Yardwork Part 2...

Yes, a third post today...

My mom's first cousin, Bridgette, left a lovely comment about this picture on my myspace blog (click on the link if you want to be my friend:)

The comment is, "Oh, I think your pictures are wonderful. You guys have done a really good job (on the yard) and that tyke you planted in that hole. He looks like he's going to grow to be sturdy. I bet he smells good too. Just water with kisses and trim with love and he'll be just fine!"

Isn't that sweet?

Guns and boys (and girls, too)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18214871/site/newsweek/

The above article is about kids and guns. After having just finished reading Raising Cain, and with my almost five year old constantly talking about who is a bad guy and who is a good guy AND with this recent attack at VT, we need to not restrict normal, children's play. My brother had GI Joe's and Transformers and a plastic gun or two and he is a total pacifist. My husband grew up in rural Michigan. He spent many weeks of his life hunting. He is not a violent person by any means. It doesn't have to do with kids playing cops and robbers, it has to do with how you raise your child. What is right or wrong. And, anyway, this young man that attacked his fellow students was mentally ill! Even the best of parents cannot/may not be able to combat urges in a young person who is mentally ill! I hope there isn't a backlash against normal child's play...

Travelling...

Dad is flying to Greece tomorrow for 2 weeks. Please pray for safe travels. He is only going to go to Athens and Ios (and possibly Aegina to visit an old friend ;) This trip is just to spend time with my pappous! Kalo Taxidi!!!

(note: I tried uploading pictures, but blogger won't let me for some reason. I will try later!!!)

Second NOTE: blogger let me upload pics! That is my pappous with Pavlos (Pavlos was one) when we were in Greece 4 years ago. The other is a picture of the sunset on the village where my family is from:)

Yardwork

Christos Anesti! Ok, as you can see I'm terrible about posting pictures to blogger. I think I need to start with the "after" pictures and then post the before pictures. Ok, so the top three pictures (behind the swingset) is the back of our yard. Paul put up a retaining wall and, yes, that's Pavlos in a hole:) So that is a "new" garden plot for us. We are thinking potatoes or transferring our lettuce there. Anyway, the bottom pictures are shots of the side of our house. Paul built a raised bed (the first of, hopefully, three or four... depending on how the first one does this year) and a new little garden shed. Our yard is finally coming together:) I have tons of seeds to plant (flowers and veggies). And I just planted two planter boxes of geraniums (one of my favorite flowers... geraniums, pansies, and hydrangeas are my top favorite flowers) for our front porch railing. I also bought a clematis to plant in the front, on one side of the porch. Very exciting things going on. Now, if only it weren't so cold and rainy outside I could get all this work done:)

Finished Reading:

Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert (whew, only one more left)

Currently Reading:

Genesis, Creation, and Early Man by Fr. Seraphim Rose (almost done)

Zoli by Colum McCann

Holy Week and Icons

Go here to read about Pavlos and The Bridegroom Icon/Holy Week from last year. Needless to say, nothing has changed in Pavlos' love of this icon. Forty days ago (well, today it will be 41 days ago), Rob/Paul bought the icon of the Bridegroom, we had Fr. place it back in the altar so that on Palm Sunday, we could pick it up in time for Holy Week. Pavlos' new favorite icon is the Crucifixion. He gets fixated on some small detail of the icon and stares at it, talks about it, etc.
We are all well. I know that I do not post often enough and this post has to be short as I need to make prosphora to take to church tonight for service tomorrow morning. Not a big deal, it's only one loaf:)
Have a blessed Holy Week!