Skylake Camp

Last weekend we had the extreme good fortune of joining my Aunt Deborah and her family at Skylake Camp (Yosemite/Bass Lake). What a blast! It was like all the best parts of camping, the dirt, campfire, and slumber party effects remained, without the... worst parts of camping (we stayed in a tent-cabin, no tent set up, and all our meals were provided: no cooking or clean up!) It was fabulous, see for yourselves!

It's hard to see, but look carefully for Adessa's dirt-beard. Lovely.


Horseback riding! She loved it, we went around the ring several times on "Maxi". Adessa thought it the height of great adventures, but didn't want to hold on.


Basking in the shore-silt at Bass Lake.


Goofing around at camp.


Home Sweet Cabin.

Imagine my suprise...

...to wake up to this!


Adessa's hair is significantly sprouting, and we have the bed-head to prove it. She is so fun! She's starting to really immitate and respond to us. It's darling. If I say: "Eat your chicken," she says: "Bock-bock-bock". When I point to her scrapes and bruises, she says: "Owie". If I say "Did you make a poopie?" she says: "Uhhhgrrr" and grunts! It's so fun. I recently watched her take her (lense-less, plastic) Mr. Potato Head glasses and hold them up to her mouth to breathe on them, the way I clean my sunglasses. Funny girl! She tries to be helpful, and loves sorting laundry (unfolding it and dragging it all over the house), wiping things down (she has her own sponge) and being in my arms for all parts of food preparation (arrgg!). I keep catching myself getting frustrated by simple tasks that are normally no problem for me, and wondering, "Why is this so hard to do right now?" Then comes the light-bulb: "Oh that's right, I'm holding Adessa and only have the use of one hand, and she keeps leaning into my view to see things better. Now it all makes sense."

A little trip to Santa Monica

We spent our Labor Day on a lovely little trip down to Santa Monica for baby Alex's baptism. We had a great time meeting and holding and kissing baby Alex, and were so honored to be his godparents. Orthodoxy takes god-parenting very seriously, so we will be praying for Alex every day. Here's a great and amazing prayer in our prayer book that we use for our god-children and for Adessa: (I changed it a bit, to modernize the language.)

A Prayer of Parents:
O God, our heavenly Father, who loves mankind, and are most merciful and compassionate, have mercy on Your servants ___Adessa, Alex, etc...___ for whom I humbly pray, and commend them to Your gracious care and protection. Be, O God, their guide and guardian in all their endeavors, lead them in the path of Your truth, and draw them nearer to You, that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Your love and fear; doing Your will in all things. Give them grace that they may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all tempation and corruption of this life. Direct them in the way of salvation, through the power of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of his Holy Mother and Your blessed saints. Amen.

I love that prayer. Sometimes I add to the lists all the other adjectives and states I wish for them: joyful, kind, peaceful, merciful, discerning, etc. but they're kind of all included within it anyways. Anyhootie- we had a great time being with Alex's family, Amy and Ale, and his grandparents Rich and Laura, and hanging out in Santa Monica!

Alex's little family at the baptism.


Our little family at the baptism.


A school of fishy kites on the beach. Very cool!


Ale and Amy with Alex and Adessa.


Adessa eating breakfast (delicious beef stroggenof) with daddy on the balcony.