tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4673794602343855482024-03-12T20:32:20.722-04:00Orthodox EpsilonsOrthodox: Orthodox Christian
Epsilon: a small positive quantitymagdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-21257780750034862832015-11-23T09:11:00.001-05:002015-11-23T09:11:51.323-05:00Of sermons and childrenThere are perils involved with giving a children's sermon. Most of the time, there is nothing out of the ordinary. And then there are moments like yesterday's.<br />
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I was talking about memorizing things - the Creed, prayers, and scripture - in particular psalms. I mentioned the canon which says that bishops should know the psalms by heart. This followed:<br />
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Me: "I am not close to knowing all the psalms by heart, so I am not in danger of becoming a bishop. Besides, that would also require sending my wife to a monastery and I don't think either of us is quite ready for that."<br />
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Lucia, from right in front of me: "I am."<br />
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The end.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-26728333950373046792015-11-08T00:01:00.003-05:002015-11-08T00:01:40.971-05:00OrchestraTonight was the first orchestra experience in an indoor setting for our two oldest. I was fairly sure Teddy would be okay, whether or not he liked the music (and he was okay behavior-wise, though he was, perhaps due to general sleepiness, rather nonplussed about the event). I was a bit worried about Lucia, being only four and sitting through a full concert. Turns out I needn't have worried.<br />
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She started out a bit hesitant and she did spend a good chunk of the concert with hands by her ears, being worried about the loud ("big") parts. But as soon as the first half ended, she clapped with all the enthusiasm she could muster. She was a bit more restless during the second half, and the concert ended with both her and Teddy on my lap (thank goodness they're small). Still, the walk back to the car was an almost uninterrupted whirlwind about "the singers," and the "big girl with the violin," and "why did they stop," and wanting to sing with them, and liking the small (i.e. quiet) parts, and when will she be big, and "when will the singers come back?"<br />
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It might be worth mentioning that the walk took seven minutes with her in my arms on the way there. It took about fifteen on the way back and I'm not sure she even quite realized that she had forgotten to ask to be picked up.<br />
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Score one for classical music and one for a charmingly-elated little girl.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-84983699680556174452014-05-17T13:48:00.002-04:002014-05-17T13:48:34.601-04:00Holy Week RepriseHoly Week was a lot for the children. We made it to 17 services of the 19 (including those of the previous Saturday and Sunday). Teddy always gets excited about the service of the Twelve Gospels on Holy Thursday evening, but is usually too tired to participate by holding a candle.<br />
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This afternoon, Timmo found the Holy Week books that we haven't put away, and brought me one, happily saying, "Book!?" Then Lucia got the other one, and they were paging through, asking me to join them on "Amen" and singing to each other, "Holy God, Holy Mighty!"<br />
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After Timmo went up for a nap, Teddy investigated the books and found "The Service of the Twelve Gospels!!" Then he asked me to sing the Alleluias, and he chanted the verses. Then he started in on the first gospel pericope. He read aloud for quite a while, with Lucia copying some of his words like a defective microphone (just a few, quietly, here and there). Then he chanted as if to end, and blessed Daddy with the book. Daddy, however, teased him, saying, "Hey, you're cheating. That's not the end!" Teddy looked a little tired, so I told him he could stop now or keep going as he liked. So he kept going.<br />
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I had to leave at this line, though, coming from my chatterbox five-year-old: "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now."<br />
