Weekend + A Sunny Monday in NYC

Saturday night Mr Husband and I tried a new restaurant, it was good! 

I got the blue/teal dress today, really good price and I used a gift card that

had an extra 10% savings too!

Trying to figure out summer outfits with that pink jacket. 

I was in NYC today, it was wonderful weather,

cool, breezy, sunny... 

I was crazy as always and got a bunch of stuff at the Container Store, 

including storage things for fridge/freezer/linen closet/clothes closet.

It was crazy because I took that big bag home on the PATH.

On Sunday we went out for ice cream with a dear Romanian priest

and his 15 year old daughter....

I had a a cinnamon and chocolate ice cream cone, very delicious! 

We still have the same old unbloggable stuff.

I think we will for the next months.

***

I had breakfast with Mr Husband this morning,

it was really nice.

I had dinner with my lovely friend Heather who was visiting NYC 

for a very special weekend! 

It was God's blessing and timing that we got to see each other,

last minute! 

Thursday event

The event was so very nice.

From beginning to end.

The food, the venue, everything.

My outfit worked perfectly, the hat was great

and we had a really lovely time.

Wednesday: the Sun Shone and I saw flowering trees

While it took 2 more phone calls in the morning,

my new hat was hand delivered today,

before my hair appointment.

I was really pleased with my new haircut.

I have naturally curly hair and with a little

finger curling and some product, and a diffuser,

it can curl nicely. 

And it was sunny.

I saw flowering trees.

I also listened 2x to Motzart's requiem. 

The special event is tomorrow.

To try to keep Pascha with me,

esp as I was away for all of Bright Week,

I have been trying to not wear much dark clothing,

as even a Bright Week Funeral is very Paschal and Bright.

Not that my Aunt Karen had this exactly since she was not

Orthodox.. but it is still her Easter Season too...

The unbloggable is still there.

But I am trying to have it not steal the enjoyment of moments that are 

nice, like being in the pretty neighbouring town and having my yearly 

haircut.... and I felt like I was more settled and less sad in terms of leaving 

Ottawa over 5 years ago; when I first got my hair cut here, I was still 

really missing my hairdresser there and now it's better and that is great.

Funny moment, when I was discussing with the hairstylist/s about

to have my hair down or pulled back, I pulled it back as I was asking

and they all said quickly "pulled back!!!"... it was really funny/cute/kind/nice.

Well. Tomorrow I get to wear my new outfit and just have fun with it.

We've had a lot of stress and sadness and so just having a special event to 

go to and seeing friends is going to be so very welcome....

Tuesday you missed the memo that it is not Monday

Whew. What a day.

So I got out of jury duty just before lunch time

and was free to go home.

Relief.  

Then I spend the next few hours with phone errands 

that were comical in how bad they were.

Suffice to say that I think everything is working out now.

Do you ever have it where you just want one thing to go right

when lots of things seem to be going wrong?

I know enough to not compare suffering or apologize for my own.

I totally get the whole I am part of the Western privileged very rich

compared to the rest of the world etc etc. 

Anyway, my +Aunt Karen is gone and I miss her and want to do so much

more for my family and don't even have the time at present. So that's a 

gaping hole and sadness.

The unbloggable stuff is still ongoing and I am just wore out with it.

All I want from this week is to look nice for my friend's 

very special event with reception and dinner.

We will see if this will actually happen, as the hat I ordered,

the haircut I am getting and such....

I am just having a hard time accepting that life is still 

hard because of the unbloggable things 

and even my dreamed of trip to Ottawa is now

on the rocks and probably not happening because of 

the unbloggable.

I've not seen my godson in over 3 years now. 

There's just nothing I can do about it right now.

Tomorrow I hope is a better day.

The woman who cut my hair is no longer there

so a new person is going to do my hair.

I really hope it works out.

I am glad no concern is outside the care of God.

So many are on my heart.

So much.

Lord have mercy and help us!

Monday, after Bright Week

First 2 pictures from St Anthony's.

Last a shot of our Paschal table on Sunday evening.

***

Today I had jury duty.

It was good.

I am having fun with wearing bright colours as we are after Pascha.

Today was whites and reds... red top, white jacket, white red and black Indian patterned skirt.

Jury duty tomorrow, it will be over tomorrow.

***

I ordered a pill box hat that is coming tomorrow.

I get my hair cut Wednesday.

Trip to Philly and very special event Thursday....

Back Home in NJ

Just real quick, I have so many pictures and things I can say

but just popping in to say that my flight was supposed to come in last night

and instead was at 10 AM this morning.

So tired but well, safe, etc.

***

My Mom, my cousin A and I went shopping and I found a really 

nice outfit for a formal event Mr Husband and I DV are going to on Thursday.

I got a really nice small carry-on suitcase (that my Dad cleaned super well) at 

the thrift store and I put this new outfit in it, in 2 bags to be sure it came home

well... and.... In my tired hazed state I had gotten out something to give

as a present to Mr Husband (belated birthday present) and forgot that

the rest of the bag of bags I left in the office on my chair...

and then later realized I could not find that pretty light pink jacket ANYWHERE.

