Just "Jen," and other news.

Well, it's official - Tim and I are going to be Chrismated on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter)!  We are very excited - well, I'm excited and also pretty nervous... it's a whole big ceremony.  You know, affirming that you will follow Christ, then renouncing Satan and spitting on him... the usual.  :)  The spitting is more metaphorical I think, but still audible if I'm not mistaken!  As for my Christian name, I've decided to take St. Genevieve of Paris as my patron name saint.  I figure it could be shortened to "Jen," which is what my immediate family usually calls me, so I think it honors the name that I've already been given.

The condo is still in limbo.  The latest news is that the exception the bank was applying for was denied, so now they are seeking a waiver.  In Tim's words, "what's the difference between an exception and a waiver?  $200 apparently."  Yep, they want an additional $200 to try to get a waiver... I say try, because they have been unsuccessful and unimpressive at every step of the way (especially our loan officer), and I have little faith in their ability to get this thing done at this point.  We do still have a couple of options if the "waiver" (sounds like something they made up at this point) doesn't work out, so it's not over yet.  In fact, Tim is very optimistic about it and keeps saying "we will get this condo; don't worry."  So even though I am worried... I'm trying to be optimistic like him.

Spring break is officially over... it's 8:00 and I'm swearing to myself to be in bed by 9:30.  Tim and I are attempting (just another round of many attempts we've made, but again - trying to be optimistic here!) to get up early and have breakfast together this week.  Wish us luck! 

And as for what seems like the big elephant in the room as far as this blog post goes (to me anyway), tomorrow will be our first day back since our student died.  Her funeral is on Tuesday, and I'm going to see if I can go, but it's during the school day, so I don't know if I'll be able to.  My heart is just still so heavy - I've been in a funk all of spring break and just can't seem to snap out of it.  I think I'm just still shocked that she's gone, and I'm so sad for her family.  And I had her last year, not this year - so I can't even imagine what her family, friends, and current teachers will be going through tomorrow. 

We're also finding out on Friday who will not be with us next year due to budget cuts, so there will just be quite a bit of sadness at our school this week. 

And on that note, I think I'll go on and head to bed earlier than planned... drink some hot tea, read a good book, and cuddle up with my sweet husband, and get myself mentally prepared for tomorrow.

Goodnight friends.

Blessed are they that mourn, for they will be comforted.

I found out today that a dear, sweet former student of mine passed away today after suffering injuries from a skiing accident yesterday.  She was so beautiful, kind, driven, and full of life - I am just in shock that she is not with us anymore, that when we go back to school next Monday, it will be without her.  It's so devastating that such a life could be cut short so abruptly, and at such a young age.  Please pray for peace and comfort for her family; I can't even imagine what they must be going through. 

I am confident that she is in heaven and in a "better place" as everyone says, but it doesn't take away the sadness or the questions of "why?"  I know there is an answer to that question, but stuck here in our earthly world, the answer never seems to satisfy.

Welcome to the Catechumenate!

Well, I think a blog post is most definitely in order - today, Tim and I became official catechumens of the Holy Orthodox Christian Church!  Basically what that means, is that we are now officially on the road to becoming part of the Church.  We have taken that first big step, and now the Church will be praying for us by name (in the middle of the Liturgy!) until we are actually received into the Church - possibly on Pascha (Easter).

I know that my blog audience (and honestly, I don't know who that is outside of Andrea and Rhiannon - my most "vocal" readers!) is largely, if not entirely, unfamiliar with the Orthodox Church and maybe even mine and Tim's involvement in it... so let me explain.

Actually, let me first explain why I'm just now really blogging about it (I mentioned it awhile back, but nothing much).  I guess I'm afraid that people will think that we're weird, or that we are joining some strange church - turning my back on Protestantism.  In fact, I guess I am turning my back on Protestantism (not that I think my upbringing was wrong or bad in any way - maybe incomplete, but definitely still the Truth), and even I am pretty surprised by that I suppose.  However, the "weird" or "strange" part is entirely incorrect, though that would have been my reaction a year or two ago.

I have (slowly!) come to love the Orthodox faith - it is so rich and full, and I love that it unifies the body and the spirit (as someone put it today) by involving both in worship.  Literally bowing down to the Lord (instead of just singing about bowing down - which I have definitely done), prostrating - where you are actually face down on the ground before God (which, by the way, we don't do all the time... but it is the Lenten season!) ...looking around at the beautiful murals of the life of Christ all around the cathedral (it is literally the most beautiful church I have ever seen), smelling the incense to represent prayers rising up to God, hearing God's Word sung by the choir - as the Liturgy is rich with tons of Scripture and the whole thing is sung! All of the senses and the physical body are involved in worship, not just the spirit - which makes complete sense, seeing as God made us as both spiritual and physical beings.

