Prayer time
Play time
Reading the paper over breakfast
Mommy’s helper
Maria~Angelica does her own hair
Watching Cinderella with Uncle Michael
Visiting Mars Hill Academy
Visiting our Godchildren - Alana, Addison, Eli and Gwen (Happy Birthday Gwen!)
precious memories….
~Coincidence?~
Q. What do you get 3 days after going to Chuck E. Cheese on what must of been one of the busiest days of the year?
A. Pneumonia
Yes, that’s right….and I can’t believe it… Everyone else is fine, thank goodness. On Thursday morning I had a dry cough and felt short of breath. Friday morning I had a fever that I could not break and my chest felt like someone was sitting on it. By Friday afternoon I was at the doctor getting a chest x-ray and a diagnoses. I have to get better soon but don’t feel much improvement. If I don’t feel better by the morning I am going to call the doctor.
In other news, good news, we were able to stop in Columbus on our way back to New York, to see our Godchildren Alana, Addison, Eli and Gwen. We didn’t get to see Tim, though, because he was at work. We had a nice visit and the kids enjoyed one another. Maria~Angelica and Gwen share of love of My Pretty Ponies and Maria~Angelica is still talking about Gwen and her horse. I love Alana’s kids so much! They are just as adorable as ever and we really enjoyed our time together and hope to see them more often.
I was also able to see my other Godchildren, Peter, Angelica and Chris, in Cincinnati and we all received Holy Communion together on Sunday during the Divine Liturgy. Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas, my home Church, has a web cam on continuously if you would like to see any live services. This morning I was wishing I had a laptop to be able to watch the Liturgy. When I was pregnant with Maria~Angelica and when she was a new born, I use to enjoy watching the services live from Greece on satellite TV.
Yesterday, Fr. and the kids enjoyed a wonderful GOYA outing to a college basketball game- they had so much fun. They came home and told me all about it- I was sorry to have had to miss out! The children are so happy here and that makes me happy. Today, Jonah, on is own volition, brought me antidoron home from the Liturgy. Bless his heart!
Today is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son and I am praying for a healthy start to Lent! There is so much to look forward to! This year Sunday of Orthodoxy is at our church and I am really looking forward to that as well as the Akathist services. We will see how Maria~Angelica does at evening services. The boys have been going for years and unfortunately this year their spring break doesn’t fall during Holy Week- hopefully their homework load won’t be so much during Holy Week. We are looking forward to what will be our first Pashca in our new church and Fr’s second Pascha.
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I have some very sad news to announce. Last evening Andrew called me at 3:00 a.m. to let me know that a very young woman, full of life, and a wonderful person, Sonia Belcher, the Director of Admissions at his school, Hellenic College and Holy Cross, died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. She was celebrating her birthday dinner with her husband of just two years who had just been ordained Deacon by the Antiochian Orthodox Church. Many people had seen her earlier in the evening at the chapel while her husband, Deacon Nick Belcher was assisting with the vespers. She leaves behind a four month old baby boy, Andrew. She died instantly. I had met Sonia and talked to her on several occasions while planning retreats for our youth. Andrew worked for Sonia and Deacon Nick (Assistant director of the office of vocation and ministry) for the past four years. Christopher met both Sonia and Deacon Nicholas at his winter Orthodox Christian Fellowship conference for college students at Antiochian Village , and he couldn’t stop talking about how wonderful the two were. It’s very sad, indeed to hear such news.
Please pray for her soul and for strength for her husband and her little baby to get through this very difficult time. This is yet another reminder of how precious life is and that we cannot assume that we’ll have a long healthy life ahead of us. Being prepared in the Lord is never as obvious as when we see such a young person die suddenly. Please keep Deacon Nick in your prayers!
Salomi Charalambous
~A day in the life…~
My husband spent the day with our dear friend, Metropolitan Kallistos and I spent the day at Chuck E. Cheese or as my friend Stephanie calls it- hell. Although, it was a school holiday and the place was packed, it wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed time with 3 of my best friends and 14 of my favorite children.
