rather suddenly and I just have to wade through them.

I had a nice weekend,

had an early dinner with dear friends on Saturday,

had Patrick's 40th day memorial service,

vigil, and we were given things from Patrick's house that 

dear friends of ours found there for us. 

***

We took home a lot of treasures from Patrick,

my Husband is really excited about some that were found for him,

that I may be able to show you later when they are on display.

***

The table full of papers

...are especially meaningful to me...

 I had found them at Patrick's last Monday,

in the last hour I was helping with the packing and sorting. 

I did not dream it would be given to me and am so touched. 

It's a bunch of hand written recipes and 2 vintage cookbooks. 

I am carefully sorted and put them in page protectors.

 They will be in a binder I have for recipes and I can't wait to bake, 

cook and share them with you all!

***

I must add some things that I have been reflecting on that I did 

not have in Ottawa and have now.

I can remember how I would come back home

after Holy Week and have my pretty paschal food and 

best table setting, Sunday morning of Pascha,

and I would have no one to share it with.

I remember the loneliness of going home after church

and not having a family to come home to or with.

Now I have my Husband and it's so nice.

***

Also it's just been an intense year - about 

double the travel we usually have, we got sick

various times, and I am still dealing with my 

new eye issue (it's not better, I probably need a second

shot-in-the-eye in a week Monday) and life as we know it.

***

But we must never give up, must always

remember our blessings and seek to be thankful.

***

That's a huge thing right there.

***

Prayer request: My Dad hurt his leg last week

and goes to doctor tomorrow about it.

We are hoping it is merely sprained,

but of course don't know for sure.

I won't go into details here but my Dad was 

really protected in this all and I thank God so much for that.

***

My parents-in-law hope to visit us in May and we are really

looking forward to that!

***

And I am honestly thankful for my life here...

it's just a work in progress and sometimes it's easy to 

remember the good things about where one last was and

forget the difficult or fail to see the wonders that I have here.

***

Thanks again so much for your kindness and prayers,

they are so appreciated!!!!