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(Before I left, he only had "five more pages" to go of that first gospel reading...)magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-15568036963731984122013-10-09T17:08:00.000-04:002013-10-09T17:08:32.773-04:00Vocabulary: I Corinthians 4:9-16For some reason, I thought it would be an excellent idea to have TG read the epistle of the day, review the vocabulary he didn't know, and reread the epistle with the new vocabulary. Well, the epistles have <i>lots </i>of words a five-year-old doesn't know, and they can be complicated, abstract terms. So there's a lot of jumping around and looking things up and thinking on the parent's part to squiggle these words around so TG can get a hold of them. For instance, I got out the pan and the scouring pad for the word "off-scouring."<br />
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<b>revile</b>: say bad things to or about somebody<br />
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After reviewing the definition a few times, I asked if he could <i>revile</i> me. TG looked a little wary, like this was some sort of trap. I said, "Can you say a bad thing about me?" He said, "No!" Surprised, I said, "Why not?" TG: "Because I'm nice!" Okay. Point taken.<br />
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<b>defame</b>: damage the good reputation (of somebody)<br />
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I asked who had a good reputation at church, and he said, "Daddy," so I said, "What if somebody went around saying that Daddy had hit Mommy? That would be <i>defaming</i> Daddy's reputation." TG, not quite getting it yet, said, "After Daddy hits you, I will say: Daddy, you're defaming Mommy!"<br />
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My forehead is starting to hurt, but we're getting there. And at least the bottom of the frying pan is cleaner.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-76992723343980027972013-08-08T00:57:00.000-04:002013-08-08T00:57:14.083-04:00Cedar Rapids, we have a chanterAt tonight's paraklesis service, we had a bit of a surprise. There were four adults and one mischievous, bright-eyed, and surprisingly bold little boy around the chant stand. We got to "God is the Lord," chanted the first two verses and refrains and, as we were getting ready for the third verse, an unexpected voice pipes up with "This has been <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">d</span>one... by the Lor<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">d</span>, an<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">d</span>... it is won<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">d</span>erful in our eyes." Two small breaks to make sure he read everything correctly, intoned on pitch, with a proper ending phrase. I just about could not chant the refrain because I was trying not to laugh. This comes after about a week ago he began chanting the apolytikion for St. Mary Magdalene by making sure he got the tone right: "Di, Vou, Ga, Di." <br />
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The little boy is growing up. And he is paying attention. Somehow. In the middle of all that running, wiggling, jumping, laughing, whining, thumping, and general causing of havoc.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-35750532776434136732013-01-29T17:08:00.000-05:002013-01-29T17:08:14.929-05:00What has he been eating?<span dir="ltr" id=":vo">Me: Teddy, why are you squealing?<br />T: Because there's a siren inside?</span>Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-1531196962932579212012-12-27T12:49:00.002-05:002012-12-27T12:49:36.734-05:00Solo church adventuresSo, I have a twenty-month-old daughter. And now, a two-day-old son. (The four-year-old overactive wannabe altar boy will be discussed at a different time). Back to the daughter who, now that her mother is not coming to church for forty days, does not have a designated chaperone. Several parishioners have lovingly volunteered to help, but they may not be able to make weekday services. On such occasions, Lucia would be on her own (or, as a parishioner likes to say, not tethered).<br />
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Well, today was one of those days. I took the older two with me when I went to get ready for service. While I was getting things ready, I spent as much time as I could with Lucia, but then the service started. She went and sat on the first pew. And sat there through Orthros and Liturgy. By herself. And mostly paid attention. Did I mention that she is twenty months old?<br />
