The Joys of the Season

I love traditions. I mean, I'm Southern, for goodness sake. I'm also Orthodox. Whether it's the combination of these titles, my upbringing or my personality, I'm not sure. All I know is, I LOVE a tradition (with a big or little "t"!)

There is no other season for us more steeped in family tradition than Advent and Nativity. The first of these for our Advent season this year is St. Nicholas Day.

As a family, we love St. Nicholas. Who doesn't, right? He is one of the most beloved Saints in the Church. His intercessions have helped us through a specific issue recently, and our love for him has grown stronger. He is a model of humility, generosity, and, of course, piety.

Now that we have a child, I have the immense joy of sharing our family traditions with her. The night before St. Nicholas Day, I hung our stockings on the fireplace screen. (We just couldn't bring ourselves to put nail holes into that mantle that we worked so hard to make look nice!) Anyway, I hung our stockings and filled them with a small trinket for each of us. I got hand-made soap from the farmer's market, E got a movie and Z got one of her favorite things...a panda!

*Side note for those of you who don't know about Z's obsession- I do not use that word lightly- with pandas. Every time we get in the car and start driving towards church, she says 2 things: "A-men!" and "Manna!" (read, "Panda!") not necessarily in that order. You see, there is a giant picture of a panda which advertises the zoo that is on our route to church. She loves reading the panda book, visiting the previously mentioned advertised panda at the zoo, and basically just saying the word "Manna!" at any opportunity.

Needless to say, I was greatly anticipating her reaction to walking into the living room on the morning of St. Nicholas Day to find her true love peeking out of her stocking.

She did not disappoint:

A Zoe fix

"C'mon!" you say. "This blog is supposed to be a bunch of cute pictures of the baby- stop all the talk and give us more of that!" Or, in the words of the King, a little less conversation- a little more...cuteness.

I hear you loud and clear- here goes (though I will indulge myself by writing some captions):

For any parents out there, this picture needs no explanation. To her daddy, Zoe said, "Hat! Hat!" and "Book!" I won't get into all of the mushy feelings this scene gives me, but the relationship a father has with his daughter is truly amazing- and I am incredibly blessed to behold it from the beginning.

You may see a theme brewing- Zoe is very into accessorizing these days. Among her favorite words in her vocabulary, "hat" ranks right at the top with "baby" and "more!"

We are in a new stage of mobility around here. The other day, we looked down to see Zoe in the Tupperware drawer. What is it with babies and that drawer? So convenient for mom because it offers at least 10-20 minutes of safe play time in the kitchen while I cook dinner! (classic Zoe look, btw)

Speaking of her hat obsession...

One of my favorite ways to kick-off Fall in Memphis (other than the ALS Walk, of course!) is the Crafts Fair! I went last week and bought this hat for Zoe. I wasn't sure if she would like it, or even keep it on her head, but I had to have it. Really, could you pass that up? Didn't think so.

When we got home, I was putting it on top of her dresser, and she said, "Hat!" I agreed that it was, indeed, a hat. She kept pointing out the obvious until I put said hat on her little head. If the hat was cute off of her head...goodness. For the next 2 mornings, when I went into her room to get her for breakfast, she greeted me with "Hat!" and pointing to the top of her dresser. She insisted on wearing her hat to breakfast, while being accompanied by "Baby!" Oh no! I have a future Red Hat Society member on my hands! (notice her "string of pearls" bib that my friend insisted "every Southern baby girl needs!" and that was before she knew Zoe, the Fashionista!)

Rah Rah Ree!

I am a cheerleader by nature.

Not by profession, you understand. No, that dream died after I failed to make the 7th grade cheer squad after totally blanking on the dance routine that I had faithfully practiced every night for a week. I got out there, looked at the panel of judges...and totally froze. Thankfully, I was out there with 2 other people who somehow remembered the dance, so while they were shakin their thangs, I did my 7th grade version of the booty dance, and just tried to laugh it off. It worked. The judges cracked up, too. But I digress.

