A quiet Friday evening with Mr. Husband (plus cute Cleo pictures!)

The cake is now finished...
*
We are dreaming of Pascha.
I told Mr. Husband that my hope is to do the following in Bright week:
~change out the Lenten icons for the Pascha icons of
Christ's Ressurection and Bright Friday's icon
~switch out the table cloth for my all white one
~use my Grandma's dishes that I use for Pascha
~change out the red lampadas for clear glass ones
*
I am dreaming of baking chocolate cookies for
Pascha again...
*
Mr. Husband is very practical and discussed taking
probiotics the week before to help
digestion when suddenly eating Festive Food...
*
Speaking of Mr. Husband,
he has this quirk of not wanting to get
rid of old tee-shirts...
so apparently one year he had one that was especially bad
and he wrote this ditty to his Mom and
gave it to her...
She mailed it back to him this year for his Birthday,
which has given us much amusement: 

Knowing that the shabbiness 
of my attire
In my Mother loathing dost
inspire
I decided this shirt to 
retire
Her heart with rapture to
inspire
She'll probably throw it
in the fire. 
~ A Mr. Husband exclusive :)

Cleo the Cutest Cat Ever...

:) See, she knows it too! :)

In the past I made a lot of cookies
for Pascha...
We will see what I can do this coming time...

 

St. Nectarios of Pentapolis and the Island of Aegina: The Monastic Ideal
I got this book in January when I was visiting
my beloved Ottawa Parish...
I am starting this one now that I am doing reading the one
on St. Luke...
*
My husband is a little mad but over all not to bad
is what he just said to me
when I read him the above section about his shirt.
The other thing things he is saying are not mention-able on my blog...
he's a bit on the (non-offensively) scatological side... :)
*
Between you and me,
and him if he reads this post,
I do love his little poems :)
*
I am almost done with the pear section on my
baby blanket and
hope to make fried potatoes for lunch tomorrow...
*
What has your day been like today?

Trusting God with this Lent

So many we are praying for to
St. Nectarios.
Just learned today of one of my
undergraduate friend's mother having
stage 4 brain cancer,
starting treatment this Monday.
So heart breaking.
I am still waiting for news of other friend's
health or health of their family members...

This is Mr. Husband's icon.
When one first looks at it,
one thinks it is the
icon of the Protection of the Mother of God.
It is very similar but is actually
the icon of
the Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow.
My icon of the Holy Protection
is a close-up of the Mother of God
holding her veil
and
is on our buffet...
*
It is so wonderful that we have
such wonderful icons of the
Mother of God to
comfort, protect and keep us....

 

Mr. Husband and I continue
to learn how to deal
with my current illness.
We have ordered groceries online again.
*
In hopes of a stronger Elizabeth in the
Bright Season
after Lent,
Spring-form Pans for Cheesecake
have been ordered.
Mr. Husband is a great lover of cheesecake...
*
My second yarn and needle order
has been shipped and I hope
to have it early next week.
*
My first dish cloth is done!!
I will try blog about it soon...
Am having fun knitting a small scarf for
one of my nieces.
*
My cousin M. is mailing me a slipper pattern
like our Oma's slippers
that she always knitted for us.
*
Mr. Husband said that
I did a
'Nourishing Traditions FAIL'
as I wanted Campbells Chicken noodle soup
over the stock we made from scratch.
What can I say?
When sick, I still go for what I always
had before...
*
Tomorrow is the first Soul Saturday and
I am homesick for my Ottawa church
and the Panakhyda they 
will have tomorrow.
*
Mr. Husband is taking really good care of me.
I am so blessed and grateful.
*
This lent is going to be very different for me.
I will not be able to fast that much
as my body is incredibly weakened. 
Already talked to the priests
I know here about this...
My fast is going to be well, 
from things like ice cream
(but not popsicles!)
*
A while back my Ottawa spiritual father and I
talked about when one cannot fast
in ways one wishes
because of circumstances 
outside of one's control,
one can focus instead on gaining a
greater love for prayer.
*
I can only hope for God's mercy.
*
With my health and 
hopeful May and August plans,
it is very possible that I will not be able to return
to Ottawa until early September.
We just will not know.
*
My Oma often said
take it as it comes
and that is indeed what we will have to do.
*
Tomorrow Mr. Husband and I will 
be married for 
6 months.
For this I am very very thankful. 

Monday - sunshine, laughter, sadness, prayers and the Saints

Mr. Husband made
the liver and onions last night.
I helped at the last minute
but he did all the work.
*
It was sweeter than I thought it would be.
I am having a second helping today
for lunch and find them
even better the next day.