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In Orthros she spent some time leafing through the Liturgy book (quite carefully). In Liturgy, well, she spent a lot of time just paying attention. How do I know? Because when I turned out to give the peace, she looked at me and moved her left hand as if she were blessing. When I said "Let us lift up our hearts," she lifted up her hands like I had done. And when it came time for communion, she came down by herself and waited patiently to be the third (of four) to receive, and then went back to her spot in the first pew.<br />
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All I can say is glory to God and I am very grateful for this little girl.<br />
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<br />Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-24867074190164106412012-09-17T11:43:00.002-04:002012-09-17T11:43:54.418-04:00Teddy QuotationsFollowing the service on Sunday, the organ started playing. Teddy looked at me and asked, "is it time to get married?"<br />
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This morning, missing his cousin B, he asked, "Why do they [his cousins] have to go to school to be smart?" I responded that he would need to learn things, too. He looked at me patiently and explained, "I'm <i>already</i> smart."<br />
<br />magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-84343635252487559252012-05-11T17:07:00.001-04:002012-05-11T17:09:45.671-04:00I like his logicMe: Teddy, why did you not write that 'e' at the end?<br />
Teddy: Because it's silent.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-85540136599062503692012-05-10T21:58:00.000-04:002012-05-10T21:58:32.355-04:00Point-up-pointAt Teddy's and my Irish dance class, one of the warm-up exercises is called "point-up-point." (You point your toe, bend your knee until your toe is at your opposite hip, then point again, while hopping on the other foot, in time to the music.) Lucia has been quite interested in everything that goes on at dance class, loving to watch the dancers and listen to the music. This week, however, she tried dancing herself. The funny part was, she can't actually <i>do</i> the dance, since, at the age of one, she's just mastered standing up. So her hands were on the floor, and her right leg (and then later, her left leg) was flailing away in a not-too-bad attempt at point-up-point with the rest of the class.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-70994952544208842072012-05-02T19:29:00.001-04:002012-05-02T19:29:42.078-04:00Growing UpMommy: "Teddy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"<br />
Teddy: "Daddy. And when I get little, I will be Lucia."<br />
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Fair enough.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-75150937568436622202012-04-14T20:19:00.001-04:002012-04-14T20:19:47.908-04:00Baking with Daddy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Part of making <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozonac">cozonaci</a> is letting it rise. Or, as Teddy says, "We have to let it rise and shine!" (There's a children's song which goes, "Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory!" ... and, well, I guess he's got the hang of baking for Pascha.)</span>
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<br />magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-62897563911130355212012-04-14T20:06:00.002-04:002012-04-14T20:07:52.538-04:00Holy Week birthday<br />
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This Holy Week, of course, has included Lucia's birthday. I already showed <a href="http://magdalini.blogspot.com/2012/04/holy-thursday-morning-box-and-honey-of.html">a picture of the cake</a>, but there were also some little birds my mother sent, and a beautiful dress from a parishioner.</div>
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Who needs birds? She'll take the camera, thanks.</div>
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And <i>someone </i>needed to test-ride brother's "Easter basket." (The improvised awning was a test for taking the wagon to the pool, with the pool noodles.)</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-1718988534825164872012-03-31T09:51:00.002-04:002012-03-31T15:44:44.135-04:00Runaway Prayer TrainSo last night was frustrating, and I kept trying to think of what to say to someone who told me that my children were "distracting to the old timers." In my fuming, I thought about the translation, "Suffer the little children to come to Me" (and telling the person: "Suffer") and what that word was in Greek.<br />
