Friday: You came so unexpectedly - wan't it just Tuesday?

Friday, you tricky little dog you, how did you come so fast?

Well, today was good, full and that curry never did get made.

I saw a friend for lunch and caught up on things.

I read here and there; did laundry; dishes; took lightrail home,

talked to my dear friend C who I have known for 20 years 

and that was so nice, esp as she sees me, including the humour in my life

and her laugh is one of my favourite things to hear. 

(And she reads my blog, I actually don't have many friends who 

have known me so long who do!)

And then I made lemon crinkle cookies.... recipe here! on my 

All the Ribbons blog!

I will, DV, update this recipe tomorrow as I have not tried them yet,

since they had egg and today was a fast day so... tomorrow breakfast, you are just

around the corner...

I hope tomorrow to wax lyrically about them, perhaps gushing a bit...

how can I not, it's a lemon crinkle cookie after all... 

I ordered flowers for Uncle Hank to be delivered.

My Mom was able to go the funeral home this afternoon

and my Aunt H. hoped to go tonight 

and this made us so happy, esp. since we can't be there. 

His funeral is tomorrow... 

I am really really glad for family.

I am really sad that being over 40 means losing those who you love

who are 2 generations up from you, like Uncle Hank. 

Tomorrow, my Husband and I will eat leftover beef stroganoff,

ironically the first time my Husband will have it as we had

pizza (semi-homemade) on Monday and he wanted to get those 

leftovers gone before anything new, so tomorrow,

we will have beef stroganoff and biscuits that I made

the day we lost Uncle Hank. 

Somehow it is fitting.   

I am thinking of doing a second cream sauce (I have milk that needs to be used up 

and the egg noodles, fully predictably, ate up a bunch of the sauce,

though the wonderful taste is still in full force).  

But I want perfection so... I hope to do this, I want it to be my best.

I remember when +Patrick died and I made all the desserts for his mercy meal

and somehow making this meal I made on Tuesday

for my Husband and I to be nourished by

in light of such loss,

seems like the best way I an honour Uncle Hank,

outside of my, our, commitment to Christ, which is the ultimate honouring. 

Holy Week Hurdles

First, my friend A. bought me this shawl that Mat Anna made

and gave it to me before I left for CA+ AZ.  And yes, that's me 

in the picture...anyway... back to the shawl! 

I love it and did not have time before now to show it to you all! 

Mat Anna makes beautiful things!

Including this beautiful baby blanket - perfect for a baptism gift!

(I should know, we gave one to our last 2 godchildren!!!)

***

OK. Soooooo... Holy Week has what we Orthodox Christians like to call

'temptations'.... they are often an unexpected challenge - from things breaking,

to interpersonal conflict, to super stressful things, accidents, injury or even

tragedy.  They come, sometimes, in spades. And of course

there are years in one's life that are heavy on these things.

Hard....

***

I am very blessed in that we are right now in good health - my cold seems to be gone -

we don't have the flu - but .... I too have been a bit blindsided by things.

***

My Aunt Karen, who I visited in early March, is dying.

They tried a medical procedure, it was not effective.

It is clear that she has good care, she's just very ill and 

there's no much more that can be done.

She is in ICU still I believe and we are going to lose her,

probably this week but only God knows. 

So that's super HARD.

She is a very beloved Wife, Mother, Aunt, Grandmother...

She's super special to me personally.

I am SO VERY GLAD I got to see her 2x in MI in early March.

Grief and loss is hard.

***

And our ongoing unbloggable stress just ramped up to another new level.

Lots of unknowns. I can't really talk about it other than to say that

and that thank God it is not an issue in our marriage or family and not 

a health concern as much as a stress-concern in other areas. 

***

But, I know that many are having huge struggles, 

we are by no means alone or having the worst of them.

Of course it is best to not compare to others right?

Rather, look to Christ and for His mercy.

***

The thing that temptations also entail is that they can shift/throw off one's focus

on Christ completely... it's Holy Week...

I just pray that God can help me be present to the services as much as 

I can be able to and that He will carry us all to HIS glorious Pascha. 

I knew it was coming...

It's now official. 

Our dear friends and parents of our goddaughter are moving

far away from here.

I had such hopes that I would have my godchild near by

and that I would be able to be in her life on a weekly basis...

As Mr. Husband pointed out,

I was collecting books already for her...

So of course pray for this family as they move and it's a huge big deal but

we hope ultimately better for them.

But if you could remember me in prayer also,

I'd greatly appreciate it.

We will be grieving their loss here....

heart-felt prayer request

One of my dearest Romanian friends
from Ottawa's father has been very ill.
I just got word that her father has
fallen asleep in the Lord.
Please, I ask for any and all prayers for her,
her newly departed father
her mother and her husband.
*
Lord have mercy!
Memory Eternal!
May God remember my friend's father in
His Kingdom.