June 21, 2007

•    ~A whirlwind of activities~

  I haven’t been able to blog for awhile. There is so much to be done on the computer. The boys use it, Fr. uses it  and I need it to look up everything to get our lives here organized. I don’t have much computer time for our photos, videos, iPod etc… We only have one computer and it has been running very slowly and it is SO frustrating.  I have a ton of photos I want to upload but the connection here at the condo goes in and out and it is hard to get on line. We have been here three weeks tomorrow and have had a great time. I have said it before but it is worth repeating how very, very nice everyone is! We have received so much love and such a warm welcome. Parishioners have given us gifts of memberships to the Zoo, Art Museum, local warehouse shopping, tickets to the amusement park and marine park. The Philoptochos made up a lovely basket of local culinary favorites and gift certificates. The boys enjoyed the dear old Greek Papou who owns a candy and ice cream shop here in town. They received the royal treatment and a grand tour! When we left Jonah announced, “That man sure is a good treater!!” We also managed to get to the Greek festival for the last few hours and Maria~Angelica enjoyed dancing with her new little friend. We enjoyed our first wedding here too. It was a very special wedding of the dd of the former priest. It was a real treat to witness such a beautiful wedding. Six priests were a part of the service with another priest chanting and several more clergy present in the congregation.  I love the pan Orthodox presence here. I am really excited that there is a deacon and his wife in the local AOC church here that homeschool in the classical method too! We were both so excited to meet one another. It is odd to be a homeschooler, odd to be an Orthodox Christian and odd to be a clergy family and here we are both of us are all three!!!  I have tons of photos to post. Photos from our last days at school, field day, the festival, Greek school picnic and kayaking at the lake house of a deacon friend of ours. We are enjoying ourselves immensely. Thank you to my dear friends, Beth , Tamara and Tracy for being there for me through this transition! I do miss my friends and family but the love we have received here has been so plentiful that it makes it entirely impossible not to be grateful for God’s providence!

  ~Kindergarten Graduation~

  Jonah and my Goddaughter Angelica. Jonah will go to all day kindergarten next year at the local elementary.

   

  I love these shots of Jonah, Maria~Angelica and Chloe. They are so sweet!

     

   

  The gang – Steph, me , Connie and almost all of our children (we are missing Dean, Nicholas and Basil). The three of us grew up together at Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Cincinnati. Steph and I graduated together from the University of Cincinnati. It was fun to have our children together at the same school. As the saying goes though, “all good things must come to an end….”

   

  Steph with her baby, Philip and Maria~Angelica. They make a cute little couple, don’t you think? It is always so funny to watch them check each other out.

  

  ~The last day of school, the Highland Games and saying our goodbyes to friends at MHA~

   

  Basil is in the army green shirt and jean shorts.

  

    Nicholas and Dean – Best Friends Forever!!

   

  Julianna, Dean, Nicholas and Angelica

  

  Jonah and his best friend Noah

  

  ~Hitting the Road~

  

  ~Welcome Basket from the Women’s Philoptochos Society~

  (Photo taken in our little apartment here)

  

  ~Hellenic Heritage Festival~

  

  ~The parish house~

  The General Assembly voted unanimously to put a substantial amount of money into renovating the parish house. Here are some before photos. I like the view from the kitchen window. I can watch the children playing outside in the circle.

  

  ~ Photos from Greek School Picnic/Outing at the local amusement park~

   I loved this little park. It was so sweet and old fashioned just like Kings Island used to be. Kings Island in Cincinnati is so commercial now that Paramount bought it. The kids had fun meeting the other children from Church. Everyone was very welcoming and I enjoyed meeting all the mothers. We are excited for Greek school next year. I plan on using Rosetta Stone for Modern Greek as part of our home schooling curricula next year.

  Basil is the 6th one from the left and riding a ride that you would NEVER get me on!

  

  Trying to get a good shot of the children.

  

   

   

  

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