Summer Summer Summer Time!

When I last left you, I was on my way up to the San Juan Islands for my friends Jud and Carrie's wedding. Well, needless to say, it was amazing! I wasn't sure if the weather was going to hold out because when we all got there on Friday it was cold and rainy, not too good for an outdoor wedding in which most people were going to be wearing cute little sundresses. My sundress was mostly white, which, as you can imagine, would not have been the best choice in the event of rain. However, God was good to my friends and we awoke on Saturday to the most beautiful, warm and perfectly sunny day on Lopez Island, Washington. I roomed with my roomate from my freshman year of college, Blythe at the same hotel as the wedding party and all other Whitman alums so we had two full night of catching up and hanging out.

It is truly amazing to me that you can go for such long periods of time, sometimes years, without seeing college friends, but yet once you get together it is like no time has past. The first night we all hung out in the 6 bedroom suite where the wedding party was staying, the bride and groom were there with us and we decided to go around and tell funny stories about each of them from college. Interestingly enough, they both went to Whitman, were a year apart in age and grade but didn't meet until after Whitman, this is practically impossible considering Whitman is truly a school where you know everyone. So it was great hearing stories from both set of their friends, and boy did I have a lot to tell about Jud!

The wedding was in the late afternoon so in the morning Blythe and I got up early and went on a long bike ride around the island to Shark Reef which had a beautiful view of the water and surrounding islands. On the way back I saw a gigantic bald eagle carrying a dead mouse to its nest of three baby bald eagles! We made it back just in time to get ready for the wedding. The ceromony itself was on a cliff overlooking the water, it was absolutely gorgeous, and in some ways made me wish that Orthodox weddings could be outside. Jud's dad is a minister so he performed the ceremony, which was for the most part good but made me realize how much focus was placed on the couple getting married rather than on God. During the service they talked about how Jud and Carrie were both "strong-willed children" and how now they are "seeking careers that try to make the world a better place," all of this was a stark constrast to the Orthodox ceremony which happens "to" the couple as they are united to God and each other rather than being "about" the couple.

All in all, I had a great time, caught up with old friends, and was still able to make it to church in Seattle on Sunday believe it or not! Thank goodness for the 6:30am ferry!

The weekend after that my Dad, Scot and I went on our annual family white water rafting trip on the Deschutes River which was awesome!

This past week, my friend Foteini visited Portland for the first time from Thessanoliki, Greece! I was able to take two days off work and play tour guide around town and out on the coast. This was great considering she did the same for me when I stayed with her family during my Easter trip to Greece four years ago. We had a wonderful time, which included a bbq at my dad's house, a trip to Cannon Beach for the day with my mom, Prez Marilyn, Christy, Laura, and Nancy, a visit to the Washington Park Rose Garden, and a major shopping extravaganza downtown. I am still trying to catch up on sleep and have a little bit of down time since everything has been so crazy lately.

I am really enjoying the Paraklesis services and I am looking forward to the Feast of the Dormition next Sunday. I can't believe it is August already!