Holy Week and Pascha 2016

I have only one complaint about our new parish. It has no light. Like I said before it's located in an industrial strip mall. There is one window above the doors to the nave. And. That. Is. It. Hmpf!! So....I could NOT get any good photos. I tried. I didn't want to use a flash and since the services were mostly at night and with candle light...it was impossible to get a good photo. 

But, I want to show what the parish looks like so here goes...with bad photos. 

On Holy Friday the kids and I attended....and Cam worked. You can see the congregation returning to the nave after our procession outside. As we enter we pass under the Epitaphios. 

On Saturday morning the kids and I headed to our old parish to enjoy my favorite service of the year. It's so beautiful!! It was heartwarming to see some of our friends and hug around the room. I teared up several times. It felt good to be in a familiar space. 

And the lighting at that parish is amazing! Windows! 

Saturday night was Pascha service....which started at 11:30 pm. Yes, that is late! Oh! This year we all laid down around 6:30 for a nap. I slept until almost 10:00...and it was really hard to wake up and get going. Poor George was so sleepy and not able to rally. 

And...hmmmm....lighting in my house at night....not so great either. 

Once in place at church Tuba was so excited. He loves Pascha! The service starts with the priest lighting each person's candle. We sing, "Come receive the light..." and it is beautiful! 

Then we head outside to process around the church...or in our case around the parking median and back in. Cam took this photo of the empty nave. 

Tuba doesn't like to go outside and poor George was snoozing.

He slept the entire service. 

While Tuba smiled and sang and rocked. 

Here's a photo that shows our priest and into the altar. You can see Mr. P inside the door to the acolyte area. He is the only one of us that didn't nap. Tired boy!

I snapped this pic of the bay leaves. I love it that they were left on the floor from the Saturday AM service. 

After the liturgy we went to the priest's house to celebrate and break the fast. The kids were so thrilled! 2:00 AM and having a blast!

On Sunday we had our feast at the new property our parish purchased. It was the first time we got to see the inside of the building. It's a horse arena that has classrooms, restroom and a kitchen. I got to have a tour from our priest and I can now visualize what it will be some day. There will be a temporary church built inside once the permits are approved. It will be much larger than the current space. It will only take a few months to enclose the space and be ready to go. THEN...as a parish we will have to raise the funds for the eventual building. That could take 10 years. Ugh! I will be working on the virtue of patience. But, in the interim the space will be big enough and it will be beautiful. 

Now back to the feast celebration. The weather was sunny and warm. Bonus! The Arena is located on 3 acres so lots of outdoor room to run and play. There was a bouncy house for the kids. Our kids loved it and bounced much of the day away. The food was delicious! We were thrilled to be back eating meat after the fast. 

The best part of the celebration was the games. They had musical chairs for kids and then adults. What a hoot! Then we did an egg toss....which Cam and Moses won. Then a squirt gun fight. What fun!! Kids and adults had a blast squirting each other. I haven't laughed so hard in forever. I highly recommend having a squirt gun fight with your family. 

No pictures from the feast. I was literally too busy having fun! 

Holy Week and Pascha Part 2

Cam, Tuba and Moses attended Holy Week services Mon. and Tues. Starting Wed. the rest of us joined in. The services are long but they are beautiful and they are a lovely time spent together. 

On the way home we treat the kids to candy....if they had good behavior. There was one night that the youngest two had to forgo the treat. It's hard being a parent....a good parent that follows through!! They cried and fussed but the next night they were great!

The week is a blur of school, dinner, church....repeat. It's hard but rewarding and fun too.

The big boys were so excited every night to serve. They harped at us to get us out the door on time. I miss standing with them but love to watch them. 

Cam got lots of love from Tuba. Holy Week is his favorite week of the year. Every day he got off the school bus and said, "candles, church, me??". 

How sweet is this?!

