First day of first grade

Mara rode the bus to my school for the first time ever today. It was a scary time for me, but she seemed to handle it just fine.

It turns out that one of the "friends" (daughter of another teacher at my school) will be attending a different magnet school. That leaves just three of "our kids" to ride the bus together. We originally had six.

I asked Mara if she was scared on the bus. She said, "Well, I was really worried that I'd get on the wrong bus. Then, I saw the number and I got on it anyway, but I was scared that maybe it was the wrong bus." But, she also said she felt better because one other kid from her class and another, younger friend were on the bus with her. Yeah, I said, they're all kids of people I work with! "Oh."

The bus was much later than we expected, and there was a hold up in the high school bus lot, on a humid day, and then it started to drizzle. Terrible conditions! But the kiddos disembarked without much notice of the buzzing tensions amongst the high schoolers. I hope the bus schedules start to run more smoothly, as they generally tend to do after the first few days. If not, though, we have a back up plan: One of the parents will go pick up the three kids and bring them back to our campus.

Mara says she had a good day. It's a bit sad to us that she doesn't have any friends from her kindergarten class in her new class, but I think for sure she'll make new friends soon. And her other good friends from last year have recess with her, at least. I asked her about the people at her table, and she said, "Well, these two boys were yammering. Wait. What does yammering mean?" I said, "Talk, talk, talk." She said, "Yeah, they were yammering and I just couldn't concentrate!"

Too funny!

Kayaking with Mara

(not me or my kid)

I was able to take Mara kayaking on a very mild river, thanks to a friend from work. It's the kind of thing I would never do alone and also the kind of thing that Cade doesn't really enjoy. (Ask him, sometime, to tell you the story of our canoe trip in Florida. The best part about it, according to him, is the name of the river--Withlacoochee!)

This trip was a 6 mile ride, and I'm now convinced that kayaks are much easier to navigate than canoes. Even though the river was very low, we sailed over some areas a canoe never would have conquered. Of course, the river was low enough that even the kayaks needed a push or a pull now and then.

I took a camera for Mara to use, but she was too scared at the beginning, and once we put it away, we never got it back out again. It's too bad, because there were some really pretty passes, especially the ones where the rock cliff hangs out over the water and the sun reflects off the water onto the rock surface. Next time I go (which I hope will be soon), I plan to take a disposable waterproof camera I can hang around my neck for quick access.

The trip reminded me of how much I enjoy activities like that. It's the kind of thing I think I would have been doing all along, if only I had someone to do it with. I thought about all the canoeing and white water rafting I've done in the past and mulled over some fond memories of camping along the French Broad River and at Rand Pond. I daydreamed about taking Mara out again, developing her love of nature and deepening her respect for its beauty, all the while showing her that she's a capable person. (I also daydreamed about going again without her, and soaking up the river and its journey for myself!) I hope for the chance to go out again soon, before it gets too chilly to be on the water.

My arms and back are stiff and sore, but there's something satisfying about that pain. Our river guide says that kayaking is one of the least strenuous exercises in terms of burning calories, but I surely feel that I got a work out. It just goes to show that there are indeed certain things that I will gladly wake up early to be able to do.

(not me or my kid)

In the end, Mara had a wonderful time, and coming down the last little ripple, I heard her laugh her deep belly laugh and knew that it had been a grand adventure.

Pictures of Mara's Birthday Party

Mara's Groovy Party

You can see pics of Mara's party here.

We started with my sister helping to get the girls "groovy," with a bit of nail polish, lip gloss, glitter spray, smell goods, and hair clips.

Then, the kids got to play in the living room with all Mara's Groovy Girls and accessories. Only one other kid had GG's, and it was my niece and the GG's we had gifted her.

After that, we made candy jewelry, which didn't work out very well, but which was fun anyway.

Finally, we spent time coloring in wooden cutouts of GGs (not brand name, though) and trains.

Then, cake and presents. It was a 3 hour party. I really didn't anticipate it taking so long.

Oh, and our menu centered around a tropical smoothie sporting dainty umbrellas and fun, curvy straws. We also served up PB&J and turkey/cheese sandwiches cut out in the shapes of hearts, flowers, and butterflies. There were grapes and other salty snacks.

Many Years, Mara! Happy Name Day!

I took Mara to DL today for her name day. I thought we were about 40 minutes late, but as it turns out, we were there for the first sets of "Agios." We did pretty good!

I thought the parking lot was unusually full for a weekday DL, but once we were inside, I saw why. The Metropolitan Alexios was there celebrating the liturgy with our two priests and one retired priest in our community. It was a truly beautiful liturgy.