Though I don't wear the short skirt or wave pom poms, I am a faithful cheerleader to the end. I grew up an Alabama fan- going to multiple games a year with Mom, shaking my red and white shaker and yelling all the songs. Those of you who have the the...um...pleasure, of going with me to a game recently know that I still do these things today, even after attending college at that tacky, orange-wearing school!

Once I get attached to something or someone, it will take something drastic to make me not sing it's praises to any and every one who will listen. Yes, I am loyal. But, like every character trait, this quality has it's flaws. I am also obnoxious and overbearing.

However, now that you have a little insight into my personality, I give you my "Rah Rah" list- a list of things that I love and think that no one can do without. I may add some things to this list as I find them, so consider this a jumping off point.

(1) Gimmie a "C":

COSTCO- of course this had to be #1. No one who has been around me in the last year has escaped hearing my Costco shpeal. EVERY mom should be a Costco member. Seriously. The amount I've saved in diapers alone is astronomic- YES, they work as well (and most of the time better) than Pampers, etc. Sheesh! Don't be such a diaper snob! No, I do not check off every item from my list at Costco, but I get the non-perishables, diapers, wipes, coffee (whole bean), butter, bread, chicken (individually wrapped and perfect for freezer)- you get the idea.


(2) Gimmie a "K":

The Costco entry brings me to another topic- Kroger Organic whole milk. SO, I thought I was saving money at Costco by buying 3 half gallons of organic whole milk. WRONG. A friend told me about Kroger brand Organic milk, and now I am saving $3 from the Costco price! This just shows it pays to shop around. (Note: I was saving $ at Costco based on the SuperLo price and the Schnuck's price)

(3) Gimmie an "F":

Feline Pine: You may know that we inherited 2 cats from my mom. With them we also inherited their litter box. u-g-h. SO, for years we've been battling "the smell." We've tried everything: litter box with lid; automatic, robot-operated, outer space litter box; air fresheners (yikes- do not do this one. As a girl in 8th grade said to a girl who was putting on perfume after gym class, "Stank over stank = stanky stank!") SO, we have used the same litter for years, not changing b/c we thought the cats would rebel and start going all over the house. One day, the hubby went to go buy more litter from Target. They were out. SO he decided to chance it, and he got a litter that claimed to "absorb and eliminate the ammonia smell of cat urine." YEAH RIGHT. I was even more skeptical when he dumped the litter into the box and it was saw dust. Seriously. They're not kidding when they say, "Feline PINE." Oh great, I thought. Another hocus, pocus, earthy remedy that doesn't work, but at least it's "green." I quickly ate my words (or thoughts, rather) when 2 days went by without me complaining of "the smell." Even when I am changing the litter box- you don't want to know how close your nose has to get from the contents of the box in order to do this, but let's just say it's plenty close- I CANNOT SMELL AMMONIA. Not even a little. Of course, you're going to smell the other, but eradicating the stronger of the 2 smells is amazing, and I am now shouting the praises of this "green" litter to everyone with cats (and to those without- see, I told you I'm obnoxious)

What's that spell? Say it again! LOUDER! (That 7th grade team didn't know what it was missing!)

Because you can

What has been taking up my time lately? Where have I been? To fully answer these questions would take several posts, but I will touch on one- the one that's most important to me after my family.

Eight years ago, my mom founded the MidSouth ALS Association Chapter. Her goal? That no one had to hear the dreadful diagnosis of Lou Gehrig's Disease and not have any available help, as was her situation.

Patient services- that's always been our main focus. That was Mom's dream eight years ago, and that is our goal today. Sure, we give money to cutting-edge research and we have to spend a little on administration, but 80% of all the money we raise goes to bed-side care, equipment and one-on-one support for PALS (people with ALS) caregivers, and families.