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So my husband says that the word in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2019:14&version=TR1550">Matthew 19:14</a> was the same as used in the Lord's prayer. When I brought up the <a href="http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/prayercard.pdf">bilingual Lord's prayer</a>, Teddy comes up and says, "That's <i>mostly</i> the Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name..." I whispered to my husband, "Mostly!"<br />
<br />
Teddy nodded and continued, "It's <i>mostly</i> like: Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth..." and didn't stop until he'd paced us through the <i>entire </i><a href="http://orthodoxwiki.org/Trisagion#Trisagion_Prayer">trisagion prayers</a>.<br />
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I think this is the best come-back I can offer, and I'm glad I keep my children in church, even if other people have to look at them and hear them. (Gasp.) Just wish I could keep my mouth shut and my mind focused on the service.<br />
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(For the record, my children were actually pretty well-behaved through the entire service, and I didn't say that to the person.)magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-38562700462510471982012-03-23T21:01:00.001-04:002012-03-23T21:02:01.901-04:00Yes Ma'am, Part 2So now that <a href="http://magdalini.blogspot.com/2012/01/yes-maam.html">we've taught Teddy</a> to say, "Yes, ma'am" and "Yes, sir" when answering us, Lucia echoes, "Mum-um-um" ... even if Teddy doesn't say it, but when he should! (Doesn't seem to matter whether it's "sir" or "ma'am"; she still says, "Mum-um-um.")magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-15489518310692887172011-10-04T21:57:00.001-04:002011-10-05T16:13:51.285-04:00ThreeI'm so glad Teddy is no longer two. The melting, the whining, the yell-crying... they are mostly starting to recede, and we're getting a somewhat familiar little boy who can do all kinds of astonishing things.<br />
<br />
He can run and jump and stand on one leg.<br />
He can say the Lord's Prayer and sing responses in church without prompting.<br />
He can make the sign of the Cross without prompting.<br />
He helps with the laundry and the dishes.<br />
He asks for permission before leaving the table.<br />
He makes his sister laugh on purpose.<br />
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He knows the alphabet, the long vowel sounds, and the short vowel sounds.<br />
He can sing on pitch. In fact, he can sing all the time. Did you know that the alphabet song, "Baa baa, black sheep," and "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" <i>all</i> use the same melody?<br />
He can hold his ukulele properly and strum and sing along. (The two don't necessarily have anything to do with each other yet, but it's still pretty darn cute, especially when he sings to his sister.)<br />
He pretends to be Raffi, and encourages us, using his "microphone," to sing with him.<br />
He can count at least up through 20 on his own without getting confused; he can even count backwards (although this includes "zero" and "go!" and a race: <i>obviously </i>necessary).<br />
He can write his name.<br />
He just loves numbers and letters.<br />
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<br />
He can dress himself, including socks (if they're not too long) and shoes (without laces: with laces are hard to find these days).<br />
He's getting more consistent about using the potty ... unless he's preoccupied with something more interesting, but he can clean up his messes with a little prompting.<br />
He can put blocks together to make shapes.<br />
<br />
He can do real puzzles (real big puzzles) all by himself. He can even (easily) do the camel puzzle (which gives Mommy trouble; those pieces do not cooperate).<br />
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He knows when it's time for bed.<br />
He can match pictures, especially in the middle of a book when he sees the same picture inside as what's on the cover.<br />
He can put his toys and clothes away.<br />
He can buckle himself into his own car seat.<br />
He can (usually) close the car door after he gets out.<br />
He can pause and restart a DVD using the remote control.<br />
He can pretend, and tell us about it.<br />
He's interested in reading (even if it's not necessarily the words on the page when he reads by himself).<br />