Feasts and Saints of the Orthodox Church
February 17
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee (Beginning of the Lenten Triodion) 
The Sunday after the Sunday of Zacchaeus is devoted to the Publican and the Pharisee. At Vespers the night before, the TRIODION (the liturgical book used in the services of Great Lent) begins.
Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee who scrupulously observed the requirements of religion: he prayed, fasted, and contributed money to the Temple. These are very good things, and should be imitated by anyone who loves God. We who may not fulfill these requirements as well as the Pharisee did should not feel entitled to criticize him for being faithful. His sin was in looking down on the Publican and feeling justified because of his external religious observances.
The second man was a Publican, a tax-collector who was despised by the people. He, however, displayed humility, and this humility justified him before God (Luke 18:14).
The lesson to be learned is that we possess neither the Pharisee’s religious piety, nor the Publican’s repentance, through which we can be saved. We are called to see ourselves as we really are in the light of Christ’s teaching, asking Him to be merciful to us, deliver us from sin, and to lead us on the path of salvation.
Saint Valentine (in Latin, Valentinus) is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome. Of the Saint Valentine whose feast is on February 14, nothing is known except his name and that he was buried at the Via Flaminia north of Rome on February 14. It is even uncertain whether the feast of that day celebrates only one saint or two or more saints of the same name. For this reason this liturgical commemoration was not kept in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration as revised in 1969. Traditional Roman Catholics continue to venerate St. Valentine on his feast day, February 14.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Saint Valentine the Presbyter, is celebrated on 6 July, and Hieromartyr Saint Valentine (Bishop of Interamna, Terni in Italy) is celebrated on 30 July.
The name “Valentine” does not occur in the earliest list of Roman martyrs, which was compiled by the Chronographer of 354. The feast of St. Valentine was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, who included Valentine among those “… whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God.” As Gelasius implied, nothing was known, even then, about the lives of any of these martyrs. The Saint Valentine that appears in various martyrologies in connection with 14 February is described either as:
The name “Valentine”, derived from valens (worthy), was popular in late antiquity.
Various dates are given for the martyrdom or martyrdoms: 269, 270, or 273.
The official Roman Martyrology for February 14 mentions only one Saint Valentine.
English eighteenth-century antiquarians Alban Butler and Francis Douce, noting the obscurity of Saint Valentine’s identity, suggested Valentine’s Day was created as an attempt to supersede the pagan holiday of Lupercalia. This idea has lately been contested by Professor Jack Oruch of the University of Kansas. Many of the current legends that characterise Saint Valentine were invented in the fourteenth century in England, notably by Geoffrey Chaucer and his circle, when the feast day of February 14 first became associated with romantic love.
While a Website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and other sources give different lists of Saint Valentines, the Catholic Church’s official list of recognized saints, the Roman Martyrology lists seven: a martyr (Roman priest or Terni bishop?) buried on the Via Flaminia (February 14), a priest from Viterbo (November 3), a bishop from Raetia who died in about 450 (January 7), a fifth-century priest and hermit (July 4), a Spanish hermit who died in about 715 (October 25), Valentine Berrio Ochoa, martyred in 1861 (November 24) and Valentine Jaunzarás Gómez, martyred in 1936 (September 18).
