A story about a family...my favorite one

 I do not know much about families, and even less about Christian families. I do not know much about the love of a father, unless is the Heavenly Father, and here i still have many things to understand, but when i think, look, talk, spend time with this one family, i feel like i am understanding more, and i end up wondering...considering if this is something i would like in the future. 

The wife in this family, is a friend of mine, a friend for more than 10 years now, but one that i never considered it would last so long...cause i always felt we do not have many things in common. And yet, here I am , and i consider her one of my best friends, and my advisor, and one of the few people that i can be free to cry with, which for me is such a huge and intimate thing. 

Let's call her the Mountain Lady. The name is not a random name, cause i think in years she spent half of her age climbing on different mountains in Romania and not only. 

The husband in this family, is someone new, someone i had no connection with, but someone who left a strong impression on me. Let's call him the Canadian Man. I remember when i first saw him, and had the chance to talk to him, at a New Year's Eve event. I was amazed by his knowledge of many things, there was no subject that he was not knowledgeable about. And i m not referring to that arrogant know it all kind of guy, but rather a satisfying conversation buddy. From Scriptures and God, to Music and Dance, Business and Medicine, kids and gadgets, books and travel....he seemed he had it all together. 

That is when i was convinced he is such a good fit for our Mountain Lady (Girl) at the time:). 

These two were just perfect for each other, or at least they looked like. Their wedding was one like a fairy-tale, where people were just there out of loyalty and friendship, and it felt like a big happy family ( Greek family:) - noisy, singing and dancing, playing games, and joining their union with shouts of celebration and joy. Till date, i have not see any other wedding like this one. 

It felt like home :). And boy they looked beautiful, painted out of a romantic book. What i knew is that behind that beautiful paintings there was a lot of courage and strength to do the things together. They were both able to overcome the unknown, and probably their fears, and move further for a life together. 

A life with blessings :). Cause soon enough a small Rock came into their life, a Rock with blue eyes, and blond hair, a picture of a cute and kind angel. That child had the power to get under your skin. Her cuteness, curiosity and shyness, made her get deep under your skin. And i do not think there is anyone who is not found of the little Rock. 

Looking at this family, i see the normality and the struggles of day to day life. And i see that marriage is not an easy thing, but is such a beautiful one. I see what is written in almost all the books i read on the subject, love, respect, care, patience, beauty, support...and even more than that, i see sacrifice and see each other cherish one another....is a great image. 

I see them battle the quotidian, specially with the world moving so fast, and i get inspired, and i m not the only one :). I am inspired because of their authenticity. Is such a rare thing to see, and is so sad, that in our Churches...this is lacking so much these days. But in their house, in their car, and all around them, this is what i see. And i just love it! Life is not about being perfect, is about stumbling and standing up again, is about making mistakes, and picking yourself up to try again, it is a journey, and i am blessed to see glimpses of that through my eyes, when i look at them. 

Life is good, and more blessings came into this Canadian family. They say no house should have a blonde without a brunette :). So everyone was extremely happy to welcome in this family a newborn baby simply picturing Life. 

She melts your heart, just looking at her. And together you feel like 1000 stars are falling down the sky, i can not describe better the emotion. Blue eyes, perfect smile and happy! God is good, when you see the miracles around us. 

They say i do not like kids, and is true. I like parents first. And then the kids....they just follow, the love spreads and you can not contain it anymore. 

I like this parents, the Canadian family, is one of the most inspiring families you would ever meet. I promise. They are important people in many people's life, and even though sometimes their ministry is not clear, i think the ministry is there, and is just by being themselves, and loving others. What things that simple authenticity drives in others...is inexplicable, cause it comes from God. 

Blessed to have them, as close friends, blessed to have them as F-A-M-I-L-Y.  A picture for a thousand words: 

Life with kids

 Those who know me, would not say about me that i like to climb mountains and that i like kids. Well i actually like both, but not in the same way everyone else does. I like climbing small mountains by foot, but with very little effort, so that i can enjoy eye dreaming on the top, and loosing track of time. Or better i like just to take my car, drive on top of a hill or a mountain, and admire the view, till my eyes get tired. 

Tried this with many people, and there are only few ( i think just 2 Irish ladies) that can just stop and stare for ever. 

About kids, the same, i do not like kids who are all over you, and who are crying all the time, and kids who s parents are not cool, or i m not connected with. But deep down inside i like kids, i like watching them, i like playing with them, but i also like to know that i have permission for all these things, i am just polite when it comes to kids, like with dogs. 

I like when people ask me if they can pet the dog, or i like to ensure that my dog does not bother anyone else around. In this way i managed to build a great relationship with one, or two let's say , special kids. The one i love very much is called Rock :) . And she is blond with beautiful blue eyes, and a smile that melts your heart. 

I love to spend time with her, i love to hear her talk, and hold my hand. Always i am keen to spend time with her, and is amazing how kids can enter in your heart without you realizing. 

She is amazing, and she calls me Lochi. When i hear that name, it makes me happy! 

Sometimes is refreshing to spend time with kids, you feel energized, and you feel like you did something for the day, even though you did not do much. 

