Christ is Risen!

The Resurrection of Christ, Easter, Pascha...we sing "Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life!"  This is the middle of Bright Week, instead of regular morning and evening prayers, we sing the beautiful Paschal Hours.  We sing "Lord have mercy" 40 times and like to sing it in 4 different languages, 10 times each, in English, 

Greek (which is Κύριε ελέησον and sounds like "Kírie eléison"), 

Arabic (which is يا ربّ ارحم and sounds like "Yā Rabbu rḥam") and 

Russian (which is Господи, помилуй and sounds like "Gospodi, pomiloi").

We make eggs red by using yellow onion skins, traditional Russian-style bread, kulich, and here, Olivia puts on raisins on the sweet cheese pascha.

After Liturgy on Bright Monday, we had a procession around the church outside.  It was beautiful weather. 

Two of my nieces with icons of their patron saints:

My little nephew Timothy wore a seersucker outfit....so handsome!

Elizabeth wearing my sunglasses this afternoon.

Today is my husband's birthday!  We had a wonderful meal together.  My parents brought over cheesecake and I made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for him.  ♥  My brother-in-law from Canada took some pictures which I hope to add here later.

(yes, they are expecting their 2nd baby, October 9th)

My nephew's baptism

Today my sister and her husband's baby boy, Timothy, was baptized. 

 This is one of his big sisters, Natalia:

Deacon Alexander, the Godfather, with Timothy and both of his grandparents.  My sister sewed the baptismal gown for him, which was white with blue ribbon it, very nicely done.

A group picture, of grandpas and grandmas and his 3 big sisters and some uncles, aunts and cousins.  I wish his mama and Godmother were also in this picture!

Our friends from Penn Yan, New York (did you know it's known as "the buckwheat capital of America"?) with my parents...

Little Sofia

In two weeks, our friend, Sofia, will turn 5 years old.  She was diagnosed about 2 years ago with cancer in her brain in Ukraine.

They were treated in Israel next and finally, were able to come to the United States.  In Cincinnati, the Children's Hospital is one of the best when it comes to cancer treatments.

After so much radiation, proton therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell therapy (from her baby brother, Timothy's umbilica cord)...her brain had undergone so much stress and was weakened.  She had a stroke Dec. 17, 2013.  Then, a few days later, she had a much more serious stroke.  The left side of her body was affected and she is still trying to regain strength  by physical therapy.  She also lost her ability to see.
She has been in the hospital 3 months today, but was able to come to church yesterday for the first time in months!!!  All the children gathered around her wheelchair, holding her hands, kissing her cheeks and greeting her with love.  She went to Holy Communion.  I took her little brother to Holy Communion, as I am his Godmother.  

I took these two pictures of their whole family in October 2013 when our parish moved from the old building into the new large church!  Everyone carried an icon to the new church. 

I ♥ Sofia's smile in this photo.  She is supposed to be going home this Thursday Feb. 20th.  We are all praying she continues to heal little by little. 

Paint your own pottery!

There are quite a few places near us here in Ohio where you can paint your own pottery:
You're Fired
Funke Fired Arts
Mad Potter (there are 2 of them that we've been to near us, here and here)
My sister gave us a gift tile (just like a gift card) to use a couple years ago.  It's a great gift, because YOU can create something unique.  These kind of open studios are all over the place...

 Olivia using the big mug she made...inside it's so pretty!

Breakfast this morning (cornflakes with almond milk and sliced banana on top) in Hannah's new bowl!

We took Hannah and Olivia to Starlight Pottery in Savannah, Georgia, when they were 2 and 4 years old and they painted these little mugs (which they use often):

And it's almost Christmas for us Russian Orthodox Christians who follow the old calendar!
We have church services this weekend and then...

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST – РОЖДЕСТВО ХРИСТОВО
Mon. Jan. 6 Vigil-Всенощная, 6:30 p.m.
Tue. Jan. 7 Divine Liturgy-Божественная Литургия, 10 a.m.
(that beautiful picture of our NEW church with snow on trees was taken by a friend, Svetlana Pinkerton)

Metropolitan's visit...

Girls greeted the bishops with rose petals...

My parents with my sister's 3 girls outside our new church!

This is Metropolitan Hilarion, a very kind and humble man:

He just got back from Puerto Rico, where there is an Orthodox mission.  It looks beautiful there. 

One of my long-time friends, Sarah, flew in from Florida...and my sister, came with her two boys from Oregon! 

The girls circle-dance from Martha Pavlovna on Vimeo.

The children danced after the luncheon.

More old friends (above, from Indiana, and below, from Massachusetts)...

And the children playing together on the newly purchased playground after Liturgy on Sunday:

It was a wonderful weekend!

Moving...

Our little church on Myrtle Ave. is moving to the NEW building on Lebanon Rd.   This past weekend was the last service in the church that my father was asked to serve in 20 years ago. 

This is the new church and this coming weekend will be the first services...Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 10am!  We are still helping to paint the interior (floral decorations) and move items through this week...