I didn't have any idea how passionate I am about eradicating this horrible disease and helping those people who are so in need of it. I thought I was only passionate about stopping ALS for MY mom's sake. While I was her caregiver, I didn't even go to any ALSA meetings because I was surrounded by the disease 24 hours a day, and didn't feel I could handle any more of it. After she passed away almost 2 years ago, I had an immediate change of heart. I wanted to fight! With that in mind, I volunteered to Co-Chair our annual fund-raiser, the Walk to Defeat ALS.

If you never had the great blessing of meeting Mom, let me tell you that the quiet courage, faith and strength that she had throughout her very long battle with ALS is the same that I have seen in all of our other PALS.

It will break your heart to see a 65 year-old man lifting the nearly-lifeless body of his 35 year-old daughter into a van, while her 6 year-old son watches. It will warm your heart to see PALS meeting each other and encouraging one another, even if most of them have lost the ability to speak.

The Walk should prove to be a great success, though my personal Team, Anne's Walkers isn't doing nearly as well with fund-raising as in years past. As always, we will have tons of children's activities- face painting, balloon animals, Moon Bounce, play ground, mascots running amok!

I love seeing the vibrant colors of the red and white tents, balloons and t-shirts. I remember having our first Walk meeting at our house eight years ago, and Mom laying out her instructions for us. I use the term "instructions" because she did not just have ideas- she had marching orders for us, and, eight years later, her vision is still the framework for every Walk! (yes, Mom- we still have the balloon arch for the "Start" line!)

The tag line for the Walk to Defeat ALS is "Because you can." Simple. Straightforward. Love it.

If you don't know about ALS, check out this site or this one. If you are interested in joining with us as we raise funds to help people in great need, click here to sign up for the Memphis Walk! (over 160 Walks are held around the country each year, but the money we raise stays right here in TN)

Be thankful for something today that we are rarely thankful for, but we should always be mindful of: your health. your ability to walk. your ability to talk. your ability to brush your teeth and use the bathroom without assistance. your ability to hug and kiss those you love.

New digs

Good thing I don't have a large blog following, because they would have declared mutiny long ago. Sorry for the long hiatus, but being a new homeowner, mom and full time student- oh, and wife!- are proving tough to juggle (more on that another day.)

For now, I give you some much anticipated before and after photos from our house:

Living room: notice the lovely "faux finish" on the walls. I think it was applied via the spl;atter paint method with some sort of broom.The little babe's room- I was getting paid back for all of the wallpaper borders Mom and I put up a decade or 2 ago!

Our sweet friend helping us strip wallpaper in the early nineties kitchen from you-know-where
said kitchen again
aaaand- the striped wallpaper of the dining room- alternating velour strips, of course! We debated taking that one down ;)

Here's the dining room after:

Mom's chairs recovered in funky 50's-esque print, rug from PB outlet and some fun paint- once we get art and a light fixture up we'll be ready for some dinner parties!

Well, folks, I'm having a little trouble with Blogger photo uploading, so this is the only "after" you get this time! (or is this my ploy to get you to read my blog more often?)

Either way, I will take some more pics and let you see the changes- the biggest thing we're excited about today is that our coutertops are in and we now have a gas line for our new range! Thank God I have made it this long without a kitchen- now I'll really need the prayers of St. Euphrosynos to cook for my family!

A New Stage

I can now add another adjective to the end of my name. Claire- wife, mother...homeowner!

I have so many emotions going on right now, ranging from jubilant excitement to tired deflation.

One of our goals as a married couple was to buy a house. There are many others, but this is a big day for our family!

A friend asked me if I had "that sinking feeling" when I signed my name (100 times- and I have a llllloooong name!) As I was shaking my head and saying, "Nah," we discovered something not too pleasant in the kitchen dept. at the new house. As hubby was peeling the white, plastic laminate off of our particle board- yes, I thought they were wood- cabinets, I said, "Oh, THAT feeling, Yeah. Just had it. Don't like it."

Welcome to home-ownership, people! I now have the distinct feeling that there will be those moments around nearly every corner. (We had 2 today)

Enough about me- here's the house--this may well turn into a renovation blog b/c we have SO much to do!