Until Mr Husband went in the office and I followed...

OH the RELIEF. 

***

Well.... so much I can write, but I need to sleep now.

Thank God for His mercies, even in simple things like a special

outfit to wear for a special event! 

Really love this song -- Appalachian Christ is Risen

https://www.facebook.com/petyaluk/videos/10160391294815515

https://www.facebook.com/petyaluk/posts/10160394926120515 

I don't see how I can get the above as anything other than FB links

but they are incredibly beautiful.

This is the music they were signing: 

this has really been up-girding me through this intense few days of loss during Bright Week.

Christ is Risen! 

Bright Sadness: My Aunt Karen's Funeral

f

My Aunt Karen's funeral was beautiful and I cried (quietly) a few times.

The sermon from the pastor was very well done, heartfelt and full of 

the Gospel and also comfort while facing deep trials and struggles.

***

I was able to do some prayers for my +Aunt by her casket this morning

and read Psalm 23 one last time (of me seeing her body) ... of course I will keep

praying Psalms for my +Aunt.... I nearly bawled after doing that but

held my wooden prayer rope tight as I did not want to break down in 

weeping and call attention to myself. 

***

I am so glad it is Bright Week, even though while being home

I am not with my beloved Husband.

I hope to visit with more family this week and that is a blessing.

Pascha and Bright Monday in MI

Pascha was good, beautiful.

I held onto my wooden beads when I would

feel a bit weepy about my +Aunt Karen;

overall it was a very joyful service for me with 

many beautiful moments.

My flight home today was smooth and quick.

I went to my +Aunt Karen's visitation tonight.

A big loss, unquestionably.

One of my father's cousins is familiar with Russia

and Orthodoxy and I was able to explain what a 

Bright Week funeral would have been like and that was 

nice and very unexpected to be understood,

as my family is respectful of Orthodoxy but do not know 

a lot about it (not something we discuss at length).

 Anyway, that was nice for me.... and not surprisingly,

my family and extended family and my Aunt Karen's side of the family

(she is married to my Dad's brother) is so warm and welcoming as well.

It will be hard to say goodbye

but am grateful it is bright week.

I am grateful that my family loves Christ so much.... that they know that

we grieve with HOPE.

I am going to wear my red jacket and my white skirt,

just like I wore on Pascha....

Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, Holy Saturday

Holy Thursday 12 Gospels.

A lot of tears for my +Aunt Karen that service.

I got this on Holy Thursday, the day my +Aunt Karen died, from our church kiosk, a beautiful wooden prayer rope. I am not a "superstar prayer" but I found this prayer rope comforting to hold in my hand and squeeze, as if I was holding my Husband's hand.

 It's going to be hard for me not to have him with me at my Aunt Karen's funeral, 

but he honestly can't go because of being neck-deep at work. 

But I will travel DV on Monday with this prayer rope nearby.

The prayer rope is from the Sisters at the St Elizabeth Convent in Minsk Belarus and it is nice

to have something from them so nearby to myself.

Procession and entry into the the tomb.

Holy Saturday and the Feast of the Annunciation.

It was a blessing to hear the Gospel for the Theotokos/Virgin Mary and St Elizabeth

Mother of St John the Baptist; this Saint Elizabeth is my patron name Saint. 

St Elizabeth the New Martyr; her name's Saint is

St Elizabeth the Mother of St John the Baptist.

Holy Saturday Bread after the longest liturgy of the year.

Some treats for church kids. This is a hard Pascha for me. I am excited for Pascha, grieving my +Aunt Karen, grieving that I will miss pretty much all of Bright week with my Husband, glad to have family to grieve, love and visit, and other "unbloggable" things that are weighing heavy on my heart. Yet so glad that our Lord loves us so much that He came down to be with us, die for us and in His Resurrection give us eternal life to live forever with Him and in His love.

Almost forgot the whiskey that we got for Christmas! 

Now our basket is complete, with 2 bags of cookies added at the end.

***

I have a basket for the Munchkin and his Mom,

a basket of cookies to give out

and another basket with treats and our second kulich

as well as our main Pascha basket. 

This has been one of the songs I have listened to a lot this week,

since my Aunt Karen died.

It fit the mood.

I will be so glad to hear, DV tonight, the songs of Pascha

and to sing to my +Aunt Karen that Christ is Risen...

a reality she is already in...

My Aunt Karen: Memory Eternal!

My Aunt Karen died this morning, peacefully.

We are bereft of her presence with us

but not bereft of hope.

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. 

Palm Sunday, Lazarus Saturday, and Holy Week!

It's all beginning! 

We had a really nice Palm Sunday... and were

back in church for Bridegroom Matins...

we went out afterwards with our favourite 

older candle desk man to our dinner 

for dinner....

***

My Aunt is in ICU and is stable.

She is having a new medical treatment

and we really did not know if it would go well.

So far it's going much better than expected.

Lots of people have been praying.

***

I may not update much this week.

Wishing everyone a blessed Holy Week

and a Blessed Easter-tide to all who celebrated today!

***

May the Good Lord carry us to Pascha!