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He's just started to learn Irish dancing, and is showing quite a bit of grit, getting through his frustration at not already knowing how to do things. (It <i>is</i> hard to figure out right-and-left in English, although he's got it down cold in Romanian... if only Mommy could remember which is which in Romanian when we're facing each other).<br />
He <i>loves</i> the Hokey-Pokey.<br />
He can throw or kick a ball.<br />
Of course, he can swim, but now he can retrieve one or two items and swim back to his start.<br />
When he wakes up thirsty at night, he can get his own milk out of the fridge, drink it, and put himself back to bed. Sometimes he even turns off the light again.<br />
He can say: Please; no, thank you; yes, ma'am; no, sir; you're welcome. (These are used rather effectively, because he does them so well.)<br />
He can brush his teeth by himself.<br />
He can climb a tree (a little ways; it's a little tree).<br />
He can put away the flatware in the right places.<br />
He can almost color in the lines (mostly red, mostly Lightning McQueen).<br />
<br />
I do wish, however, that the phase of insisting that everyone in the family be a character from <i>Cars</i> (the movie) be over soon: Daddy is Doc, Mommy is Mac (I <i>did</i> carry him), Teddy, of course, is Lightning McQueen, and Lucia is Mater (at Mommy's suggestion, because if she has to be Mac, then Lucia wasn't going to be left out, and who else should she be other than Lightning's best friend?). It's pretty cute when he tells her he's going into the cactus. I have to help her pull him out, and then he says, "Thank you!"<br />
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He really is getting to be someone who is fun to have around. Thank you, God, for your ready gift.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-77570695400469533222011-10-03T13:01:00.003-04:002011-10-05T16:13:31.439-04:00Thank you, Raffi<br />
<i>Teddy: </i>Baa baa, brown cow, have you any milk for me? Yes, sir. Yes, sir, three bags full. One for my master, one for my dame, one for the little boy who walks down the dame.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
<i>Teddy: </i>Cluck cluck, red hen, have you any eggs for me? Yes, sir. Yes, sir, three bags full.<br />
<br />
<i>Daddy: </i>Cluck cluck, red hen, have you any eggs? Yes, sir. Yes sir, as many as your...<br />
<br />
<i>Teddy: </i>Lunch.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">***</span></i></div>
<br />
<i>Teddy: </i>Cluck cluck, red hen, have you any eggs for me?<br />
<br />
<i>Daddy:</i> Yes, sir...<br />
<br />
<i>Mommy:</i> Yes, sir...<br />
<br />
<i>Teddy: </i>As many eggs for me.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-22807375903277426872011-09-30T19:17:00.002-04:002011-09-30T19:21:16.042-04:00God's WaterWe're working with Teddy on asking permission. We practice most often on food and drink. He must ask and receive permission before eating something we have or drinking what we have.<br /><br />Usually, he wants my water:<br />"Mommy, may I please have your water?"<br />"Yes, you may."<br />"Thank you!"<br />"You're welcome!"<br /><br />But today he didn't see that I had poured the water. (I'd gone to nurse his sister in the nursery.) So Daddy overheard this:<br /><br />"This is God's water.<br />"God, may I please have your water?<br />"Okay! Thank you!"<br /><br />It's cute, right? But shouldn't that be my prayer for anything crossing my lips? It's all God's water. It's all God's everything. And thank God that Teddy shows me in between times of being maddening.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-15330754621626417612011-09-23T11:48:00.003-04:002011-09-23T12:00:35.935-04:00Geography LessonI pointed out some things on the floor of Teddy's room, and he dutifully trooped around, answering what they were and putting them away. The last item was the letters bag from <a href="prayingwithmyfeet.blogspot.com/">Matushka Anna</a>. He asked where it was from (meaning who gave it to him), and I told him. Then he asked, "Where's Matushka Anna?" I told him the name of the state.<br /><br />Then I got out the globe. (Who doesn't love a globe?) We looked at where we live and where Mat. Anna lives. I pointed out Texas: "Who lives here?" And he knew: his grandmother! I pointed out Georgia: "Who lives here?" And he knew: his aunt! I pointed out Minnesota: "Who lives here?" And he knew: his (other) aunt! Then we talked about where his godfather now lives (who recently moved to the same state we're in from the snowy north). I reviewed the continents, and he seemed to be bored, so we went and had a snack.