Mara did as well as she could. Honestly. I made her fast this morning, which probably wasn't my best idea, but I thought, "Hey, she's almost 6! It's time!" I also thought it would be a short liturgy and that we would have missed some of it.

A yia-yia behind us offered Mara some candy, but when I said she was going for communion, she told Mara to hold it until after communion. Mara did well, and it helped her to stop whining about being hungry when she had food in her hands--even if a little piece of candy. But you should have seen her wolf down her blessed bread! I split mine in half and gave her most of mine, as well. Then, thank God! Another yia-yia, one of my favorites, came and took Mara by the hand and let her eat goodies from coffee hour (Coffee Hour? On a weekday liturgy?) during the Artoklasia (blessing of the loaves). She was a very happy girl! I love taking Mara to church on her name day. It just seems like a way to make it a special day for her.

Here's the Metropolitan:




The Great Entrance:


Mara, trying to play quietly in the pews:


Mara's name day communion, Fr. Dennis:


Metropolitan giving communion:


Artoklasia:




Mara, a much happier girl after eating something:


What a special picture with the Metopolitan!

Mom's Birthday

Today is my mom's 60th birthday.




Happy Birthday, Mom!

May God grant you many happy years!

Dormition of the Theotkos

Xronia Polla, Mara!

May God grant you many years!

On August 15, the Orthodox Church (new calendar) commemorates the Dormition (falling asleep) of the Most Holy Mother of God. The feast is considered to be one of the 12 Great Feasts of the year and thus an integral part of the proclamation of gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many who are not familiar with Orthodoxy, or its manner of understanding saints, easily see feast days and the veneration of saints as distractions from the gospel. The thought is: “If it’s not about Jesus, then somehow the gospel is not being preached.”

I am willing to grant the point - but to quickly add that the veneration of the Mother of God is inherently about Jesus and that without paying proper attention to Mary, Christ is being short-changed and not fully understood.

In the history of the Church the first dogmatic proclamation concerning Mary was the use of the title, Theotokos, meaning “the one who gave birth to God.” Nestorius, for whom the heresy of Nestorianism is named, objected to the use of the term saying that she should be called Christotokos instead. This would mean that she was the mother of Christ, but not properly called Mother of God. The Church condemned Nestorius’ teaching and affirmed the use of this title for Mary, for Christ is not properly divided into a schizophrenic being (God and Man but not united), but is instead but one Person, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Eventually the Church would declare that He was one Person with two natures (Divine and Human) but never sought to contemplate Him in a manner that divided His person.

Thus the title given to Mary was and is about Jesus and was solemnly defined in order to protect the proper understanding of His incarnation.

The Scriptures themselves bear ample witness to her unique position. “All generations will call me blessed,” are words spoken by Mary in her dialog with her cousin, Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist). To refuse this honor to Mary is to violate the clear word of Scripture.

At the Wedding at Cana, where St. John records Christ worked his first miracle, we have a story of an encounter between Christ and His mother. For what reason we do not know, the problem of the wine shortage is brought to Mary. She takes the problem to Christ who responds: “What is this to me and you, woman? My hour has not yet come.”

Idiomatically the statement means, “What concern is that of ours?” Addressing her as “woman” is not derogatory as some claim (why would Jesus fail to honor his mother in violation of the law?). Her response to His statement is interesting. She turns to the servants and tells them to “do whatever He tells you.” At her intercession Christ works His first miracle. Argue with it if you will, but on the plain face of the story that is what happens. Why does St. John record the story? It is certainly a story that points towards the great wedding feast at the end of the age, but Mary plays a central role.

This same role is played throughout Scripture in the lives of the righteous. They intercede before God for others and God hears them. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah; Moses interceded many times for Israel and God heard him; the stories of these righteous men and women can be multiplied many times over (Read Hebrews 11).

This same communion of saints has continued through the ages adding to its list those who have followed Christ and in union with Him offered intercession for the world. Those who have known the communion of the saints and their fervent prayer before God on our behalf have known something of the fullness of the Church. For it is they (and us) whom St. Paul has in mind when he says that the Old Testament saints awaited a promise which is now ours, that, together with them, we are made complete (Hebrews 11:40). That promise, of course, is Christ, born of the Holy Spirit and the Most Holy Virgin Mary who is blessed through the ages.

Eternal life is to know God, and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent (John 17:3). But the Christ we are called to know is to be known in His fullness. That fullness includes His incarnation and the communion of saints He established when He united Himself to our flesh in the Virgin.

Glory to God for All Things

Apolytikion in the First Tone

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.