On March 18th, the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, I was blessed to be at my husband's ordination to the priesthood. In one sense, I probably should not have been there because my middle daughter was only experiencing a temporary respite from what turned out to be a croup virus that ended up plaguing not only her, but the other two, and several other children on campus for weeks to come. She seemed to be feeling well enough the morning of the ordination, but by that afternoon, it was clear that she had not been on the mend.
It would have been one of the deepest regrets of my life not to be able to attend my husband's ordination, though, so even though I feel badly that children got sick, I can't say I wish I had stayed home with her. His ordination to the diaconate in May of last year felt really earth-shattering; huge; life-changing. I cried the first time I saw him communed with the clergy. I was a bit more distracted during this ordination - the babe that was 7 months old and unable to crawl yet at the first ordination was now 17 months old and able to run. And run she did - right towards the center of the solea every chance she got (when she wasn't clinging to me and begging to be held). It was as if she knew that was where Papi was headed (even better than he did, as it turns out :)). Distractions aside, this was definitely a momentous occasion: I got a little misty about his serving for a final time as a deacon, and his distributing the Gifts to me took on a new significance. Still, his first Sunday to preside over a liturgy, which followed his ordination by two weeks, felt like a bigger deal. It was then that he began to fulfill his priestly ministry. It was then that the people said to him: " May the Lord God remember your priesthood in his kingdom, always now and ever, and unto ages of ages." I ask you to continue to offer this prayer for him, dear readers.
Things are starting to move forward a bit with our placement in Miami. One of the more exciting aspects of the situation there for me personally is the presence of a classical, Orthodox school, which is being sponsored by the same ministry as the church to which my husband has been assigned. Their website is still under construction, but things are starting to come together. It is such an amazing opportunity that I almost can't believe it's true! The families undertaking this project have taken out a 3-year lease on a property that was formerly a Catholic church and school, on a beautiful lot of several acres. Even though it used to be a parochial school and that is what it will be again when school starts in the fall, the local governments are still requiring the administration to go through some legal hoops and apply for certain exceptions, etc. Things have worked out more smoothly than seemed possible up to this point, however, so we continue to have faith in God's providence.
We are excited about the work that is to be done in Miami, but also overwhelmed at the enormity of it. On one hand, it keeps feeling like I've been preparing my whole life to do just this thing; on the other hand, realistically, I keep thinking, "How can God trust us with this gigantic task when I can't even stay on top of my family's laundry?" I'll be honest and admit, too, that just packing up and moving down there seems like a gargantuan feat at this point, not to even mention the fulfilling of the calling once we arrive.
I read the other day, on the blog of another clergy wife, that energy yields energy. Getting up and expending energy doing things you need to do actually gives you more energy to do those things. I keep repeating this in my head over and over when I feel unmotivated, because I've found it to be true. I think I had best go get me some of that by-product energy right now.
May God grant you a blessed rest of your Holy Week and a bright and glorious Pascha of our Lord!
