Easter Sunday is coming !!!

I think I have been a bit distracted.

I just realized that according to the western church calendar Easter Sunday is this week! Talk about scrambling - yikes. Went over to the other house to get the ham. Ran to the store for the baskets stuff and I still needed more eggs - which were not on sale this week.

Easter is kind of special to us as a family. It is the first holiday Alex engaged with after coming home so he gets so happy when it is time.

Last year we were in Russia picking up Daria so not much was done. We literally picked her up from the orphanage Easter eve. We stopped by the roadside so that one of her nurses/nannies could give her toys and traditional Russian foods. She also gave Daria a saint medal and asked me to keep it safe for her until she was older. Of course I will.

Her orphanage gave her dolls - one which still says Russian phrases. The faciliator got Alex a Russian egg holder which was really sweet. (Yes, of course Alex flew back to Russia to help bring his sister home.) He insists that we keep in the curio cabinet with all the other special stuff so it is safe.

The kids are so excited. I am excited. I think the dress we got Daria before she came home might now fit. If not, we will pin it. It is so adorable.

I also need to confirm times for Easter services the following week, which is when the Eastern Orthodox church celebrates Easter. We are lucky enough to have a church here in town that has been rededicated to Eastern Orthodox Church and it follows their calendar and customs. I understand from thier website that they even have an iconostasis which I am excited to see. An iconostasis is a wall of icons (religious paintings) that separate parts of the sanctuary. They are similiar to rood screens found in medieval churches in England and France. To read more about them follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconostasis

I admit, I still love byzantine and medieval art. In the before time, I was working on that art history Phd - maybe some day I will finish. In the meantime Alex has already seen so many medieval churches and their icons he has become quite the discerning viewer. After all there are a lot in Russia and we always go to the Kremlin churches when we are in town.

Anyway, I have to get moving. I still cannot decide where to go on Sunday. I favor the Southern Baptist option but have started looking for another home church in the last year so maybe I will take them to something Catholic with all the bells and whistles. I grew up that way so it might be a nice bridge for the kids. And then we will go to the Russian Orthodox services the following Sunday.

Life is life. It will be what it is. God has blessed me with wonderful children.