Another of my favorite things about Holy Week is since we are at church so much we get to see our friends a lot! Love that. There are some beautiful and loving families in our parish. This is our friend David helping Tuba light his candle. Everyone knows that Tuba LOVES candles. 

Happy boy!!

Moses enduring his Mama and her photo taking. 

The week is a blur of outfit changes. I worked hard this year to pick up the kids' things and hang them up so they would be ready to go again....especially the boys' dress pants. Normally I'd have them do it but it was late and they would strip, put on pj's and plop into bed.

The Lamentations service is Friday night and there are flowers strewn all over the floor. The kids love to gather them up in piles to play with. Sat. morning bay leaves are thrown adding to the flowers left over from the night before. The kids really have fun.

Please note Sis's new shoes. They are so cute and fit her personality. The toes light up too. I was a mean mom (according to her) and wouldn't let her wear them to the night time services....when it's dark in the nave. She was thrilled to put them on Sat. morning!! She loves socks and wears two pair at a time. I try to guide her sock choice but most of the time it's unsuccessful....or she puts on what she wants and then runs out to the van. 

Check out her snowman socks. At least those match the other colors in her dress. 

Moses busy serving as acolyte.

Both boys during communion.

And the reason for Holy Week. We stand right in front of this icon in church. A beautiful reminder of why we attend and celebrate Pascha. 

Pascha Carnival

And off to the Pascha Carnival. It's the "wear whatever you want day...eat whatever you want day...have fun day". 

The photos are all courtesy of my friend and photographer Dana of Bella Vita Creative. I took lots of photos...but apparently my kids were moving too fast for me to capture them. 

Cam actually took the two photos of Patrick and Moses with the green crosses. 

Face painting is a hugely popular booth. Everyone gets in on the action...especially Cam.

Tuba had a very mellow day. It's the first year he did not jump in the bouncy house. He had a very swollen infected toe/toenail so he laid low.

George got a big Captain America sign on his cheek.

Traditional green crosses for the boys.

Sis wouldn't do face painting this year....and this is the only photo of her. She jumped and ran and jumped some more.

We had a delicious feast and played hard. It was a great ending to Holy Week. 

We got home at 7:00 pm and I announced "brush your teeth and get into bed". Moses argued that it wasn't bedtime. Then he shouted at the top of his lungs, "I'M NOT TIRED". Then he stomped to his room, laid on the bed and was snoring in 5 seconds flat. No joke! Normally he'd be in trouble for such behavior but it was actually hilarious! We are still laughing about it. 

Holy Week

It's a week past Holy Week but I'm finally getting to my post. Busy! I keep thinking (hoping) things will get less busy around here....not happening. Oh well.

Confession Friday: This year Holy Week was much different than past years. Cam has always had all of Holy Week off of work. This year he took Holy Friday off and then Bright Monday (to rest). I must confess that I missed going to all the services. We made it to the evening services on Wed. - Fri. but I do miss those years when we went too morning liturgies too. Of course our gas bill is much lower and I wasn't as exhausted but I did

We did have a glorious week. Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen! Spending the time at church in worship with my kids and Cam is so wonderful. To make things even better my Mom and Bill spent Pascha with us at our parish. It was so nice!! Cam and I actually got to stand in the service and hold hands while my mom took a turn with the kids. Blessed!

Palm Sunday was wonderful. My mom, sister and nephew joined us for church. Us parents always wince when we see the palms. Just thinking of all the pokes and tickles I would sustain during the service. Ugh! Not to mention the kids playing light saber with their palm. Oh! I secretly want to lock the priest in a room full of kids and palms. Hehehe! Just kidding (not). It truly is a wonderful day....even with the palms. Hosanna!

Wednesday night is the Holy Unction service and we get to be anointed with Holy Oil. All the services are such a nice time to snuggle our kids. Even big kids get in on it.

I take a Holy Friday picture each year. Here is the newest one! I love it! The best one was taken on the first try!!

The tomb on Holy Friday. Beautifully decorated. We process outside and then walk under the tomb as it is held aloft (by strong and tall men).

