Busy

I can't even begin to tell you how busy we've been these last two weeks.

Last Thursday I started helping to lay down hard wood floor in our parish hall. We finished that on Tuesday and my cousin finished it this Wednesday.  It's been a lot of fun and hubby took this week off so he's been a big help with the kids, but not much school has gotten done.

Chicks started hatching last Thursday thru Sunday. Hubby's project with the kids, they hatched around 160 and sold most of the "extras". We're keeping about 35. The roosters will be our meat chickens this year and the hens we'll keep to lay.

Last Thursday my husband and friend headed to Anchorage to pick up our temporary priest who's from California. Married with a 1-yr-old girl. We were so happy to have a priest for all of the services that are called for during Holy Week and Pascha. Little did we realize that this priest was my husband's long lost (Arab) twin. Last Friday began our 2 church services per day ('till Pascha) schedule, so that's in addition to everything else.

My husband picked up his bee hive on Saturday and will get bees in it this coming Saturday.

Sunday was Palm Sunday one of my favorite feasts of the year. Church was full, Hubby helped baptize another Godson, salmon was awesome and the company was amazing! I even got to wear my new "June Cleaver" dress. When I ran over to my sisters real quick that afternoon I got the van stuck in the mud, argh! So I got out in my nice dress and put on my work gloves and proceeded to gather boards to put under the tires. My brother-in-law finally had to push me out with his 4wheeler. The sun was still shining so it was ok.

Our brown Nubian, finally had her babies (three!) last night during cowboy night. I'd started writing a blog post when he said, "Jane! Now!" and ran out to the garage. I followed and heard her scream. When I got there he was holding a long gooey goat kid by the back legs and there was another on the ground. We called our goat "midwife" and she told me to have him pull up on her belly in case there were any more and there was. It came out backwards and my daughter tickled it's nose with some straw to make it sneeze. They are all beautiful Nubian boys (bummer no girls) but cute none-the-less. They have great lineage so they maybe good heard sires, or, someones dinner (I don't think ours).

Thursday our Bishop came to our parish for our morning and evening service. He met with the parish council while I took my 5-yr-old to town and we got hair cuts and delivered some chicks to a customer.

Today (Holy Friday) I should be making some rolls for tomorrow's fruit and bread feast after liturgy, but I decided to fill you all in on this crazy time.

Tomorrow Hubby is going to pick up his bees and hopefully more eggs to hatch out...the last batch flew out of here since our local hatchery just closed their doors.

Looking forward to tomorrow as Holy Friday is just always a hard day. Much emotion and frustration with friends this year. Each year there is a new test and that's our struggle at this moment. I know that by tomorrow and Sunday that will be gone and we will be enjoying each other's company once again.

Country Jane, anticipating Christ's Resurrection

Chief among sinners? nah...

Growing up I remember saying these words that I was the chief among sinners...and I never believed it.

I remember thinking that I should believe it, that someday I might believe it, maybe if I did something really bad...then I'd believe it. But I just didn't really believe it.

I realized tonight I still don't but I'm starting to understand why.

I see the world and myself through my own twisted viewpoint. I don't see all of my sins. When my husband tells me what they are I think of a reason to justify them. We go round and round and I refuse to see. My mind is made up, I can do no wrong. Then, when/if I see it I won't acknowledge it, I won't give him the satisfaction of saying, "your right, I'm sorry." Boy oh boy, I would not want to be married to me.

My head has been in a bad place today. Clean week will do that to a person...ha! to ME. No, let me try again. I act like a bitch in my head and to my family because I want to be miserable and them with me. That's better, well you know what I mean. It's not better, but more truthful.

There are many things going on right now in life that are getting me down, that's normal (especially in Lent). The way I respond to it all, however, is a test. How will I do? I guess that part is up to me.

Country Jane, Chief among sinners