~Internet Fraud~
*In October 2006, when Maria~Angelica was turning one and growing out of her infant car seat and into a toddler one, I found a website, online, to order a custom made car seat cover to replace our worn out one. On August 23, 2007, I placed the order. The lady, Angelique, was paid immediately, through pay pal using my debit account. In her e-mail, she told me it would take 8 weeks to receive my car seat cover. In early November 2007 I sent her an e-mail and heard nothing back. I contacted paypal on Nov. 20th and since 45 days had passed I had no case but they sent her an e-mail. I heard back from her, on Nov. 21, after paypal sent her an e-mail. I felt sorry for her and didn’t insist on a deadline because of the holidays and all but here we are in February 2008 and still no car seat cover. I have always given her the benefit of the doubt and hold out hope that my car seat cover will arrive- she has my address and phone number. Today, I filed a complaint with www.IC3.gov/ and again paypal sent her an e-mail, even though I have no claim with paypal. (Personally, I think that stinks that paypal won’t go to bat for their customers 45 days after a transaction.) I have tried to do some searches to see if I can find out more info about her. Here is what I know. Her last known website was www.mycustombaby.com and her e-mail is admin@mycustombaby.com When I first started communicating with Angelique, in October 2006, her site was “Eclectic Collaborations” www.eyeswideopendesign.com and her e-mail ec@eyeswideopendesign.com .
This is the car seat cover I paid for but never received. I have sent her several friendly e-mails inquiring about her and being sympathetic. My gut is she is a mother that is in over her head- although I know NOTHING about her. Just that she has my money. If you know anything about this vendor or can dig up any more information, please let me know.
ETA: I just received this lovely e-mail, in response to the paypal e-mail sent today. “Tell me how much my wife owes you. She has been sick since the end of Dec and I do not want her stressed even more over this stupid shit.”
I have written to her asking if she is okay and never heard back, but it is what I have imagined….I have always been friendly and sympathetic even though, I too, have been stressed. I don’t exactly have money to just waste, which is why I had to wait almost a year to be able to even place the order….
*Update - I received a e-mail from the dh saying he would confirm the price and send me back the money on Friday. I would have preferred the cover but I will be very grateful and relieved if we get our money back.
~Memory Eternal!~
Frank passed away early this morning. Thank you for your prayers, please continue to remember his three adult children and his devoted wife, Fran, in your prayers. Fran and Frank were married for nearly 50 years.
Christ our eternal King and God, You have destroyed death and the devil by Your Cross and have restored man to life by Your Resurrection; give rest, Lord, to the soul of Your servant who has fallen asleep, in Your Kingdom, where there is no pain, sorrow or suffering. In Your goodness and love for all men, pardon all the sins he has committed in thought word or deed, for there is no man or woman who lives and sins not, You only are without sin.
For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and Repose of Your servant , departed this life, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up glory with Your Eternal Father and Your All-holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit; both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
~Orphaned Sisters Need Help and Prayer-Please Spread the Word~
I just received this e-mail, if you think you can help or know someone that can, please let me know and I will put you in touch with the right person.
Orphaned sisters need help & prayer
The Lighthouse Project brings children from Russian orphanages to the USA for ten days, to stay with a host family, attend a church-based program to introduce them to Christ, and to expose them to families in the church and community who may want to adopt them. When adopting from Russia, the country requires that parents visit Russia twice before bringing their children home, but Russia has agreed to count this 10 day visit to the USA as one of the visits, greatly reducing the cost of adoption. Most of the children who visit for ten days do find a forever home. This is a great program!
We have a special prayer request. There is a sibling group of three girls who have little chance of being adopted otherwise. And, the likelihood of a family stepping forward to bring them here for 10 days is slim too, because of the cost of hosting them ($3200 for the three girls). Elena is 11, Anna is 7, and Angelina is 6. At least the youngest girl has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I wish I could post their picture here b/c they are absolutely adorable blond-red hair, and the most beautiful smiles.. three precious sisters. I have agreed not to post their picture. I will try to obtain permission to email it if you are too far away to show you in print (I currently have permission to show it in printed form). These sisters need your prayers. One prayer might be that if there is a willing family to host them for 10 days, that a church or group would sponsor the trip ($3200) to make that possible.