The HUD idiots- sorry, but it's true- hired some "landscapers" to come spruce up the house before putting it up for sale. These geniuses came in and chain sawed the azaleas (which were IN BLOOM!) all across the front and the gorgeous, HUGE crepe myrtles- 3 in the back and one on the side. Thankfully, our neighbor came home as they were about to take out the 20 ft. one in the front and said "STOP! What in the _ are you doing?" He told them that was his property just so they wouldn't cut it down.
Party central- back patio. BBQs here we come!

Feel free to stop on by and pick up a paint brush any ol time you want to, ya hear?

Howdy

Play dates

One of the best things about stay-at-home-mommyhood? The play date.

Sure, most of your conversations are spliced with, "Don't touch that!" "No" or "Please take that out of your mouth," but at least you're around other adults.

I feel a camaraderie at play dates. Other moms are going through it, too. How nice to see other people's kids crying, running and generally going nuts! It's not just me!

Plus, they're super entertaining. I love seeing the imaginations of children at play. Take this photo for instance:

SA made about 50 different uses for this cat's toy. This particular shot is her Western-themed lasso. I love the one foot planted in front of the other so she can be stable while she's whirling that thing around. She ended up naming this toy the "cat distracter," as we found out the next time she came over, b/c her first question was, "Where's the cat distracter?"

And here's brother showing off for the ladies- I think Caitlyn likes his song and dance.

And...nanny extraordinaire: the kids adore her!

You've hit play date gold when the kids entertain each other for 15 minutes or more. It's funny that when those moments actually happen, we don't really know what to do. Should we still talk in broken conversation? This seems too good to be true- surely they're up to no good. Better go check.

I guess you get the "they play by themselves" effect when you have multiple kids...but I'm not convinced that's they way to go yet. Zoe's a teething monster right now (picture to come) and I could not possibly handle throwing another one into the mix. A friend asked me if we were "trying" again- I almost fainted. or died. Either way, it made me want to enjoy the 1 for a while before we have anymore chaos.

Play date chaos will do just fine for now!

CHRIST is RISEN!

View from the balcony as Father reads the Gospel. The church becomes completely dark and Father comes out with the Paschal candle singing, "Come take light from the Light which is never overtaken by the night. Come glorify the Christ risen from the dead" and we all light our candles from the one candle. This photo has been enhanced to show the people (which I think turned out beautifully!) but the only light in the church at this time is candle light.

Fr. N sensing the icons and the people with cries of, "Christ is Risen!" in six or seven different languages. This being Fr.'s first as a priest, he actually kept calling out "Alethos Anesti!" (which is the Greek response of the people, "Indeed He is Risen!") So, in this picture, you can see Fr. D in the background laughing because the new priest is still saying the people's response, instead of the priest's cry of, "Christ is Risen!" This comic relief just added to the jubilant celebration that is PASCHA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aba9l2zlkfE&feature=related

Lent's last temptation

Zoe's sitting in her high chair, fat and happy this morning, while I'm standing over my red Kitchen Aid mixer. The batter is looking great- light a fluffy with the distinct smell of butter and chocolate. I scrape down the bowl and then use my finger (washed, of course) to scrape the remaining batter from spoonula to bowl. As I have done a million times before, I bring my finger close to my mouth, ready to get what's due every cook- a taste-test. Before I get to taste the gooey yummyness that is "Chocolate Butter Cake" I stop.

Alas, it is only Holy Saturday. We have yet to break the fast with jubilant cries of "Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!" We have Lamented (last night) and this morning in Liturgy we will get a glimpse, as did the myrrh-bearing women, of Christ's Resurrection. But it is only a morning glimpse.

