Xenia Kathryn

A neighbor's gift of daffodil stems, a happy sunrise on a Monday morning, just before I "open shop" and open the curtain on a new week. Now, four days later, it is rainy and quiet. Everyone else is nestled in their beds, and I'm wondering if I should retire myself... 10:45 pm... it's so "early" compared to my usual bedtime, and yet it feels so good to rise early and capture these quiet morning moments.

Tomorrow is my grandma's birthday. She will be 93! She is not doing very well. After a rather sudden turn of events, her health has declined and she greatly desires to be with her Savior. I pray that her longing will be granted sooner than later... although I selfishly want to keep my grandmother around forever, you know? I feel so blessed that my children--both of them!--got to meet her. I feel so blessed that V. will most likely even have memories of her. We plan on seeing her tomorrow. My mom and aunt are preparing some special cookies (my grandmother's beloved recipe), and visitors will be greeted with them tomorrow as they wish Grandjo well on her birthday, and on a life well-lived.

It has been a fairly good Lent, I must say. I think this is my first time as a mom that I've felt able to "tune in" a little more than in the past 3 years. I finished "Saint Nektarios: The Saint of our Century". What an amazing man! Glory to God. I dare you to read the book and not toy with the idea of naming your next child after him! Hahaha.
(Photo taken from the Feast of the Annunciation, celebrated at a Pan-Orthodox Liturgy, hosted by the local parish whose feast day it was. Bishop Benjamin was there, which was very special)

In the home... let's see. I tried to get some pre-Pascha cleaning done today. So much junk just acquires, all of the time. It seems that 3 months after I have everything managed and organized, it all just falls to pieces again. Oh well! Onward!

A few weeks ago I realized that our home does not have a hand-written icon. And, while pulling my hair out over figuring out how to decorate the living room (what pictures and paintings to hang up, etc.), I remembered the "Red Corner" tradition. The terms "red" and "beautiful" are the same in Russian (I think... that's what I was told by a Russian friend of mine), and there is a tradition of placing an icon/icons in the corner facing the entrance of your home. Making the icon/icons the first thing one would see when entering. Anyways, I wish I knew more about the tradition/custom. But I know several friends who have this in their own homes, and it makes for a striking presence, as it seems to remind one that "God lives here."

I'm saving my pennies for the day when I can hopefully acquire an original icon for our home. :)

In the meantime, I'm chipping away at little sewing projects and baking, of course. My latest project was a baby quilt for Susy's nouna, who had a baby boy last week. It's execution was a quick one... so quick that it literally went from sewing table to gift bag to baby, without a minute to snap a photo. Oh well!! :D Now I'm working on some odds and ends... some of which might end up as Pascha gifts, birthday gifts for the girls, or squares for our bed's quilt.

By the way, here is a frighteningly amazing recipe for peanut butter cookies. No allergies to nuts/wheat/sugar/baking soda withstanding, I sure hope you're able to try these out! And--brace yourselves-- they're Lenten!!! And so delicious, you just might make them after the fast is over :D I usually bake cookies and then eat a few, then I'm "good" for the rest of the batch. With these, I seem to inhale them. EEK! Not so good for the soul... but good to bake if you're expecting friends over and/or willing to share! :D Note: The recipe following the link is for a small batch... I tripled the recipe to, you know, share with friends *wink*

A blessed Lent to you all... not much longer to go!