Monthly Archives: April 2022

Christ Is Risen

In 2007 I spent a year living in Glyfada, Greece. Celeste, my friend, and I traveled all around–Germany, Morocco, Egypt, Italy, and London. We never seemed to mind living on our tight budget, eating scrambled eggs and rice as our main staple meals. We went by boat to various Greek islands on the weekend, taking in all of the sights and sounds. I turned 18 on a Ferris wheel on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea as the day turned to night. The year came with magical moments of independence and freedom.

The most memorable part of the adventure was celebrating the Lenten season. The Greeks do it BIG. Lent was kicked off with Fat Tuesday. We feasted over nine NINE bottles of wine, ate lamb until our hearts were content, and broke a stack of white pristine china plates on the living room floor. Maundy Thursday was marked by the washing of feet and the remembrance of Jesus and his disciples. The morning of Good Friday was a gloom I felt in my bones. The city was sleepy and eerie, and women and men dressed in black as they walked the streets only to the tune of mourning bells that chimed from churches.

On Easter morning, I sipped coffee on our flats porch, hearing shouts of praise, laughter, and joy reaming from balconies. The celebration continued with more wine and lamb throughout the day. We walked the streets with candles in hand into the night, shouting Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti. Christ is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!

Yesterday, I sipped my coffee while feeding Amos with the most beautiful view of green mossy trees and tulips blooming outside. Don’t be fooled; this serenity was ONLY possible because my inlaws had Si and Hank at the hotel with them:) I am usually a human jungle gym in the mornings with all three boys on my lap hooked to a pump, feeding the baby and reading a book to the boys. At church, we celebrated with coffee and donuts, new salvation, and baptisms. We had a quick picnic in the park for lunch, and Mimi hid some eggs in our backyard for the boys. It was a beautiful celebration of our Risen King.

As I mentioned earlier, the latter part of our stay at Randalls was the most challenging. After 24 days, we were told we could go home. It felt like Christmas morning. I excitedly woke up that Wednesday morning darted to Euko (the coffee shop we went to while in the hospital) and told the barista today was the day we got to bring Amos home. Our room was busy with appointment after appointment and so much information before we could go home. One of my favorite moments of the day was putting clothes on Amos for the first time and unhooking his two final wires to place him into his car seat. Freedom! We went home, and Tyler fetched the boys from spring break camp to come home and meet their brother for the first time. Hank and Si were adorable and fell in love with their brother from the get-go. That night we toasted with friends celebrating and welcoming him into our home. It was a day I will always treasure. A few days after being home our friend Alyssa snapped these photos. I am forever grateful to capture this insane season.