Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Pascha Greeting to you all! I am still recovering from our Lovely Easter, both the Liturgy and the meals afterward. This week is known as "Bright Week" in the East, and there is absolutely no fasting, not even on Friday. We were planning a big steak dinner, just to stick death in the eye once again, but now I think we will go with spicy Italian Sausage, creamy pasta salad, and pinapple upside down cake with vanilla sauce (heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla - you could just drink it). After the Eastern Lent, it is actually phycially difficult to eat meat and dairy in the quantity my brain says would be good. My stomach begs to differ, and so we are trying to ease into real food. Makes me realize how little food I actually " need " and how feasting reserved for feast times really is plenty.

In other news, my lap top bit the dust. I am using my husband's computer, and frantically trying to save my info before it is gone forever. That laptop (Sony VIAO) was a pain from day one. Either it was a lemon, or that particular computer is no good, but can't say I am sad to see it go.

My children continue to expand my heart in so many ways. I am contstantly overwhelmed with the magnitude of their existance, their eternal souls, their unique individuality and the secret desires of their hearts. I feel ill-equipt to be their guide during these very important years, and yet that is my life now. I guess I can either live in fear of messing it all up, or just love them to the best of my abilities, and not be afraid to do the hard things necessary to see this through.

Yesterday my newly 6 year old daughter ran to me, squealing with delight. "Mommy! Mommy! I have a loose tooth!" As the fifth child in the family, she has seen many go before her in this rite of passage, and has looked forward to this day with great anticipation. It always seemed a long way off to me. And now here it is. My fifth child is loosing her baby teeth. Only two more children to go, and the tooth fairy retires. Again, what a paradox for me. To share the excitement of my children as they pass the milestones of growing up, growing away, and then hold the sadness quietly inside me as I loose them just a little bit more each day. *sigh* Motherhood isn't for sissies, I say. It just isn't.