I must wait for for this victory celebration for a few more hours. And what difficult hours they can be! The ingredients used for baking and cooking all of the wonderful foods that we have denied ourselves all of these weeks- eggs, cream, cheese and butter- are strewn on the counter. A cake bakes in the oven while hard-boiled eggs become devilish. And if your family is one who traditionally roasts a lamb for your Pascha basket, "woe is you" during these hours before the Feast! The smells, oh the smells.

This preparation is Lent's last, and possibly greatest, temptation!

For tonight:

CHRIST IS RISEN!

CHRISTOS ANESTI!

"In a grave they laid the...

...oh my life and my Christ."

That is the first verse from a hymn of the Lamentations of Holy Friday.

I cannot describe the beauty and sadness of Holy Friday. It is a bright sadness, as Fr. Thomas Hopko describes Great Lent in his book, "The Lenten Spring."

If words come to me tonight during the service, I will post again. For now, please listen to this selection of hymns from the service tonight: (I don't know how to embed the video in this blog, so just click the links)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeP70fSe3Io&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wrYdIRxM8E

Holy Thursday

There is a tradition on Holy Thursday of dying eggs red. We receive Eucharist on Holy Thursday, and the red eggs represent the blood of Jesus that was shed for the world. So, this morning (which is actually Holy Friday, but I do what I can!) Zoe and I dyed eggs red.

This year, with PASCHA being a week after Western Easter, I got to take advantage of discount Easter candy and treats. I may have gone a little over board in the 75% bin, as you can see by the Paas "dEGGorating kit" above! I tried to tell myself that I was getting this kit of glitter and stickers for our younger godchildren's enjoyment, or even Zoe's (ha!) but the truth is that I love anything crafty- even the juvenile things, and I saw the 75% off kit as cheap and fun entertainment. Next year, our Easters are on the same date so I think Zoe and I will try dying eggs using onion skins.

These festive eggs will make their way into our Pascha basket:

As you can see, I have packed the essentials so far: wine and champagne! The hard boiled, dyed eggs, goat cheese and some scones will make their way into the basket before PASCHA. I pack different things each year, but try to include special things that we have been especially missing through the Great Fast. I also decorate the basket with flowers, and place everything on a white cloth embroidered with crosses (a napkin I inherited from Mom.) This year, I made the bow on top into a cross- and I like the effect- because, as you may have already guessed, EVERYTHING in Orthodoxy has symbolic meaning, giving the faith the richness that we love and discover anew with each season.

I am humbled and thankful for the opportunity to pass along these traditions to a new generation of Orthodox Christians. Because I am so new in the faith (this is my 5th Lent) Zoe and I will be learning our Orthodox traditions together as well as starting our family's.

The most vivid memories I have of my childhood revolve around traditions: our seafood feast on Christmas Eve in Mobile, clipping azalea blossoms to decorate my Lenten coin collection box to take to the Easter service, getting a new bathing suit every year in my Easter basket, choosing a menu of my favorite things for my birthday dinner- the list goes on. I hope and pray that we can enrich our daughters life with family traditions, and in so doing teach her the fullness of Orthodoxy, to praise and worship God and to honor His Saints and His Church.

Palm Sunday

"Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out to Thee, oh vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!"

Yesterday was Palm Sunday- a Feast in the midst of the Great Fast. We enjoyed an amazing potluck at church and nice weather for the "practice parade" (as Father calls it.)

Last year, we started a tradition in our little family of taking a family photo after Palm Sunday Liturgy. (I do LOVE a tradition) Here is a sampling from this year's pics:



The girls having fun (MM with all of her adopted daughters!)

Zoe has been immensely blessed with her godparents. We are so thankful that they are in our lives. We pray that their example will have a great impact on Zoe's life.

The fam being silly.

Zoe LOVES being outside- especially in the wind. She closes her eyes tightly and squeals. That innocence and sense of discovery amaze me every time.

We are now in Holy Week. We had the first of three Bridegroom Matins services last night. I want to share a few of the hymns from the service that are beautiful, moving and thought provoking:

"Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, again unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore oh my soul do not be weighed down with sleep! Lest you be given up to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom! But rouse yourself, crying, "Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, oh our God! Through the prayers of the Theotokos have mercy on us."