The stark fact is that it is likely these girls will age out of the orphanage if they don’t get this opportunity. Most orphans who age-out of Russian orphanages are dead in 18 months. Others become prostitutes. There is simply no good place for these children in Russia. They are truly fatherless, destitute, and in need of spiritual and physical care. The trip is scheduled to bring a group of orphans to the USA in March, and there are currently no prospects for the funding or host family for these three. The girls are close to being cut from this trip. Another trip may be happening in July, so there is still hope that if they are cut from this trip, that they may make the next, which is probably their last chance. God is able. I will put you in touch w/the proper person if you can help.
MATTHEW 25:34-40
34″Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, (A)inherit the kingdom prepared for you (B)from the foundation of the world.
35′For (C)I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; (D)I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;
36(E)naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you (F)visited Me; (G)I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
37″Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?
38′And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
39′When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40″(H)The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, (I)to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
~Unbelievable!~
Nicholas threw up, at church today- in the bathroom, he’s good about that, so that was a good thing. But, what is going on? And if you stopped reading my blog by now, I wouldn’t blame you! It has been nothing but illness for the last two weeks now. I just don’t get it. At first signs of strep throat I hightailed everyone to the Dr. , started antibiotics, changed toothbrushes, sanitized EVERYTHING, changed all sheets, etc…and washed everything on sanitized. The house was cleaned from top to bottom and we can’t eradicate whatever this is. Nicholas is a pale, lethargic wisp of a thing, at the moment, Fr. just had to carry him up to our bed. The rest of the family is feeling fine and just headed out to dinner with some friends- a nice break for Fr. and the kids- although- the way the wind is whipping the air around I am glad to not have to go anywhere- it is bitter cold, 2°F (feels like -21), but oh so pretty from inside our warm house. I love the blowing snow- that is something you don’t see in Cincinnati, it is like being inside of a snow globe. A good friend from Church brought us some homemade chicken soup that was just delicious and REALLY hit the spot! Thank you!! It was the first thing I have eaten outside of dry toast in three days. In other news…oh who I am kidding, I have no other news! But I hope to have something more interesting to post soon.
ETA: These are kids that I accost everyday the moment they walk in the door after school and make them wash their hands in the laundry room before they can proceed any further. They also eat home made meals of organic food and as much fruit and veg as I can get in them as well as a multi vitamin everyday and Fr. and I take 8 supplements a day one of which is eccenacia. Crazy! Maybe we have become resistant to antibiotics. Nicholas is 8 years old and has never even been on an antibiotic until last November. I called the nurse last week and she believes that the strep and the stomach flu are both two different things, while I tend to believe they are related, she thinks , of course, the strep is bacterial and the stomach flu is viral. I don’t know I just hope that this is it for the rest of the year.
*Updated to add that Nicholas has just been sick again, is running a temp. of 102 and I definitely agree that it is the strep bacterial infection that is causing the nausea not a virus. We just have to get better by Friday, everyone is so looking forward to our trip back home for the winter school break.
~Boy, oh boy, did I speak too soon!~
I got hit with the stomach flu early Friday morning and the last two days have been anything but normal. Do you know how loud little boys’ feet are going up and down hardwood steps when you have a throbbing headache and every bone in your body aches? The kids are certainly back to normal….. I sure was missing being able to send them to Yiayia’s house while I was in my own personal hell for the last 48 hours… God willing in another 24 hrs I should be back to normal. I did manage to throw in a load of laundry this evening- that’s a sign of normalcy, lol – I just can’t lay in that bed anymore!
Fr. and the kids are at a Valentine’s party at Church. I am really bummed I couldn’t go with them. Basil was begging me to come with them and Maria~Angelica looked so cute in her Valentine’s dress- there won’t be any pictures though, because they forgot to take the camera with them. 
The entire time I was sick and in and out of hallucinations my mind was on how horrible it must be to be in chronic pain or terminally ill. Please say a prayer for all those that suffer daily and especially for our dear Church secretary, Fran. Her husband, Frank, has been ill for several years and Fran has been an excellent caretaker to her dear husband. Frank is in the hospital right now and they have taken him off all life support. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy!
