Athens

It's been too long since I've updated this blog. Full-time school, part-time work and life have taken priority - plus the sad truth that we've lost nearly six months worth of pictures, including Christmas and birthdays. :( I've realized, though, how much I miss reflecting on life here. Blogging has a way of reminding me how much I have to be grateful for and helping me to slow down and savor life.

In our family, we don't spend a lot of money on things. Instead, we choose experiences and adventures that bond us. Seeing Greece & Turkey was always near the top of our list of places to go, so after a ton of research, we mapped out an itinerary which included boats, trains and aeroplanes. And we just soaked in two glorious weeks together, because there's nothing better than being with this bunch.

Our arrival in Athens was rough. Scary bad, actually.

We got into a taxi and the driver began taking us on a route further out of the way than was required to get to our hotel. We asked him to turn around and deliver us back to the airport, but he refused and held us hostage in the taxi. We finally got him to turn around (he sped up and drove like a maniac in his rage - really frightening!), and thankfully when we got back to the airport, the police got involved and helped us. 

First impression of Athens. We were all terrified.

Our second taxi driver then pulled a scam on Mark with a 5 Euro up his sleeve - he removed one of the 20 Euros Mark gave him, replaced it with the five, and insisted he'd been underpaid. We fell for it, then figured out the scam as the driver pulled away.

Ugh! Just awful.

But with the taxi shenanigans out of the way, things began to smooth out. We hired a reputable taxi through the hotel (live and learn, right?), and had just an incredible afternoon exploring the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum.

(Here's a pic of Gryffy chillin' at our hotel.)

 The Olympic stadium.

Mark's spot near the Acropolis.

 Apparently there was an Egyptian-themed performance at the Odeon, where we found these fun props.

 Before entering the Acropolis, we hiked up Mars Hill, where St. Paul famously evangelized the Athenians. It had incredible views.

 Once back to the Acropolis, we stopped by the Odeon Theater.

The entry gate.

And here it is - the Parthenon!

 The Erectheon.

I taught the kids how to identify Doric, Ionic & Corinthian columns. These are Ionic, with a scroll capital. The kids called me a "Doric" for the entire trip, and made up a new vocab word: Dorinthionic.

 The Nazis had placed their flag here during WWII, when some Greek teenagers famously took it down in the middle of the night, and raised the Greek flag.

 The Temple of Zeus. Imagine a 40' tall figure of Zeus among those ruins, like the one in the Disney movie, Hercules.

 More of the Parthenon.

 Gryffy discovered a cave. The boy loves cave. In part, because griffins live inside.

 Small world - We stopped inside a cafe for dinner, and met Mark and Nan Sylvester, who it turns out used to live just a street down from us in our neighborhood. Nan also named the kids' school, Heartland. She wore a charm that read, "grace." After the tumultuous morning with renegade & crooked taxis, I took it as a sign that God was watching over us, and things were about to look up.
And boy, did they ever!

 A stop inside the museum - spectacular!

 The famous caryatids.

Next day, we hopped on a cruise for Istanbul...

Christmas Card 2015

We always like to have a bit of fun with our Christmas cards and have a tradition of posing in front of this green garage door in the West Bottoms, KC. We kept it real this year... all in pj's, because that's typically how we spend Christmas. My friend Amy King takes photos of our family, and we take photos of hers - I think she could be a professional! Thanks Amy! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Lorelei & Gryffin's Baptism

Today Gryffin and Lorelei were baptized into the family of God.

This might go down as my favorite day ever. It was one of those glowing moments in time in which the world around us sparkled with the beautiful, the good and the true. Our family and friends surrounded us--grandparents, aunts, cousins, neighbors, a teacher, and our church--and in that first and second row of seats, there were a lot of wet eyes. The room was so thick with the Spirit that afterwards, our visiting family remarked how truly alive they felt in that room, touched and overwhelmed by the great and palpable presence of a loving God.

Cousin Kai & Gryffin

 Our neighbor Ava & Lorelei

 Mrs. Smith, Gryffin's 1st grade teacher (who happens to attend our church, RezDowntown). How special is it that she got to be there?! Gryffin wanted to set the date around whether she could attend, he loves her so much!

 Just us.

 Pastor Scott Chrostek officiated. He made the whole thing so special and meaningful. We're so grateful for our pastor. (Fun bit of synchronicity--Scott worked at Duke Chapel at the same time in which Lorelei, born at Duke, had her baby blessing in that chapel in 2006--we just didn't know him then!)

 In the Methodist Church, children are sprinkled to symbolize that they are being baptized into a family, a covenantal community. When they are older, they go through confirmation to affirm their baptisms and claim their faith as their own. In Lorelei & Gryffin's case, they're old enough to understand what baptism means, but now they too will go through confirmation with their peers.

 After the baptism, they are anointed with a cross of oil on their forehead.

 Gryffin's turn.

Gotta love that expression on G's face there.

 Then Pastor Scott walked them down the aisle of the church, asking the church to affirm that they will be a family to them and raise up these children as if they were their own.

Pastor Adam (from our church in Leawood, where I work) was there with us, too.

 A picture in front of our church with Pastor Scott.

 (Sun's a bit bright--beautiful days make for squinty eyes.)

 Aunt Jennie baked cupcakes for the celebration at our home. So sweet of her!

 Grammy Great gave the kids special cross necklaces as gifts. So grateful she was there!
Grammy & Bpop embroidered some crosses for them and gave them some precious little statues of kids kneeling in prayer.

 More family. 

 Our entry table was decorated for the occasion. I love these pictures so much, I might just have to keep it that way. See the beads draped over the shell...?

As gifts for the kids' baptisms, I made them these rosaries to practice prayer and also remember their Catholic heritage from Mark's side of the family. We use them sometimes for bedtime prayers.

Gryffin picked out his own beads (green--his favorite color), Lorelei picked out hers (blue--her favorite color; we also made one as a Christmas gift for grandma Barb), and I made another for myself and for Mark so we can pray together.

 Thank you, God, for your great love, for the blessings of friends and family, for your church, and for your promise of resurrection life symbolized in baptism.
Lorelei & Gryffin, I love you so!