I wish you could hear the music to this hymn. It is haunting and beautiful. Most often in a church service, I don't close my eyes, as I get easily distracted in that state. I try to focus on an icon- the Mother of God, Christ, etc. to focus my prayer and attention on God. However, during the singing of this hymn is one time when I usually do end up closing my eyes in order to let the melody wash over me and to absorb the great importance of the words I am singing.

Another hymn:

"Verily I behold the bridal chamber adorned, oh my Savior. But I possess no garment with which to enter therein...delight Thou in the robe of my soul, oh giver of Life and save me!"

What an incredible picture of God's mercy and love for His people! I may have on my Sunday best, but, spiritually speaking, I am barely covered in rags. The only way I am allowed at the table with God is by his mercy. I pray that God would delight in the robe of my soul, even though it "is all leprous and in ruins."

I hope you have a blessed Holy Week. I look forward to this time of deep cleansing as we prepare for the Greatest Feast of PASCHA!

Tea Towel Swap

Here they are:

I participated in my first swap.

Over the last month or so, I have been thinking about or creating 2 tea towels for this online swap. My swap buddy is from Washington state- the internet is pretty cool, right? It was very fun making these for someone. I hope she likes them! I also have to include a recipe in this swap...still thinking about that one, but if I come up with something really good, I'll post it on the blog.

Holier than thou

You know you're Orthodox when...

your 7 month-old refuses to eat meat during Lent:

Since the first time I put a spoon in her mouth she has loved food. Green beans, carrots, fruit, vegetable soup, hummus- you name, she'll eat it. I should start entering her in contests at county fairs. Is she her mother's child or what?

Before I ventured into the world of starting my child on solid foods (and I use the food "solid" loosely) I read several articles about the subject. If there was any consistency to them, it was that they all said how terrible it would probably be- food splattered all over the baby, you, the wall, your next door neighbors house. The picture they painted was pretty stressful and messy. They said, "Don't bother videoing the first feeding because it will not be the easy, happy event that you envision."

So it was with trepidation that I slowly approached her with the first spoon full of squash. To my astonishment and relief, she opened her little bird mouth and lapped up the squash in record time. She didn't even get A DROP on her bib. If only we HAD video taped it! (Darn those psycho parenting books)

But, it was bound to happen. My perfect eater just had to make a mess at some point. I was bound to have to use some Spray-n-Wash on a bib at some point, even bound to have to get out the mop or broom after a (or every) feeding.

I have to say, even cleaning up the splattered chicken and vegetables off of the floor, the counter and the baby I still think she's just about perfect.

This will just be one of those stories from her life of piety that will read, "Even as an infant, Zoe refused to break the Great Fast."

Let it snow

A couple of weeks ago...Zoe's first snow. It was amazing that the day before I was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. Then the next day I'm scrambling around my kids room to find anything that seems realatively warm. I think 3 layers did the trick. (Good thing Daddy bought a sweater for his babe when he went to Maine last summer!)

Our just-over-an-acre yard looked amazing covered in a blanket of perfectly white snow. I've never seen such a busy street be so peaceful. Looking out onto our backyard reminded me of being in Central Park.

Now, like every other Southerner, I am ready for my short-sleeved t-shirt again (it is March, people!)

Forgive Me

I recently posted about the differences between my 4 Great Lent experiences. This Lent, my fifth, is starting out like none other.

For me, the beginning of the Great Fast always begins with a service on Sunday night (before the actual beginning of Lent on Clean Monday) with a service called Forgiveness Vespers. I am definitely no student of the differences in the various church services, but as far as I can remember it seems generally like any Vespers service with one big difference- there's a group hug at the end.

Well, not really a group hug- but you were intrigued weren't you?

At the conclusion of Vespers, everyone present lines up against the walls (or radiators!) of the church, forming a huge circle. I know what you're thinking. "This sounds a little too touchy-feely for Orthodoxy." Well, in one sense you'd be right, but keep reading...