Even as I read my descriptions above, I'm thinking to myself, "wow - if I were reading this two years ago, I would be completely weirded out if ______ (insert close friend or family member) were converting to Orthodoxy."  I wish I could completely do it justice, but I know that I cannot with my limited knowledge and expertise.  Suffice it to say, however, that I have finally realized that standing through a two hour church service without pews is not "weird" - it is standing in the presence of the Almighty, which seems quite appropriate actually.  Kneeling down before God in the middle of church with a church full of people doing the same thing is not "awkward" - it is beautiful and shows a reverence for God that I feel was always missing for me.

I'm not sure why I feel the need to defend our decision - maybe not even defend, but at least give an explanation.  It's probably because it is so different from how we were both raised, and it's not a common religion in either area where we grew up.  I think I'm afraid that friends and family will have a misconception about what the Orthodox Christian Church is... and that they will "worry" about us.  I guess I'm explaining things so that whoever is reading from this point on (because I'm sure it will come up again!) realizes that we are still Christians, we still believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - only now, we feel that we have finally found our spiritual home... which I think we've both been searching for our entire lives.
 

St. Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral

Weekend Update

So I completely forgot to mention the absolute CRAZINESS that was our school on Thursday!  The first sign that it would be a crazy day, was the snow - it was snowing allll day, and therefore the kids were really wild.  Nobody wanted to be stuck inside doing school work on a day like that, not even us teachers!  It was a fun kind of wildness though... something about snow that makes everyone giddy - it was great!  Just before lunchtime though, the craziness reached an all-time high.  The fire alarm went off (we knew it wasn't a drill, because they always give us a heads up when we're having one)!  Everyone was freaking out, we didn't know whether to stay inside (was it a fluke?  a joke?) or go ahead and do what we've practiced doing all year - which is to go outside, get a head count, hold up our little green "we're all here" signs... IN THE SNOW.  And yep, folks - that's exactly what we did!  And THEN the actual firetrucks showed up and we were instructed to walk our darling, hyper little kiddos over to the elementary school next door... IN THE SNOW.  No coats, no gloves, hyper kids... all this while attempting to keep our classes in single file lines (yeah RIGHT).  We did all that, sat them down in little rows in the gym... then the excitement was over (as soon as we sat down) and we got up and walked back to our building and back to class.  Pure insanity!!  Still not exactly sure what happened... it seems a little hush-hush.  But no damage, no harm done... pretty funny actually.

Moving on to the actual weekend update (seeing as Thursday is definitely not the weekend, but I had to tell that story!)

So Tim and I had our Valentine's Day last night, and it was great!  I had a horrible headache all day, but luckily it went away by the time we went out.  I had been on the couch when Tim got home (trying to sleep off my headache), and when I finally got up and went into the kitchen, there was a beautiful bouquet of red gerber daisies and a nice bottle of wine!  Two of my favorite things.  :)  We went to Siena for dinner - our special little place from when we first started dating.  It's small, quaint, and hardly anyone was there - and it was perfect.  Oh, and I can't forget to mention the guy they had hired for the night to serenade the restaurant... he was quite, um, interesting.  His voice reminded me of a song director at a Baptist church - middle-aged, loud, proud, a bit Southern... yet singing "Sweeeeet Caroliiiine" (bum bum bummmm).  He even walked around with his mic singing to various parts of the restaurant.  It was quite entertaining.  But he seemed like a nice guy and was having a great time - and I must admit that he did create a fun mood.  We had a great time, just chatting and dreaming about what our condo will look like.  We got some tiramisu to-go and had dessert and wine at home.  Low key, but absolutely perfect.  :)

Hope everyone had (or is having) a wonderful Valentine's Day with their loved ones or their friends!  I'm going to go scrapbook a little and mentally prepare myself for Evening Vespers and the Forgiveness Sunday service... it's going to be pretty intense.  Everyone kneels down and asks everyone (yes, everyone) for forgiveness for any wrong they may have done to them over the past year.  It's the Church's way to prepare for Great Lent... which begins, ummm tomorrow (or is it today?).  I actually don't plan on participating, just being there.  I just don't think I can handle it (I agree with the idea of it, but the practice of it still seems too out of my comfort zone).

I realize this post was not very exciting... but I think it was more for me and my bad memory than anything else.  :)  Have a wonderful week!

Snow Day!

