Advent always seems to be a particularly busy season. This is easy to explain: it’s the busiest time of year for my shop, we’re beginning preparations for Christmas, there is a lot of hand-made work going on by multiple family members which requires my help, and we’re still doing schoolwork, of course. This year we’ve also been working at breakneck speed to prepare our new church and hall so we can move in ASAP. This week, God willing and we pass the final county inspection, we will be physically moving in and hold our first Liturgy there next Sunday. (There was also that little matter of me being out of state for a few days right at the beginning of Advent.) It has been, and is being, a whirlwind.

Our little Advent traditions are continuing. The little ones are loving our evening routine of lighting the candles, reading the story, hanging the ornament, and blowing out the candles. I also let them put some star stickers on the tree for good behavior like sharing, etc. I don’t keep a strict accounting; I just remind them of such moments at that time. This has made Moppet more conscious of her actions.

In the shop I’m primarily making toy censers right now. I finished a set of two priest dolls last week for a lovely lady I met at the retreat. If I have time I’m planning to make one more doll, this time a full-size nun doll. I haven’t even had the chance to make the first of these so I’m hoping it will work out. My ongoing taking-a-break-project has been a baby sweater. I finished the body but it still lacks the placket and sleeves.

Following are a few “just life” photos. ~ Our priceless Greek mechanic, Nick, actually came to our house after Liturgy yesterday to work on Ribby’s car. The idle needed adjusting. He made the sign of the cross three times over the engine before starting. It doesn’t get better than this. ~ The bee swarm was behind our new church building, being coaxed into a hive. ~ After writing in the name of a friend of a friend’s unborn baby who died at 30 weeks, I had to go back and write in the name of a priest we were in seminary with. He died in his sleep. May the memory of the infant Hannah and the priest Athanasius be eternal!