As a birthday/Mother’s Day present, I got a scanner that scans
slides. This is incredible for me because we took most of our
pictures for quite a while as slides. I tried developing a few,
but they never had the right color. So many of these pictures I
have only seen in postage stamp size. We never got a projector
either. I have spent every free moment scanning old slides.
What fun it has been! Here’s one picture of our family when there
were only three of us.
Dimitri’s birthday slipped by without a post, but I am not
discouraged. When he was little, his birthday was usually the
main one celebrated. That is because he is at the end of birthday
binge. It took me several months to register that everyone,
including myself, had suddenly grown a year older. We had threatened to
call Dimitri, Him. Before he was born, his older sister would feel his
kicks and ask, “What Him doing?” She named him, Him. “Him crying.
Him hungry.” She finally caught on, but for a while she was unhappy
with the name change.
I hope Him had a great day!!
“I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be
content.” That was what Paul wrote about inner peace. I
know that he was in some pretty difficult places so I keep reminding
myself that our problems are so small compared to his. I still cannot
say that I am content in all circumstances. I guess the lesson is
not learned yet. I do hope that being put in frustrating situations is
not the only way to learn this.
There must be some kind of balance between this contentment and
ambition though. I think we all have dreams that we strive for.
Many of them are good and noble, and we are spurred on by a certain
discontentment and frustration. It is a paradox.
Our fortieth high school reunion is this summer. I just talked
with one of the coordinators. Who would have thought we’d get to this
point, but then what else did we expect to happen? I am often amused by
young people who think they are able to stop the march of time. Like
there’s really some option to getting older! Well, actually there
is, but that isn’t what people usually think of when they think they’ll
never get old. Actually, I think we all somehow feel that we’ll be
exempt.
A Ukranian saying: “Age and wisdom travel together, but sometimes age comes alone.”
Only two and a half weeks until the end of school for us. I’m
looking forward to a summer of projects finished. Hopefully there
will also be some travel and house decorating or gardening. I’ve
already got about a year of work planned in my mind. Being a bit
scattered, I also have a hard time prioritizing, but I’ll try.
Another wedding this past weekend. So beautiful it was. Under the
trees on a clear, warm day. Peace swirled around us like the breeze
that brought smells of pine needles and recent rain. The music came
from a violin and harp duet. It harmonized with the birds and rustling
trees. The people there were as eclectic as she and her husband are.
There were old folks, young people, college friends, children, babies,
a homeless man with his dog and several friends in wheelchairs. All
were welcomed and loved. I’ve known the girl for 15 years now.
This was her dream wedding, and I pray that her marriage will be the
same, full of the freshness of the outdoors, the blessings of God and
the love of family and friends.
She looks up at him with soft brown eyes. Her voice has a soft, cooing
quality to it. Anyone describing her would inevitably use the work
“kind” somewhere in the description. She is barely a teenager, but
already she has the aura of womanhood, both the strengths and the
tenderness. She’s a shy, tender girl, and he is a bit of a ruffian. He
swaggers when he walks. He’s always late for school, and his work
is sloppy at best. He’s been in a few fights in the past, pushed the
rules.
“I really need to be studying.” She smiles almost apologetically.
He looks into her gentle eyes, and his heart begins to pound. His blood
feels like fire, every cell is acutely alive. Time has ceased with a
feeling of melting into eternity..
“Okay,” he mumbles casually. As he turns to go back to his desk, he thinks, “I’d die for her if I needed to.”
Who could ever say that being vulnerable isn’t powerful?
2:00 a.m.
Happy Easter to all!! The day of the greatest miracle that has ever happened!! I
wished we could go to a sunrise service, but all the churches in our
town have quit having them. They used to be my favorite church
service of the year.
We made Kulich for the first time this year, thanks to Valery, our
Ukranian “daughter”. She got a recipe from her mother by email.
Kulich are the traditional Russian Easter cakes baked in coffee
cans. There are now four of them sitting on the kitchen
table. That is how many 10 eggs will make. Baboushka told
me her recipe started with 50 egg yolks. I never got past
that!! I realize now that she just made a huge batch. So
now I have a Ukranian recipe to use.
Celina just got in after experiencing a blowout on the way.
Fortunately she was still close to her home, and Elijah was able to
help her out. It is so great to have them here. My house
and my heart are filled by their love and laughter!
I woke up this morning thinking about the “birthday posts.” I
didn’t think about writing them until Elijah’s birthday, which probably makes
sense. He is our oldest. I’ve enjoyed writing them so much that I
think in the near future, I’ll go back to the beginning of the year and play catch up.
Only two days until Easter! Even being on tax day doesn’t spoil
it!! Blessings on each of us as God reminds us that he breathes
life into death and gives us the miracle of resurrection!!
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