<br /><br />Later in the morning, I got out the road atlas to see the United States a little bigger. We opened to Florida and talked about the people we knew who live in other towns, and I pointed those out. When we paused, Teddy looked thoughtful, obviously trying to think of another person. Then he asked: "Where's John the Baptist?" So we got out the Bible and looked at the maps in the back. Then he asked, "Where are the saints?" There are icons in the Orthodox Study Bible, so I turned to one of them, and he said, "Oh, I need to kiss them!" and proceeded to do so.<br /><br />I think I'm doing okay on the teaching thing, even without a plan. I mean, he's not even three yet. Most of the things he doesn't seem interested in while I'm explaining them (or at least that's how I interpret certain little-boy wiggliness), but he obviously remembers where family members live from previous sessions with the globe.magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-17067937849847392492011-05-09T19:35:00.002-04:002011-05-09T19:38:57.286-04:00May 9, 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnzSzXdjIBHo7mm__K2vKcJDo40mL6W4F3xdpWRkH-ERZV8nGl1NoMDUO_jI9uSc-B6JY1YBOpPbK1ef5TwdUC1J7tZ0ggWg9T4eRP2ob2DCMYoiKbs_EpPwRkIxvMkIX7hBLH3PolGY/s1600/DSC05580.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnzSzXdjIBHo7mm__K2vKcJDo40mL6W4F3xdpWRkH-ERZV8nGl1NoMDUO_jI9uSc-B6JY1YBOpPbK1ef5TwdUC1J7tZ0ggWg9T4eRP2ob2DCMYoiKbs_EpPwRkIxvMkIX7hBLH3PolGY/s320/DSC05580.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604864454794240818" /></a>We put together a bookcase to serve as a dedicated icon corner with more accessible icons. It's hard to find wall space on an east wall in our house. Teddy helped hand us screws and even turned the screwdriver a couple of times.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezD4PPBfxs25-ic5yK9Y75Cs6ZZSDdNKi3FuSQcxNt7PASRTD2yIob07kzkkLIDLX1Vgrg90-cEu90rvmXnL3FhZ_S-mX9V402vf8WHodlS8fDmMUYdAk64cjiECxm5mJh9MOdeQ_7sI/s1600/DSC05578.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezD4PPBfxs25-ic5yK9Y75Cs6ZZSDdNKi3FuSQcxNt7PASRTD2yIob07kzkkLIDLX1Vgrg90-cEu90rvmXnL3FhZ_S-mX9V402vf8WHodlS8fDmMUYdAk64cjiECxm5mJh9MOdeQ_7sI/s320/DSC05578.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604864449548450882" /></a>Teddy put the "Rory" doll next to Lucia, saying, "It's Lucia's turn!"magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-67542078091251244892011-04-21T19:04:00.005-04:002011-04-21T20:46:43.348-04:00Lucia Catherine<center>Rejoice with us!<br /><br />Lucia Catherine was born on April 12, weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces, and measuring 20 inches long.</center><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfzC_xULSQQzHom4v_6R5X3esZBHzcA9OqKXfduLMmMfmrm-73rGh2Z640XQWPDdag8RU9YZGU3bd5sSnUv0YrcpbpB8D6O0nmRIGjVFurk6yznIGge_M_m20JV0QeUvKlKKT97OVSqg/s1600/DSC05477.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfzC_xULSQQzHom4v_6R5X3esZBHzcA9OqKXfduLMmMfmrm-73rGh2Z640XQWPDdag8RU9YZGU3bd5sSnUv0YrcpbpB8D6O0nmRIGjVFurk6yznIGge_M_m20JV0QeUvKlKKT97OVSqg/s320/DSC05477.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598177841765798786" /></a>Our daughter's birth was much easier than <a href="http://orthodoxepsilons.blogspot.com/2008/09/happy-birthday.html">big brother's</a>. She came one day early so as to be born on Daddy's day off. She only took two hours and two minutes of labor. Also, she was born at home, just half an hour after the midwife came. (The student midwife was literally coming in the door as Lucia was born.) Again, all natural and no tearing. Glory to God!<br /><br />Teddy is intrigued by his little sister, but we are still working on defining "gentle."<br /><br />She is named for both her grandmothers (who were both named after <i>their</i> mothers), with the first name using the Romanian pronunciation, similar to the Italian, but with the emphasis on the first syllable: "LOO-chee-ah."<br /><br />I only realized today that her name means "Pure light." It is hard to be at home throughout Holy Week. Sometimes Teddy goes to church with his father (but not for all the services), and we who stay at home are fortunate to virtually visit <a href="http://www.stnektarios.org/">St. Nektarios</a> and hear Fr. Seraphim (Dedes) and his excellent choirs singing the Holy Week services. Lucia seems to relax when she hears the chanting, and I know it makes me feel calm, especially when Teddy delights me by participating in little bits of the service.