GIFTS FROM AUNTIE MO

My dear friend, Maureen (Lydia's godmother) sent us a wonderful package of Russian goodies for Easter.  I absolutely adore these cookies - and they make tremendous ice cream sandwiches! (Plus, isn't the box the cutest thing ever?)

EASTER VIGIL

At 3 a.m., at the end of our Easter Vigil reception, all the centerpieces were lined up on the table.  They were pretty individually, but these were so lovely and the sight eased (somewhat) the throbbing pain in my legs and feet.  What a day!

MY WEEK

I ran across this little flag on e-bay a few years ago.  It is from the Soviet era, when such little flags were placed above the workstation of anyone who isn't quite up to speed, in terms of meeting the goals of their "plan".  It says, "Don't lag behind!"  This has been my motto for the week.  Yipes.  What a terrible time it's been; not a moment to reflect.....at least not one when I was rested enough to have all my marbles.

LAMBING SEASON

Part of my stress has been making these butter lambs.  They are a lot harder than they look, and they take considerable time.  However, I'm making money for a scholarship so an orphan can be hosted through New Horizons this summer  Well worth it!  It is just one of those things that I feel I can never do intensely enough.....  And, it is a mess, too!

ANASTASIA DAY

Among other things - a really bad experience at school the Friday before Spring Break, Spring Break, itself,  and the arrival of her adoption traumaversary on April 17, my little Nastia has not quite been "herself".  I did take her out to celebrate Anastasia Day.  The day fell on a Sunday, which was not good since I had to work for 12 hours that day, and then Monday I had to do the retreat, but I took her out on Tuesday for lunch and to buy a cell phone.  The girl who has posted some 400 photos of herself on facebook wouldn't allow me to take her picture....then she agreed, and stuck up these ugly black nails, knowing I hate them.  So, I just took a picture of them.   The food was good, anyway. 

SPRING RETREAT

Today was the long-awaited "retreat" for the STA School third graders.  A few months ago it seemed like a great idea to be the "retreat master" for this event.  As time came closer, and I got more details, I wasn't so pleased.  To say the least.  I am a perfectionist and a full-day retreat for 40 third graders in one room is a definite challenge.  The teachers used some grant money to rent a space at the Conservation Center.  And while this meant that I had to haul all the materials out there,  I saw a big upside -  on April 18 it is bound to be beautiful weather and they can have play time outside in the morning and afternoon, as well as at the lunch break....why rent a facility like that, otherwise?   But - here is how our lovely spring day turned out!

The kids went outside at lunch just long enough to get cold, wet and muddy.  The day turned out fine, though.  Perhaps I'll say more about it on the "main" blog.

THE WYETHS




I know this is a terrible photo, but I didn't want to get in trouble for taking a photo in a museum; I just slipped the camera out of my bag and pretended to be a spy for a moment.

 

My mom and I went to Kalamazoo to see the Wyeth exhibit....paintngs of primarily the three famous Wyeths N.C., Andrew and Jamie.   Interesting how Andrew's paintings, while wonderful, are similarly wonderful to what we see in reproductions, whereas the big surprise was how gorgeous, engaging and powerful N.C. Wyeth's paintings are.  I just loved The Scottish Chiefs, which was actually an illustration for a book.  I've seen it in reproduction, but in person it was mesmerzing.  I didn't want to leave it.

I grew up with "Christina's World" on the wall of our living room.  You can look at A. Wyeth's paintings forever and not get enough.  And Jamie's are equally wonderful.  In particular, there was one portrait of a Laotian refugee boy that just rooted me to the spot.  I saw in that face so much of what I see in my own boys.

MARCH

I leaned out of the car and took this photo of "March" as I think of it - cold, miserable slush.  The other option would be mud.  But, six years ago March brought the most wonderful gift in the form of our Zhenya, so quite honestly, slush and mud and damp cold have risen in my estimation. 

CHURCY DAY

During each of the RE sessions I'm taking the fifth graders into the sacristy to show them the "things" we use at Mass.  Then, this afternoon there was a "Mass of Explanation". 

DINNER DANCE

The parish that we merged with has always had a big dinner/dance fundraiser, and I attendedme.  It is a university parish, hence all the "young folk"; I wish Craig had come.  I danced once with my secretary, but that wasn't enough!  I never get enough dancing.