It is a miracle, that probably i will never understand. 

Sometimes i wish to become a mom, although most of times, i m telling to myself that i don't. 

I am not ready to face all the emotions around the children's matter, but for sure i am ready to continue the adventure, and to grow the friendship of Lochi and Rock. 

Pictures again, speak 1000 words better than i would ever be able to express myself. 

A story about...a Lady

 My story today is actually a small biography, or an intent to put down a couple of rows about someone very dear to me. She has been a constant presence in my life, for more than 6 years, actually i do not have a fix date in mind, i just feel like is been a long time since she is around. 

And yes, you all got this right, i'm talking about a she, and she is one of my best friends. As she is a very complex person, i think i will not be able to put my thoughts down, and to be able to give her a right description, or even a half description, so this should be treated as a glimpse of my dear friend the Lady. 

I choose to give here this pseudonym The Lady, because she is truly a lady. She has this mix of fragility with power and strength, sometimes you think she will never recover from the life kick's but, she comes back stronger then ever... and that is when you remain astonished, and acknowledge that is indeed her fragility that makes her stronger. 

Deep down in her core, in her heart, she is a fighter, and someone who is very determined, to make a good lemonade, when life decides to give her lemons. 

Coming back to our story, The Lady and I, we kind of started the relationship intentional, she did not seem like a person with whom i could have much in common, but out of that intentional focus and us slowly spending time together, i have come to realize that we have things in common, and that in some ways we are very similar.  

I learnt and i continue to learn many things from the Lady, things like how to focus better, how to slow down when i feel that someone is chasing me, how to take each step at the time, and be ok with walking slowly. I am learning to fight against preconceptions that people might have about myself, by watching her reactions to different situations, i am learning about family, and how you can be useful and happy in the family God placed you. 

Sometimes i am thinking why is the Lady spending time with me, and what can she learn from me, cause often times it seems she has it all together, while I am still struggling to find my way. 

The Lady, gives you that image of clarity, and royalty, and cleanness, and brightness. She is so attentive in her dressing ways, she is very feminine, and she is doing that without even trying so hard ( or at least this is how it seems). She is coming straight from the pages of great novels, such as Sense and Sensibility, or Jane Eyre, she is very knowledgeable, in many topics, you can not be bored in a conversation with her, i find that very refreshing and challenging at the same time. 

She is one person that is continuously fighting and not allowing the past to define her. And that is a skill these days, when everyone seems to decide what they will become just by looking at their past, being it with mistakes or without. She is sometimes allowing herself to dream big, even though she knows that dreams come true very rarely, but sometimes they do. 

I admire her faith, and the fact that despite her struggles, she is always able to come back to the Root of all things, to God, and ensure that she is reconnecting with Him through all the channels. That requires resilience and she is a very resilient Lady. 

Life did not treat the Lady only with good things, but also with some difficult ones, and i can see is the passion of taking each day at the time, and fighting with weakness sometimes, physical and mental, with pain and with fear. And often times she is winning the battles. The battles, are in our mind most of times, and that is the hardest place to win. Somehow she is able to find weapons , courage and strength to win. 

The Lady is ready to take some next steps in her life, and she is ready to help others. She will do that. In a smaller or larger family, but she will continue to do that. She has the heart of a servant, which is very rare in the millennium we are living. She feels the need to help others grow. Others can vary, they start with people in her family, younger or older, close friends, like me, people from church, or even people that she does not know. She takes pride in being able to advice others, or support others with ideas, and encouragement for them to fulfill their plans and dreams. We all need a strong adviser, and someone who can journey with us towards our planned destination. 

The Lady is one of those people, that would sacrifice time and resources for someone's else is journey, as long as she can be of help in any way. I do not know many people who would do that. Even I am not sure if i m doing it. I am more of a give the solutions, and let them run with them, while the Lady, is not giving the solution, but rather helping the person reach them, and then supporting the person to implement them, encourage the person when the results are not coming, and celebrating success with the same person. This requires time and energy, which the Lady is keen to give. 

One of the Lady's passion, which again can go back to the many novels i  have red, is her passion for cooking. This is something she really likes to do. They say food is comfort, but i think, while watching her, preparing food is comfort as well. Comfort for all the people involved in the process. 

All in all, the Lady is an important person in my life, and even though sometimes we look like we are falling apart, because of different reasons, something bigger than us, keeps bringing us together. And even though at times we believe we have a black out, and the relationship is at risk, something happens and things get back to normal. 

I think this is the Spirit that keeps the brothers and sisters in Christ close together, and i am grateful this happens. I am sure in my heart that the Lady will be with a Gentlemen who will appreciate all her beautiful gifts, and this Gentlemen will be someone from the earthly place we are living, or it will be the One and Only Gentlemen who is on His way to take is Bride. 

In any way, i wish for the Lady many blessings, and an abundance of desires to come true.

As for our friendship...may it continue to grow, and have a solid foundation, may we be able to always forgive and love more, rather than having regrets for not doing that. 

As always, i cannot close without a picture, which is worth more than my 1000 words...

The Lady