<br /><br />When I see her, I can't help but think of two little ones who now dwell with the angels: <a href="http://prayingwithmyfeet.blogspot.com/2011/04/innocents-burial.html">Innocent</a> and <a href="http://luciachildofthelight.blogspot.com/2011/03/gift.html">Lucia</a>, pray for us. "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward" (John 13:36).magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-47102808689527286922011-02-28T23:14:00.004-05:002011-02-28T23:18:07.008-05:00Sunday SnippetsDriving to church:<br />"Look, Teddy, there are cows."<br />"They are eating. They are hungry. They're supposed to sit!" (Well, <i>he</i> is.)<br /><br /><center>***</center><br />Teddy, after being censed at the Doxology, started strumming his invisible guitar. I leaned in to hear what he was whispering: "When the Spirit says, 'sing,' sing..."<br /><br /><center>***</center><br />Fr. Peter came out of the Royal Gates bearing the consecrated Gifts: "With the fear of God, with faith and love, draw near!"<br />"Communion!" Teddy waved both hands in the air. "Communion! Yay! Communion!"magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-6829811495558447082011-01-25T09:21:00.002-05:002011-01-25T09:32:24.730-05:00Adventures in... nudity?Yesterday, as I was at the office, my wife sent me a message. It said something along the lines of "Your son did not take a nap today. Eventually, I told him he could come out. He said, 'It's cold outside. It's cold outside. Naked!'" She went in and, sure enough, he was wrapped in his blanket with no clothes on.<br /><br />Fast forward to the evening. We put Teddy to bed and, as usual, late in the evening, Magda went to look at him. I was about ready to go to sleep, but she came, pulled me out of bed and said, "You have to go see your son." He was fast asleep. And naked. We put his clothes back on and went to sleep ourselves.<br /><br />Fast forward to about 3am. Teddy must have had some sort of a nightmare, because he woke up and started crying. I went to see what was wrong. He was, you guessed it, naked. I comforted him a bit, put his clothes back on him, and got him to relax and go to sleep again. About forty minutes later, there's another cry. I go to see what is going on and Teddy is standing in the hallway with only his shirt on. My first reaction was to get a bit upset, since I had told him not to take his clothes off. Then I noticed that the diaper and pants were in the bathroom. Sure enough, he had picked 3:45 in the morning to work on potty training himself. The diaper was dry, the potty was full.<br /><br />What can I say? That's my son.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-23723114375174704532011-01-07T19:58:00.002-05:002011-01-07T20:22:57.197-05:00The bishop and the PKLast year, we adopted a family motto: "It seemed like a good idea at the time." In keeping with this motto, presvytera and Teddy are almost everywhere there is a church-related activity. This means that Wednesday they were in church for the vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil and the great blessing of the waters. Then, they were at the archbishop's luncheon in Clearwater. Then, they were at the trisagion for Fr. George Pappas in Fr. Myers. Except for the liturgy, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta was also everywhere we were.<br /><br />Thursday, they were in Tarpon Springs for the Theophany celebration (all five hours of it), then they were in Tampa for hierarchical vespers at the church of St. John the Baptist. Metropolitan Alexios was also in both places.<br /><br />Today, they were at St. John again, as was Metropolitan Alexios. So, in addition to having seen him a few times previously, Teddy got to be around His Eminence quite a bit over the last few days. This is important because, at the end of the service today, Teddy and I were walking around the grounds at St. John as Metropolitan Alexios was coming out of the community center there. We exchanged a few words, then he and Teddy had a little conversation, after which His Eminence extended his hand to Teddy and said, "Let's go." Teddy grabbed a finger and they started walking (and, as I was to find out later, chatting). <br /><br />I got ready to follow, but Metropolitan Alexios was curious about something. He said, "Wait here, let's see what happens." I have to admit that, by this point, I was curious, too. They walked through the parking lot... They got out of the parking lot... They turned the corner... and kept walking. The bishop and the PK were having a grand old time and, for my part, I think I will enjoy for a long time the memory of Teddy just walking along with Metropolitan Alexios, holding on to his index finger and pointing out cars and colors.Virgil Petrisorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-467379460234385548.post-82563499830974232822010-07-31T08:37:00.003-04:002010-07-31T08:50:08.665-04:00At the Neighborhood Pool<center><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKTdC8q54avP1wDsxkTMAOAVbyGYo2AAy4P5Aod4_G-mYh5OsWMyN0yFYJX5jJEUqEoH4kyzCdONVvawV_VxUAvkI_1KJso2IwyYlj4d4c35zKucnu-bDw9bh7t_stMT5lqgSpe9a4bY/s1600/DSC04414.