Of course Holy Week is Tuba's favorite week of the year. Tuba loves the candle light services and is very good holding his candle.

Holy Saturday morning is my favorite service of the whole year. It's so joyful! My favorite part of the service is when the priests comes out dressed in white and scatter bay leaves about the church as a sign of the impending joy. The bells are ringing and it is so special. To read more about this wonderful service go here.

After the morning liturgy our wonderful friends Vern and Cheryl took us out for donuts! Yum! They wanted to treat the kids for their great attendance and behavior at church. Thanks!!

We went home, enjoyed some much needed sunshine, got things ready for Pascha, took naps, took Tuba to the prom and then went off to church that night.

The next day, Sunday we attended our feast and children's carnival. Bouncy House!! Whooohoooo! After a whole day of jumping and eating nothing but candy (Sis)....the kids were exhausted and slept in the next day. Sis slept until 10:30!!!! I'm thinking her new routine will be bouncy house and candy!! ;)

Holy Week

Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen!

Last year we took a family photo on Holy Friday and I thought it would be a good tradition. Go here to see how much everyone has grown.
Holy Friday Lamentations Service. The boys did such a nice job holding their candles.

Holy Saturday morning.

My new Easter coat! The weather is terrible...rainy, windy and freezing cold. So...I got a new coat:) Love it!

My sweet boys are spiffed up and ready for the Pascha service to begin.

Photo opportunity. Sis is in pj's since it's 10:00 pm and she will soon go downstairs and go to bed. We set up portable cribs in a Sunday School room and then take turns sitting downstairs with them.

Baby George at the Children's Festival on Sunday. So much fun!!!

We had a wonderful and very busy Holy Week and Pascha (Easter). Today I'm sitting at home in my sweats and relaxing. Well actually, trying to catch up with laundry and getting the house back in order too.

Holy Week is Tuba's favorite week of the whole year. It's his Christmas times 1000! Tuba attended all 14 services during Holy Week. Yes, that's 14 in one week! And..he loved every minute of it. It was a long and hard week for Cam and I. Holding toddlers, chasing toddlers, entertaining toddlers in so many services can be challenging. Some of the services I stayed home with the little ones. But in spite of it being hard and my back being sore I have many wonderful memories from the week. Here's my list of Holy Week favorites:

Kissing the icons with Sis.

Baby George shouting, "Jesus Owie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" when he saw Jesus on the cross.

Busy Guy sleeping on the floor Holy Friday night.

Tuba standing holding his candle.

Mr. P telling me that he loves Holy Week and most of all loves Pascha.

Hearing Busy Guy recount the story of Jesus' crucifixion.

Tuba rocking out and "banging his head" to Christ Is Risen From The Dead. Next year I vow to get a video. It's everyone's favorite!

Baby George pointing to our friend Mary in the choir and calling out to her, "Mar, Mar" so she would come hold him.

Mr. P standing and staying awake the whole Pascha service this year. He's getting so big! He was so determined and so proud. The service starts at 10:00 pm and finishes up around 1:00 am. Then we head downstairs to celebrate and break bread...or should I say meat and cheese after the long fast. He stayed up for the whole thing!

Seeing my kids all be anointed with Holy Oil at the Unction Service.

Hearing Tuba sing all of the Holy Week hymns all day long....every day...all the way to church...and all the way home.

Getting to stand in the Pascha service and hold my hubby's hand...thanks to our friend Teri who took turns with us watching the little ones. Thanks Teri!!!

Jumping in the bouncy house at the children's festival with my girlfriends. The kids were SO excited to have a bunch of mommies in there with them. Too fun! And...I've been laughing all day since one of the husbands claimed we gave new meaning to the term "bouncy house". LOL. Is he trying to say we jiggled???

Drinking lemon drops on Pascha. Yummy!

Another Pascha done and gone. Such an intense week following an intense Lenten season. Loved it all.

Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen!