(no subject)

Having been doing much updating lately. I know I've missed some wonderful things my children have done or said. But I don't suppose it is possible to keep track of them all. I do always feel bad though, when I don't update for a few days because I know I'm missing things.

Mari and Zoe started Sunday School yesterday. They seemed to enjoy it. Our parish dismisses the children to Sunday School immediately after Communion. Neither of the girls acted in the least disturbed by being left in the classroom while Brad and I returned to the service with Luci. I even hung out outside the door for a few minutes listening to be sure neither of them was going to flip out and I never heard anything. But Zoe told me afterward that she cried a little bit. We went to a "beginning of the Sunday School year" celebration potluck at the church last night, and I talked to their Sunday School teacher, a sweet, grandmotherly type, briefly and asked her about Zoe crying. She said that there was another little boy who got very upset, so his mother stayed and Zoe watched the working out of that solution to the boy's problem, looked at the teacher and said "My mommy's in church." and promptly dissolved into tears. Then she looked down at Zoe who was standing beside me listening to me talk to the teacher, cupped Zoe's chin gently and said "But we worked it out, didn't we Zoe?" Zoe grinned and nodded. I felt such a surge of love in my heart for someone else who will love my children and help me, even if only for a few minutes on Sunday mornings, teach them about God. This is what I have been longing for, praying for, for two years. I'm so grateful that God has led us to this church now and given me the strength to try and get involved. I know the woman would have thought I was crazy, but I wanted to hug her and cry and say "Thank you! I cannot do this all by myself! You are a gift from God!"

(no subject)

Luci is officially wearing a size 3/3T now.

*sob*

Children's prayers

Mari seems to truly enjoy going to church. She is the only one who asks when we are going again, and wants to go with me when I go to Vespers. She seems to enjoy the peace of it and always, always joins me when I am doing prayers at the icon corner, voluntarily.

Luci, today, came running past where I was working as if she were on some kind of mission and when she noticed I was watching her, called over her shoulder "I goin' to pray!" She went to the icon corner, stopped for a brief, respectful moment and then, gazing intently at the icon of Christ, began singing "Jesus loves me".

Zoe, out of nowhere, has most of the Our Father prayer memorized. I've never worked on it specifically or anything. She just suddenly started saying it with me when we pray. A few days ago she even asked what some of the words meant, like "What are trespasses?". After I answered all her questions about it, she really seemed to get it and tonight, as we were praying before bed, she shushed me so she could say it herself. She got stuck a few times and a one or two word prompt put her right back on track.

My childrens' faith often puts me to shame. I often wonder who is teaching whom here. (Did I get that grammatically correct?)