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKTdC8q54avP1wDsxkTMAOAVbyGYo2AAy4P5Aod4_G-mYh5OsWMyN0yFYJX5jJEUqEoH4kyzCdONVvawV_VxUAvkI_1KJso2IwyYlj4d4c35zKucnu-bDw9bh7t_stMT5lqgSpe9a4bY/s320/DSC04414.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049615499343506" /></a>Teddy will usually swim to a parent, but the steps are lots of fun to play on.<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3zgiYCnTh9vygg0D9j8ERk7xng_L7A0o9qqaJcI0V5u761l86-7QK0ttcPckUuwNlKqeJMo9qVQOp1jaQyERwO3q3XT84ASM0se27gWL_zFFgtFcx0KlqD5QAumtzgcRPstIWIl1_Qs/s1600/DSC04437.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3zgiYCnTh9vygg0D9j8ERk7xng_L7A0o9qqaJcI0V5u761l86-7QK0ttcPckUuwNlKqeJMo9qVQOp1jaQyERwO3q3XT84ASM0se27gWL_zFFgtFcx0KlqD5QAumtzgcRPstIWIl1_Qs/s320/DSC04437.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049620492232178" /></a>So sometimes we have to go and get him! (And eat him up.)<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFKk6HspGS5Ad6Fo-OU8zNmjPzEEhVH579YJoObM847twHNeimRp-cqM3T4nhDHD3fwow1LxeRJ29xl1VxplbqWw1udLkWhY8I1NZ-XW2r7Jr1SU5310xzytrl8ZVps0DQVONoG0LU4g/s1600/DSC04451.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFKk6HspGS5Ad6Fo-OU8zNmjPzEEhVH579YJoObM847twHNeimRp-cqM3T4nhDHD3fwow1LxeRJ29xl1VxplbqWw1udLkWhY8I1NZ-XW2r7Jr1SU5310xzytrl8ZVps0DQVONoG0LU4g/s320/DSC04451.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049631395706498" /></a>Mama likes Teddy to try different water toys to see what he does with them. In this circle, he can spin around and around!<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P5gI7vc7Tij5nZ9frn8hMttQiAtFtx45SpO40yCl1J3vsGMFnZq6arYv2a_9ChyphenhyphenN9HwP9JibsyOhvvlCbfoNqrh_497scP19dPGgBjxeY5AcOkhRaSIEDtcfDV3jXXVwHX6O-K4N5Qs/s1600/DSC04485.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-P5gI7vc7Tij5nZ9frn8hMttQiAtFtx45SpO40yCl1J3vsGMFnZq6arYv2a_9ChyphenhyphenN9HwP9JibsyOhvvlCbfoNqrh_497scP19dPGgBjxeY5AcOkhRaSIEDtcfDV3jXXVwHX6O-K4N5Qs/s320/DSC04485.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049636898578818" /></a>Dada tells Teddy how long he'll stay on his back (count of five or count of eight, usually), and also tells him not to kick.<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FNLZb0hDkPcdY5Hsq6PnJjNxKVGFYx4Ms5MNSZtv3-GJejE6jkWLx_s3DsaCGBV3rhRg8O5UX4wWXnRtlj2ohTvpJ3_2nJgbk6MZUmPmaE8IHE3NdxmF8f0zWkHulOC4NRtdc8YoAyg/s1600/DSC04490.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FNLZb0hDkPcdY5Hsq6PnJjNxKVGFYx4Ms5MNSZtv3-GJejE6jkWLx_s3DsaCGBV3rhRg8O5UX4wWXnRtlj2ohTvpJ3_2nJgbk6MZUmPmaE8IHE3NdxmF8f0zWkHulOC4NRtdc8YoAyg/s320/DSC04490.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049641189197042" /></a>Then Dada lets go!<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY824-tqBNLNZGGOrPGx9GkELJ6YBCll_HtFjwCjJAmA5hkyiDVZ1n6CvatfpHDNfqToCAZjnv84ZVmmtfXUOcEnrfo8GrJCF24ET0DKYmWj61FVlpEaX0jhkAPbJxvX2ei83dppNyiUE/s1600/DSC04491.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY824-tqBNLNZGGOrPGx9GkELJ6YBCll_HtFjwCjJAmA5hkyiDVZ1n6CvatfpHDNfqToCAZjnv84ZVmmtfXUOcEnrfo8GrJCF24ET0DKYmWj61FVlpEaX0jhkAPbJxvX2ei83dppNyiUE/s320/DSC04491.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049919559756946" /></a>The tricky part with teaching Teddy to float is that he can already swim.<br><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy75hGHBxLpdQMH-lmJHkh30-hcHfc5fmDx5sWLO0ECCiec2Jx3O8hSYladkLoe9DZYklCjGzWyj1CStyr1c-qtj7uU5819wlYJ-TfHBDtGa_7XjwDXy1ZayuNu1f-zJOpl168v2rJFao/s1600/DSC04502.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy75hGHBxLpdQMH-lmJHkh30-hcHfc5fmDx5sWLO0ECCiec2Jx3O8hSYladkLoe9DZYklCjGzWyj1CStyr1c-qtj7uU5819wlYJ-TfHBDtGa_7XjwDXy1ZayuNu1f-zJOpl168v2rJFao/s320/DSC04502.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500049920789264674" /></a>Our little fishy loves swimming with Dada!</center>(These pictures pre-date the two previous posts.)magdahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07869042484263319553noreply@blogger.com0