The 10th Day of Christmas...

Yesterday was the 10th day of Christmas;

I am going to backdate this post so the date matches 

the actual 10th day of Christmas.

I rested a lot yesterday.

Finally had my bath, though by accident it was not as hot as 

I wanted so eventually I will get that less hurried hot bath! :) 

I feel like I am in an odd state of transition where nothing is changing,

including that which is unbloggable (and that does make us weary) but yet I have felt this

sadness... I think my Aunt K.'s sickness (she's had illness for many years

and had to have fluid removed in hospital and a heart catheterization today)...

and just being present to the passing of time...

I am 41 years old... and with that, still young but no longer a child or YA, comes

parents, Aunts, Grandparents, who are older.

It comes with the irrevocable fact that I am facing the sunset instead of the dawn

of my family who birthed and raised me. 

And perhaps it is more than this; it is hard to tell. 

Anyway, yesterday was a more tired, resting and a bit of a struggle.

But it's OK too. 

***

I was able to wrap up the Munchkin's presents, 

got out the recipe for Friday's Christmas dinner, 

and got the godkid's (those in the States) presents finally ready for mailing.

***

I was able to light my lampadas and the Mother of God lampada

made it all the way until bedtime.

It was incredible how this lampada lit up the room when no other 

lamps/lampadas were lit. 

It's good to remember that one candle, one lampada, can light up

darkness in a powerful way.

***

I refound this video and showed it to my Husband last night;

I had a real sense of joy at sharing such beauty with him,

and he was able to explain that this is Arwen's father and herself

most likely he is telling her that she must be seperated from him for

as long as earth endures as she is to marry Aragon, a human, and she 

as one of the Elves, would live forever among those who would die

and she too would one day go this way...

It's beautiful and worth watching...

I can't imagine living without such beauty

and I read deeply moving words in Elizabeth Goudge's

For God So Loved the World about God

being the most Adored Beauty.

I was touched within myself for I know that what Goudge saw.

What Tolkien saw, is hints of 

God, who is the Most Beautiful and the source of all Love...

When I think of this, I could weep for the joy of the very idea

of a glimpse of our most beautiful Lord.... 

***

And that was the 10th day of Christmas.... 

10th day of Christmas

Yesterday was the 10th day of Christmas

and the 16th day since I really have been 

anywhere except at home.

I think both of us were feeling a bit discouraged 

yesterday morning, I admit.

The meds Mr Husband are on to help his lungs

heal have kept him up at night, 

and make him feel unwell in general.

Soon those meds will be done.

I understand why my Grandma is always so positive,

your outlook makes a big difference on how you

experience your day at hand.

***

We got our YL oils a day early; we 

have hopes that it can help with the respiratory issues

we both are trying to heal from.

I started coughing, but I remember that from the flu

last March; it comes and it stays a while and then is gone. 

We are waiting for some things from the doctor's appointment

my Husband had on Friday.

A dear FB, blog and IG friend helped me know how to

make an oil to put directly on our skin

to help healing.

After I put it on, I felt like something had loosened

and that I could breath a bit easier.

Mr. Husband felt that he was at the best he was 

at that afternoon since he got sick.

So we are really really hoping that this 

will help us turn a corner.

My Husband has never been so sick; 

when I had mono in our first year of marriage, ,

I was weak for months; so I know about it;

but I can tell that my Husband is feeling 

a great deal of pressure about being sick

and the fact that he is not able to work yet.

***

We opened the unexpected presents yesterday

and got such lovely things,

the best of books, a beautiful decorative *red* rooster,

it glows with the twinkly lights,

I have dubbed it my Christmas Rooster.

My Husband told me how the French have loved 

Roosters for centuries, even had a Rooster on their money

a long time ago... 

We also got a beautiful bottle of soap...

And a fleece for my Husband!

I washed it and hope today that he will wear it!

Will do him good, I think.

We took pictures of each other with all the beautiful sparkles

from the wrapping paper; Mr Husband found it amusing

in the best kind of way!

***

I am so so thankful not only for dear friends

but for grocery delivery service.

Today we are going to get paper towels,

more distilled water for our new difusers,

and other odds and ends.

It's wonderful to know that we can get things

we need on a daily basis this way.

And Wednesday I am going to get an amazon shipment,

and that is really nice too.

***

And Saturday is my belated birthday party.

I have people to come on Friday to help me prepare, 

and I really hope that it will go well and

that it will be a blessing to everyone who comes.

And I am hoping that by then Mr Husband and I

will be even stronger.

We are really hoping to continue to turn the corner

that we sensed yesterday.

And so that was the 10th day of Christmas for us.

Lent is super early this year and the beginning signs of it are only

2 weeks or so away.

I knew coming into this year, for various reasons,

that it would be a challenging year for us,

I did not know it would start with illness but I pray that God is

doing something inwardly speaking for us,

building I hope and pray a bit more inward strength

and endurance, so that while we lack

physical strenth, we will be given,

by God's mercy,

the grace to bear it.

***

Christ is born!

Glorify Him!

***

Pray for us as we will be missing

 the Theophany services this year.

Never have we missed them since we were Orthodox Christians

and we have to trust God for His ways

and always for His mercy.

On the 10th day of Christmas

Mr. Husband thinks that this book,

pictured above, may be my most favourite gift this year.

I am finding that I can't pick one and that I am grateful

for the many books I have to grace our library. 

*

Mr. Husband got a book on St. Jerome that includes

one of his favourite irascible lines...

I think it takes a certain temperament and humour to appreciate it, 

but we sure did!

St. Jerome is a fascinating person;

Kathleen Norris' books introduced me to him,

the one that feminists love to hate but totally misunderstand...

 We celebrated a person in our local church joining the

Orthodox church 

and after this, I set up for our 9 person Christmas dinner,

to be had the next day. 

Having the island as a 'buffet' for the food and dessert plates and cups worked well.

I had a second St. Basil's bread baked and waiting to share.

I am realizing that our metal tray is great for having special breads on it.

This tray was given to us to have our wedding crowns on,

by our male wedding sponsor... 

The table was set and had place holders for names

the night before.

*

And that was the 10th day of Christmas this year!

10th day of Christmas...

The Christmas candles lit, a nice meal made

on the last Friday of the 12 days of Christmas...

I made a chicken strata casserole that 

I will try to write on making later on.

It was tasty and as promised in the cookbook,

light and airy.

Oreo, hot cocoa and original mini cheesecakes for tea!

We tried an apple cinnamon tea to go with;

it was heavy on the hibiscus but I had used two

tea bags and will try one next time, and perhaps 

add another tea along side to cover the overly hibiscus nature of the tea...

My beloved gave me this book on CS Lewis;

it is one that I found at the Strand bookstore months ago!

I found this first American edition of 

Lewis's Of Other Worlds: Essays & Stories...

Mr. Husband loves this one! 

I got this cookbook on pastries! :))) 

I found this second printing first American edition of

JRR Tolkien's Smith of Wooten Major for a 

really decent price

and I saved it for last and as I thought,

it was one of Mr. Husband's favourite gifts

from me this year!

I was so excited about it! 

*

It was a beautiful 10th day of Christmas!