Mr. Husband esp. loves the burnt parts...
:)

I love how Mr. Husband and I
can joke around.
He's doing a lot of the work
right now since I am still unwell...
*
Mrs. Wife: are you going to have dessert?
Mr. Husband: No. Were you?
Mrs. Wife: I was thinking of having some ice cream.
Mr. Husband: well, why don't you eat some ice cream
and talk to me while I do dishes?
Mrs. Wife: well, I am supposed to obey my husband so 
I guess I will eat some ice cream! 
Mr. Husband: There's a first time for everything. 
:)

When Mr. Husband first
visited me in Ottawa
1.5 years ago or so now
he bought me groceries.
Specifically he bought me a
Liter of Olive Oil
which he carried many blocks home for me.

One thing I try to do every morning
is light our lampadas,
putting in fresh oil,
tending the wicks,
cleaning them a little
and lighting them... 

Mr. Husband,
back when he was not yet Mr. Husband
but was my Orthoman
 buying me that
olive oil
was a deeply meaningful gift for me
as I strive to always have my
main hanging lampada to St. George
lit at all times. 

 

I have loved St. John of Shanghai and Sans Francisco
for years now;
I have linked to talks about him in the past.
I've read this book on his life 
a few summers ago
and was at the Greek monastery
a few year ago I was there
on his day.
*
A few days before a local Ottawa clergyman
from another church
and I met unexpectedly on the street near where
I live.
I mentioned the job loss that I was facing at the time
and he said to ask Vladkya John for his help.
I did not realize then that it was just a few days
before Saint John's Day
and that I would be at the Greek monastery on his day.
*
I went into the chapel at the monastery
and there was a small icon of him
in the front on the iconostasis;
I was alone and able to pray for his help.
*
Meanwhile Mr. Husband loves St. John Maximovitch as well
and the icon you see in the picture above
is one he was given some years back.
*
We still look for his help.
*
This morning I learned that
one of the parishioners at my
Ottawa parish is continuing to be quite ill.
He is one of the oldest parish members,
worked in the church and church cemetery for years
and he and his wife both made it
to the liturgy, my wedding and the reception
even though they were ill.
The cloth that was used for the table
for the Dance of Isaiah
at the wedding was borrowed from them,
their only child had been swaddled in it
just after he had been baptized.
*
They taught me the love of the prayers for
the departed and of caring for the church in
practical daily ways.
She taught me how to fold alter clothes that
we used there.
I told her once that when I grow up
I want to be just like her.
He is ill,
more ill everyday.
It is a great suffering.
*
I am so happy to be married to Mr. Husband.
I would not change my life one bit.
But how I miss those I love in Ottawa
and feel my prayers
so small compared to what I wish I could
pray for them.
*
They are like the Grandparents of the parish
and we all pray with and for them
where ever we may be.
*
I am glad I can bring needs like this to our
very loving and tender Mother of God,
the Most Holy Theotokos.
To St. Nectarios and to St. John Maximovitch.
*
Sometimes we pray only with tears,
sometimes with Akathists
and sometimes with simple words.
*
God promises his mercy and to hear.
*
Akathists that may be of use for such sorrows
that I have found are
Akathist to the Mother of God Joy of those who Sorrow
Akathist to of Shanghai and Sans Francisco 
Akathist to St. Nectarios.

St. Nectarios

We had a moleben service to

St. Nectarios tonight.

*

My list of names included Noah;

Noah is declining rapidly and they have

chosen to take him home

and seek to only control the pain.

Please keep praying for him.

*

May the Lord have mercy.

St. Nicholas Day

The Saint Nicholas Cakes were a hit :)

*

St. Nicholas Day is one of my favourite days of the year.

*

My church had a festive meal and it was very joyful.

Here's a picture of the other monastery cat!

Look at all that snow...

This is an icon of St. Nectarios in the monastery chapel;

Some of my close friends and I especially look to his prayers

for healing.

*

Every day I hear of more people who are ill.

So much need.

But our God is merciful and compassionate

and so we keep praying

as we are able.

*

I am so glad that there are monasteries.

I know my prayers are not what I wish them to be

so the fact that I can ask monastics for prayers

for others and for myself, my family, etc

is a great encouragement.

*

Tomorrow morning I have to do a resume for a good part time job

that is due tomorrow.

I fly home tomorrow afternoon.

Please pray for my flight

and that I do not come down with a cold.

I know I am physically exhausted due to the insomnia

I have currently and feel on that

verge between sickness and health.

*

I am so glad to be going home and that I can rest there.

*

My sister Rebecca and my brother-in-law Mark fly home

God willing December 23rd.

Please pray that their flights go smoothly and that

they can get home in time for Christmas!

I thank God for my sister - especially today as it is her birthday!!

*

Thank you for your prayers.

I thank God for His mercy.