SUNDAYS

I do not quite know why it is so hard to get up on Sunday....  It is comparitively so much later than the 3:30 time I have to get up on the weekdays....  But, on the weekdays I don't have to leave the house right away.  I don't have to get dressed in nice, professional clothes, while the rest of the family sleeps.

The one solace is coffee, so the well-stocked carousel of k-cups for my Keurig is a welcome sight.

MRS. ALLEN'S SCHOOL

I had some books to donate to Mrs. Allen's school, so I drove them over there.  On the way down the stairs I stopped to take this photo.  Somehow it would feed my soul to be able to walk up these warm, creeky oak stairs every morning with this beautiful window lighting the way. 

LITTLE PLEASURES

I love violets.  If I had the money, I'd have a whole row of them blooming on my windowsill at all times.  Not that they are all that expensive, but I admit I'm not that good with getting them to "keep on giving".  I have occasionally kept one for years and had it bloom and bloom again, but more often, something "happens" and it bites the dust (occasionally literally).  Usually I have a display something like what  I have now - one in bloom,  one green but not blooming and one clearly on its last legs. 

ART

I love teaching art; I absolutely love it.

SOUL FOOD

English Class Soul Food Party

I am writing more about this on my other blog.

EARLY SUNDAY MORNING

Why does 7 a.m. on Sunday morning seem SO much earlier than 7 a.m. any other day?  I've wondered this for years.   On Sunday morning I get to "sleep in" until 6!  Then it's off to the church to prepare for a twelve-hour work day.  This is what greets me,  and somehow, after having to get ready in a cold, dark house, followed by the cold, dark drive through mostly empty streets,  this dim hallway and unfriendly gate just illustrate how unwelcoming it all is!  The feeling I have about it all is so gloomy, that it was almost therapy to confront it by taking this photo!

After I get the gate open,  lights on, and doors unlocked, everything has begun to seem more "normal" and better.  Soon the catechists begin to arrive.  Happily, this year I have two volunteers for the 8:30 session who are so wonderfully cheerful and sunny that they get my day off to a much better start - after the first cold, difficult hour.  (And, in the spirit of this blog, I'll say - I am truly grateful for them.  I've told them so, too!)

SATURDAY MORNING

Wouldn't you think that the one morning of the week that I can sleep in, I would?  Nope!  Woke up in the cold dark, with a headache.  But, the nice thing about it was that Craig and I got "mommy-daddy time" (as we call it).  There was a long time when Craig and I got up early every morning for coffee and talk, but phone English with my Korean students has taken up that time slot.  Anyway, Craig has not seemed generally disposed to get up earlier than he needs to, anyway.

UNFORTUNATE EVENT

Terrible snow the last couple of days.  Very slick.  I was leaving a conference at another parish in the midst of a snowstorm.  As I drove slowly across the parking lot, approaching the street, a boy on a bike swooped across the parking lot and turned to go onto the sidewalk.  His bike lost traction in the snow sending him sliding on the ground toward the front of my car.  Of course I turned to avoid him, and also slid.  I was watching him, of course, and happily missed him; he (undoubtedly embarrassed) jumped back on the bike and took off (even faster) down the sidewalk without even glancing in my direction.  I had heard a grating sound, and now looked to my right and saw, to my horror, that I'd scraped some sign at the side of the driveway.  I backed away from it, and all seemed well.  I drove across town to get the kids from school, worrying about the damage.  I was hoping that there wasn't a dent; from the sound it seemed hopeless to think there wouldn't be a scrape.  So, imagine my horror when I saw this!  There had been no impact at all!  I must have hit that sign going about two miles an hour, if that.  Imagine a real accident!
I don't want to!

HIGH LEVEL WORK

How many descendants was Abraham promised?

Let's just say that the only appropriate "stars" I could find to help the children recall this quotation, required that I sort through six (for all my fourth graders) boxes of Meijer "Starfish and Friends" crackers.  We DEFINITELY have enough "friends" to give the first graders when they study the apostles (fishers of men). 

SENILITY SETTING IN

 I ran into a shop and when I came out was horrified to see I'd parked in a handicapped spot.  My first thought, was "Oh, my gosh!  What is coming over me?  Am I becoming a danger to myself and others?  How could I be that oblivious???

I had sufficient time to be really dismayed before seeing the "whole picture", as it were.

So far I really like this blog; it encourages me to be more aware of the funny moments and little things around me, as the day goes by.