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)

39th birthday

 

It's my husband's birthday today...next year he will be 40!  We went to visit with his parents yesterday...his mom made a pork roast, rolls, green beans, etc.  I made him a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  

Rob brought his mandolin and played it...  His dad and he chopped off a branch from the tree that was hanging over the front door.  

Then, we looked a lots of photo albums...great old pictures!

That's Robert (Rob's grandfather who passed away 5 years ago, I posted pictures a few weeks ago of our visit to the cemetary here he is buried) on his 1965 Harley Sportster.

  

 Below are a few photos of Bob (Rob's dad) when he was a little boy...

I wish I had copies to show you Rob when he was very little, with his dog, Moochie, when he was about 10 years old.  Lots of pictures of him on the school track team...8th grade, he was the fastest kid, and then he hurt his knee and had to have surgery (still has a 10 inch scar on his knee).  Rob in his boy scout uniform.  Picture of him with his brothers and sisters, and his grandparents...  My favorite one was his kindergarten picture, wearing a cream colored corduroy little suit and the big thick round tortoise shell glasses!  He started wearing glasses at 2 years old, because he was born 3 weeks early and his lungs weren't developed, the doctors gave him oxygen in an incubator, but TOO much and it damaged his eyes.  Thankfully, his lungs did develop correctly, though and he is overall a healthy guy now and we're celebrating his 39th birthday!  ♥