Then, starting with the priest, we each go up to every person in the room and ask for his/her forgiveness. ("NOW you're sounding more Orthodox") You stand in front of your fellow believer and say, "Please forgive me, a sinner" and then usually cross yourself and bow.

The mere saying of these words brings humility to the soul. The bowing of the body brings even more humility- you are forcing your body to fall in line with your soul, making the whole person feel as one and connected to Christ, His Church and humanity.

I say connected to humanity because you are keenly aware in this service that all of your sin has an impact on Christendom- not only in an obtuse, spiritual way, but in a real one. My sinfulness has an impact on you. My sin has an impact on my sister in Louisiana. My sin has an impact on a grandmother in China. It affects humanity.

Humbling doesn't begin to describe it.

It is with those thoughts that we ask for forgiveness from every person in the room, some of whom we have never met.

The response from the other person is, "God forgives and I forgive."

How could we not forgive others when God forgives us so greatly? Easy to say, not easy to do. I don't forgive others for insignificant offenses, then expect God to forgive me for infinitely worse.

This Lent is different for me so far in that I was not able to make it to Forgiveness Vespers for the first time in my 5 years of being Orthodox.

This doesn't mean that Lent hasn't begun. It doesn't mean that I can't ask for forgiveness. In fact, it makes me realize that I need to seek forgiveness from God and those around me everyday, not just in that poignant service.

Please forgive me, a sinner.

Memory Eternal

This past Saturday was a commemoration of the departed called Saturday of Souls. We have several of these services throughout the year. I find this particular one special because it comes on the day before Judgment Sunday (or Meatfare) in which the Gospel lesson is about the Christ's Last Judgement of the earth.

It is an amazing blessing to me, and anyone else who has lost a loved one, to attend one of these services. I was not able to go this year because of Mommy duties. (It is difficult to go to even one of your favorite services when it falls in the middle of nap time!)

I was moved to tears that morning during our prayers as we "remember our departed loved ones, especially our beloved Moms." Saying these words and seeing my husband hold our beautiful daughter was almost too much to bear.

We named our little one Zoe for several reasons. First, after the Martyr Zoe who lost her life because of her unwavering faith in the Lord. Second, because "zoe" means "life" in Greek. How fitting that our first child, born exactly 9-months to the day of my own mother's death would bear the name "Life!"

Genetics are a strange and wonderful thing, and when I look at our new, little life I can see glimpses of Mom. I can't explain how strange it is to look over and see Zoe glancing at me with that slightly mischievous, 'Anne' look, like "I know something you don't know!" In those moments, I feel Mom's presence with me. I hear her saying, "Now you know how much I love you."



I love you, too, Mom.



Memory eternal, memory eternal, memory eternal!

Tag, you're it

I got "tagged" by my friend Caitlyn, the inspiration for this blog (after Zoe, of course.) She tagged me to put the 4th photo from the 4th album on my computer. Drum roll please....

This is the gown that I made for Zoe's baptism. I will probably post more about Zoe's Baptism at some point because it was one of the highlights of my life. Making this dress started that journey.

Until that point, I had never even considered the possibility that I could make something with such delicate (and expensive, sheesh!) materials. It was daunting, but I was in love with some dresses I had seen at the Women's Exchange in Memphis that my pocketbook couldn't buy me. So, I decided to give it a try.


It started with learning new vocabulary, like entredeaux. Yes, it's about as snobby as it sounds. Then I hand-stitched the delicate pieces together. I then put the dress together (after a 2nd visit to the fabric store to buy more lace to correct a mess-up) My godmother put in the sleeves for me. After all that work, I didn't want to mess that crucial part up, and I had never put in a sleeve before.

I am so happy with the finished product and would actually love to make another one. Although, all of our children will hopefully wear this one- Zoe's monogram is stitched into the slip of the dress, as will be the other children's.