Christ is Risen!

Indeed He is Risen!

It has been amazing several weeks.
Several weeks ago I began to prepare to be a new godmother and help my 12 year old daughter be a first time godmother to a 6 year old little girl. We were supposed to sew her chrismation/Pascha dress but it turned out to be I. Kelsey said, "This is too fancy for my first project." So I took it on as MY first fancy project. With a infant baptismal gown in a close 2nd as my fanciest yet (that story further down).
On Lazarus Saturday the Ferrenbergs were excited to help welcome the Sallis family into the Orthodox Church.

Here they are kneeling to receive prayers of absolution: (from left to right) Walker Gregory, Gregory, Marina, Alauna (Euphrosyne), Riley Benjamin.

A friend of ours took tons of pictures but the best ones are of the kids of course. They were awesome during the whole service!

Marina is 6 years old.

Walker Gregory is 5 years old. (if you click to enlarge you can see his cute little smile.)

Riley Benjamin is 2 almost 3 years old.

Then we were into Holy Week with all of it's splendor and preparations and on the list goes!
Followed by the Feast of Feasts and a week of celebrations!
Here are my children ready for the midnight feast, tired already and being silly while grandma took pictures.



Bright Week has been followed by a challenging week of sickness for me and me alone in this house. Sometimes I really think it was just all the overdoing it that took place for 2 + weeks which ended on Bright Saturday with an entire day of tilling up the garden using a heavy duty tiller. My body had enough. Because the only symptoms were sleep, sleep and more sleep, headaches and chills. Today I feel much better, but still not 100%.

During Bright Week I also scrambled to put the final touches on my first baptismal gown ever which is for baby Isabelle, the first infant I was blessed to become godmother to! My mom helped me out a lot with the sleeves and the bonnet.
Sunday, Thomas Sunday, was a glorious day with baptism. She is so adorable.




It wasn't until Monday that I crashed!

Christ is Risen!

15 years!!!

What Greater Thing
What greater thing is there for two human souls,
than to feel that they are joined for life-
to strengthen each other in all labor,
to rest on each other in all sorrow,
to minister to each other in all pain,
to be one with each other
in silent unspeakable memories ...

George Eliot
(1819-1880)




I love you, James!
Thank you!

Prayers

Rising River Threatens Fargo, ND March 27, 2009 Volunteers are working around the clock to raise the dikes protecting the city of Fargo, N.D. from flooding. They hope to hold back the Red River which is expected to reach record high levels by Saturday. IOCC has been in contact with the local Orthodox community to determine needs. “Officials and emergency workers are scrambling to determine a course of action for a situation that remains unpredictable,” says Pascalis Papouras, IOCC US Program Coordinator. “We urge the Orthodox faithful to pray for the people of Fargo and the surrounding areas as we continue to monitor the situation in these next critical days.”