Wild Weekend

We started out Friday with Winter Weather Warnings that downgraded into just wind warnings. Which can be a big deal where I live. And it turned out we needed the warning to prepare, I'm thankful I did. Our power went out about 2:00pm and was out for13 hours. We enjoyed a woodstove cooked dinner, drawing by candlelight and guitar music entertainment from dad.



As we moved into Saturday with renewed "light" we busily prepared for a house full of guests for the impending ordination on Sunday, God-willing. The temperatures were scheduled to plummet but they told us no need to worry about snow. Well, later in the evening Saturday it began to snow. We went to bed with the snow blissfully falling from the sky and woke to cold temps and about 2-3 inches of snow.






Those of you not from Western WA need to understand this just isn't something anyone around here ever gets used to, it only happens MAYBE once or twice a year and when it does come it goes just as quickly. So we head to Church 20 minutes earlier than scheduled just in case the roads are slick and arrive to find our choir director would not be joining us due to her one hour commute and too much snow. Apparently her area received about4-6 inches of snow. Our choir director in training, Nathaniel, (literally, he's been doing vespers choirs for about 5 months and filled in for liturgy a few times but never been to a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy before) stepped in to save the day. He did a FABULOUS job.
Reader James very quickly became Subdeacon James after a few prayers by the Bishop and a first Subdeacon "job".

Bishop BENJAMIN saying the prayers over James and below Subdeacon James doing his first job.

Subdeacon James, Nathaniel, and Walter did the Eis Polla Trio during the service. Walter took Scotts place (he's the choir director's husband) after only practicing it three times before service. He did great! They all did!! At the bottom is a video of the trio.

We had a wonderful visit with those of our friends who were adventuresome and came over despite the snow. Then I prepared to help my mom pack up and get ready to be on the 4:45AM ferry this morning. She's been visiting for 4 1/2 weeks and has become a part of the household only to leave us early this morning. We are all really going to miss her. Yesterday Charissa told her she needed to sleep in her room so that she could be near her just a little longer. She spoiled us all.

Grandma and Joseph cuddling on the sofa.

Now we have frigidly cold temperatures forecast for the entire week with another chance of snow on Wednesday and Thursday. This morning when I took mom to the ferry at 4:15AM my thermometer read 20 degrees .

Here are a couple pictures I had mom take after Church since we were all dressed up. It's been awhile since we've gotten a good one.

Subdeacon James, Myself (Susan Sophia) and the kids from left to right:
Kelsey Anna, Charissa, Joseph and Nicholas.