A Whole New Year

Hello All, 2005 is officially here.  In fact, January has been sliding past the window so quickly that it has almost become a blur.  It's the 15th already.  This coming Sunday I return to the church where I serve as rector (pastor).  I have been on a combination of sabbatical and parental leave since mid-September and it has been a wonder-filled time.  John and I still look at each other in amazement when we remember that we really did go to Ukraine and we really did adopt three kids.  Although the time since coming home has been filled with lots of laundry, cooking, and trips to the grocery store, there also has been good time for rest, reading, prayer, and theological reflection.  I would like to write about our experience, but not just as a re-telling of the story.  Adoption figures prominently as a theme in Holy Scripture and I'd like to consider it as a metaphor for life in the Church.  Lots of rich ore to be mined there and I'm exciting thinking about the project.

We did manage to make it through Christmas.  In many, many ways it was fabulous.  Our new family members were amazing and holy gifts in and of themselves.  We also were able for the first time in a loooong time to have an extended visit with our Massachusetts family.  We also stopped by NYC to visit our new kids' sibling, Hannah, who was adopted by a terrific family earlier this year.  It was a great reunion and it seemed to us that they simply picked up where they had left off.  Getting to the right address in the City was a bit stressful as we managed to get completely lost.  Oy!  Three hours late.  But, all was well when we finally arrived.  We had a good visit and then headed off to Massachusetts.  When we left it was sleeting and snowing.  Turns out it was good thing we traveled that night as it continued to snow.  We arrived pretty late (1:30 am) and John's mother was up and waiting for us.  So good to see her.  In the morning when we woke up, beautiful snow was everywhere.  All of our kids enjoyed it.  A few days later we visited friends further to the west and I loved seeing New England in the snow.  Old farms houses, fields, village greens, and, sleepy orchards all were so beautiful.

Our new kids had a bit of a rough time with the Christmas presents bit.  They were delighted to be receiving them, but what is received almost never comes up to the expectations - no matter how costly.  I remember feeling this as a child myself.  It was hard to watch them struggle with the same feelings.  But we got through it.  Did I mention the 42 hours we spent in the car together?  Talk about a bonding experience.  Thank goodness for John's sister Elaine who had given a portable DVD car unit and so we were able to zombify the kids at certain key points.  Never thought I'd be that kind of parent, but o well. 

We all are grateful that school has resumed although here we are with another holiday this coming Monday - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  I was trying to explain who he was to Ruslan and did not have much success.  How to talk about centuries of racism and Dr. King's challenge grounded in non-violence?  Usually on this holiday, I spend time reading his sermons.  He was an ordained Baptist minister and a thoughtful preacher.  They are good reading and I commend them.

To the right is the first album I've managed.  It has some of our Christmas in it.  I'm sorting through all of the pictures we took and will post some of the better shots.

Happy New Year to all and God bless,

Jennie

Here's my best Christmas shot of the kids.  It's hard to get five kids looking reasonably pleasant at one time!

L-R, Back:  Ruslan, Ana and John, L-R, Front:  Oksana and Max