Christos Anesti!!
Christ Has Risen!
Kala Anastasi - Blessed Easter!

The past couple of weeks have been insane, but this past weekend put the spirituality back into me. Friday night, Lindi, Sarah and I went to Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox church to celebrate Holy Good Friday. For Orthodox Christians, this, in essance, is participating in the funeral of Christ. During the service, the 'Epitaphios', or tomb of Christ, decorated with red and white carnations, is removed from the church and carried around the exterior, with every person following, carrying lit candles. Once the processional returns to the church, the faithful actually walk under the beautiful tomb to re-enter and continue the service.

We then attended services at Holy Trinity Saturday evening. At 11:30 pm, the Ressurection Service begins, highlighted by the extinguishing of every light inside the church, to symbolize the darkness that befell the world upon Christ's "death". Then, from the back of the altar, one single light emerges, the Priest proclaiming "Christos Anesti!" Christ has Risen, and every person's candle is lit from one to another, signifying the Light of Christ being spread from one to another to light the entire Cathedral from within. Both services, steeped in symbolism and beauty, are the highlight of my year, and fill my spiritual cup. More enriching is sharing my culture with Lindi and Sarah, who were troopers, even though Lindi was going on less than 3 hours sleep both nights, then having to work at 6 am on Sunday.

Sarah and I then cooked a HUGE Greek Easter meal for her family, including leg of lamb, greek meatballs, greek chicken, cucumber salad, Tzatiki sauce (cucumber sauce), fresh lamb gravy and feta cheese.... which only took us 5 hours! It was quite the meal, and well received, even by the Irish Germans we were serving it to! And, of course, we saved the lamb bone for my Dad...

This week has been physically hard for me. My feet have really been giving me problems. So much so, that once I put my feet up at the end of the day, it is extremely painful to get them walking again. Yes, I know I should go to the doctor, but I don't think there is anything they can really do. Stick to my diet, and it should resolve itself.

And right now, I am completely exhausted and just want to crawl into bed and ignore the world. I have overextended myself way too much, doing things for everyone else, and I just don't know where I am going right now. So, time for me is the order of the week.

Oh, and Lin, her brother, her father and I are quitting smoking. I am not ready, but I will try for them. Officially today, but I am going to finish the pack I have. Lindi starts at her new McDonalds today, and is happy about it. Wish her luck!