The iconstasis.
The boys eagerly awaiting the start of the service.
Princess Pickle and Grandpa Bill.
My sis holding Baby George and my Mom in her "baptismal water clothes". No...only babies are baptized in the buff;)
Look at these handsome boys! I'm so lucky!
Another handsome fella!
My Mom and another woman were baptized the same day. These are their baptismal robes and candles.
My Mom's Patron Saint....Monica, her cross which will be blessed and dipped into the baptismal water and a cross her sponsor painted for her.
The baptismal tub.
The priest putting holy oil on for the crismation.
Washing the oil off with Holy Water.
Beautiful...I love this photo. The Handmaiden of God Monica.
And....here is Sis who spent a good portion of the service running back and forth on the porch!!! Serious energy:)
The service was beautiful and we were all full of tears of joy. My sister and nephews came from OR to attend the special occasion. After the service we all went to have a meal at a Thai restaurant near the church. It was the perfect place to go...such lovely ladies working. When I told them I needed a table for 12...and that 7 of them are kids...they didn't even bat an eye. They were so gracious and friendly. We'll go back there again. For once we didn't feel like "restaurant lepers"!
Then...off to home again to prepare for our Holy Pascha service which starts at 10:00 pm. The kids changed into pj's and we packed the car with blankets, portable cribs, a fan, diaper bag, and most importantly our Pascha basket (full of the foods we fast from during Lent). We arrive early and set up the babies beds in an empty Sunday School room. Cam and I take turns in the Nave with the big boys while the other stays downstairs with sleeping babes. It is actually lovely and quiet downstairs and you can hear the service going on overhead. The service concludes about 1:00 am. Mr. P and Busy Guy curled up at my feet with their blankets and fell asleep about 11:30 pm. Tuba of course was wide awake and engaged the whole service. Truly his favorite day of the year!
Then everyone comes downstairs to celebrate and partake of our baskets. Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen. We had some wine, cheese, salami and chocolate. We pulled in at home at 3:15. Of course Baby George who had been sleeping all this time now wanted to be AWAKE! I finally got to sleep at 4:30 am. YIKES...I'm too old and too busy for that! I have the best hubby in the world...who got up with the kids at 7:30 am! Busy Guy was of course up at 6:30....AHHHHH....he was sent downstairs to watch cartoons:)
The photo of "handmaiden of God, Monica" moved me to tears! What a beautiful moment in her life (and yours!).
ReplyDeletechoked up here - beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd since when did baby George grow up. He needs to stop that.
He sure is a CUTIE!!!