Visit from the tooth fairy...

Big P lost his first tooth! Finally... I can't believe it took so long for that tooth to come out. Here's a picture but it's a close up. He lost his bottom tooth (can you tell?). Very exciting. I am supposed to be making my contribution to the Thanksgiving dinner today (I work tomorrow so no cooking for me). I am making gluten free stuffing, gluten free pumpkin cheesecake, and boiled rutebaga (is that spelled right?!?!). Paul likes the rutebaga... he's the only one, I think. So I make it every year for Thanksgiving. It kind of stinks up the house when you are boiling it:)

Big P's nouna has left. We are all sad. They will probably be back in January but then they will be gone:(

Yesterday was so beautiful and I am looking out my upstairs window at the overcast sky and thinking that today is not going to be so beautiful.

New blog to check out... It's my god-daughter (some of you know her). Check it out and leave her some mom advice:)

Happy Nameday to all the Katherine's (my sister, mother in law, sister in law, yiayia) out there.
I missed a post on St. Nektarios' feast day on Nov. 9th. Sorry. My dad was not able to go to Aegina for the feast day but he did go later that week. I think he bought us an icon of St. Nektarios (I told him, though, that we have about 4 icons of St. Nektarios and he said, "but do you have one from Aegina?" He got me there:)

All right... that's all I have for now. Nothing too exciting, but nothing too boring either (I hope).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Retreat-Workshop with Mother Raphaela...

Here are my notes from the women's retreat with Mother Raphaela from Holy Myrrhbearer's monastery. (I took notes on Saturday, not on Friday night- I forgot my notebook).

• Read the Bible- Get to know the Lord.
• Monastery is not an escape, there are no escapes (this caused me to ask myself the following questions- what are my escapes? when do I escape?)
• Follow a rule of morning and evening prayers even if it is just a simple "Hello, God"
• Liturgy is about life
• Hardship: we are carrying the burden of the cross- we are chosen to be a part of this burden. When "good" things happen and we have no hardship we are not worthy to carry the cross.
• Learning to live with silence
• The world would know God through us- we are Gods hands and feet to bring God to the world.
• Meet everyone unconditionally as they are- our families first. Charity begins at home.
• Do with me, God, as you know best
• Loving, not judgmental- today, we have no sense of our own worth and we; can do no better.
• Spirit of despair/hopelessness is the spirit of the world- people in the world do not know who they are.
• Learn to overlok the bad, see the good. See Christ in one another. When we love people we can see the good/God will draw out the good.
• We do not need to be looking for the devil in others.
• where there's death, there is hope.
• Society: Dr's consider it a failure when someone dies.
• Our vision of heaven has been taken from us.
• the martyrs died for that vision of heaven
• we are in no way a Christian Society/Muslim Society, Hindu Society- We are a NOTHING Society.
• Prayer is standing before God and giving Him your family, etc. I do not control them. God is in charge of the universe, not me.
• Becoming transparent to the world (poise/dignity)- by following our prayer rule and fasting it changes us.
• Take up our cross daily and follow me- Why are we surprised by hardship?
• ascetic training prepares us to stand before the lions (the martyrs)
• Be prepared- because we are surrounded by people who are tolerant of everyone but us.
• Vision of heaven? Cultivate beauty in the world, in our parish, in our community.
• Obedience= to listen up
• Listen to one another- we are called to listen to each other and respond appropriately
• Obedience is a dialogue
• we set our children up for failure when we do not dialogue
• Ask, "Is this for my salvation?"
• God can forgive, we don't let Him.
• To be perfect is to be merciful.

It was a lovely weekend, check out Mimi and Susan-Sophia for more tidbits from the retreat. And, consider joining us next year!

Two new blogs to check out! http://organicallycooked.blogspot.com/ and http://haniadailyphoto.blogspot.com/ Both blogs are by Mediterranean Kiwi who is from New Zealand and lives on Crete (I have been to Crete but it was many years ago). Check them out!