I'm enjoying our snow day - sipping coffee at the local coffee shop around the corner, Java Me Up (our favorite place ever!).  Tim and I both got up at 7am this morning... whhaaatt?!  And when we got up, realized that the power was out!  Luckily the roads aren't bad at ALL, so we came here to hang out - guess it didn't get as cold as they thought last night - oooops!  :)

annnnd that's all I've got.  I'll try to put up some pictures soon from our record-breaking snowfall from yesterday and last night! 

ps - I've started reading Jane Eyre, so I can check one thing off my To Do list from the other day... hardly the most important thing I could check off, but you gotta start somewhere I suppose. 

Some Thoughts.

So I'm feeling rather blah tonight.  It's 8:43 and I'm thinking I'll just go to bed after this (sure to be very interesting and exciting) post.  I'm not really feeling blah as in "depressed"... just feeling like I want to do something and not being able to figure out what that might be.

Read a classic novel?  You know, one of those that everyone should read (or perhaps re-read) at some point in their lives?  To Kill a Mockingbird... The Catcher in the Rye... The Fountainhead... anything by Jane Austen... 1984... Hunger Games... Okay, so that last one is clearly far from the realm of classic, but seeing as I teach 7th graders, it is apparently a "must read," so it's allowed to be added to the list.

Do something artsy?  I bought these awesome watercolor pencils about a month ago and have yet to get them out and do anything with them.  In case you are unaware that these exist (which I wasn't until a random art project night at church about a year ago) - they are seemingly just like regular colored pencils, but when you wet your paintbrush and color over it, in blends beautifully - just like watercolor, but with the precision and control of a colored pencil (for those who are paintbrush impaired, such as myself).

Be productive?  Okay, I'm not even going to expound upon this one - I am so not in the mood for productivity tonight.  :)

Ummm... change the world?  stop eating meat - or at least eat much less, and demand only organic, non-antibiotic fed meat (I watched a pretty interesting segment about this on the CBS Evening News last night - you should check it out)?  live simply and stop worrying about all the stuff I want or "need" to buy?  pledge to buy local, fresh, and in-season whenever I can?  Avoid Facebook for awhile (because I think it is turning my brain to mush)?  read the newspaper? stop living an over-stimulated, under-compassionate, wasteful American life?  ugh. 

So I probably won't be doing anything from that last paragraph tonight, but just something that's been on my mind.  And something I'm not sure I know how to do.  Especially that last part. 

And in all that rambling (and obnoxious pontificating towards the end?), I've decided that it's 9:00 and I'm going to bed.  I've decided I really, I mean REALLY love my sleep.  I just don't seem to ever get enough of it.  Maybe tomorrow will be a surprise snow day (I really don't think this will happen... though Friday is a definite possibility) and I will get to sleep more, read a good book, do some watercolor drawings, and think a little more about how I can live an authentic life that mirrors my convictions - because right now, it's not even close.

Or, maybe I will just get up and go to work like I do everyday - to a "job" that I love.  Teach some sweet 7th graders about their lovely digestive system - and be grateful that I am at such an incredible school with such incredible people.

Condo Update!

Okay, so probably everyone that reads this has already seen the condo pics on Facebook, but I can't help it... I've got to post them on here!  This blog serves as my memory of life events (since my memory is pretty pathetic and always has been), and this is QUITE the life event... so I must blog it!

Living Room (view from the entry)

Dining Room

Back Patio

Kitchen (not the greatest view, but still!)

My cute husband.  :)  How I love him!

So yesterday Tim and I spent a good part of the day perusing the aisles of Home Depot... it seems so suburban and cliche to spend the Saturday at Home Depot but... I don't care!  We loved it and had a great time!  We picked out the paint for our walls and even nailed down the whole color scheme for the living room!  If I can find the colors online, I'll post them so you can check it out... but basically we've got a soft gray-green for the walls, white trim, medium-dark wood floors, accented with a pretty slate gray-blue and an orange-y red.  It might sound a little weird when it's just described like that... but it's amazing - trust me!!  We are soooo excited!! 

As for the Super Bowl today - Tim and I could not care less!  We were going to go to my friend Megan's for some commercial watching, snack-food eating, Apples to Apples playing fun - but I've decided to stay home.  :(  I really wanted to go, but I've had this head cold / allergies thing going since last week and it just won't go away!  I really can't decide if it's just allergies or if I'm actually sick (felt good yesterday, but today not so much), so I decided it'd be better to take it easy today.  LAME!  So instead, we're going to make some queso and pigs-in-a-blanket (and Katie is making wings!) and stay here.  It will still be fun.  :)

Okay, that's really all I've got.  I've just been ridiculously excited about the condo - picking out paint colors and looking at wood floor samples... just had to share! 

Alright, time to go lay around the house some more.  Happy Sunday!