Timket!!

From Wikipedia
Timkat (Amharic "baptism") (also spelled Timket or Timqat) is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19 (or 20 on Leap Year), corresponding to the 10th day of Terr following the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism (similar to such reenactments performed by numerous Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land when they visit the Jordan); early European visitors confused the activities with the actual sacrament of baptism, and erroneously used this as one example of alleged religious error, since traditional Christians believe in "one baptism for the remission of sins" (Nicene Creed).
During the ceremonies of Timkat, the Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant which is present on every Etheopian altar (somewhat like the Western altar stone), is reverently wrapped in rich cloth and born in procession on the head of the priest. The Tabot, which is otherwise rarely seen by the laity, represents the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah when he came to the Jordan for baptism. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated near a stream or pool early in the morning (around 2 a.m.). Then the nearby body of water is blessed towards dawn and sprinkled on the participants, some of whom enter the water and immerse themselves, symbolically renewing their baptismal vows. But the festival does not end there; Donald Levine describes a typical celebration of the early 1960s:
By noon on Timqat Day a large crowd has assembled at the ritual site, those who went home for a little sleep having returned, and the holy ark is escorted back to its church in colorful procession. The clergy, bearing robes and umbrellas of many hues, perform rollicking dances and songs; the elders march solemnly with their weapons, attended by middle-ages men singing a long-drawn, low-pitched haaa hooo; and the children run about with sticks and games. Dressed up in their finest, the women chatter excitedly on their one real day of freedom in the year. The young braves leap up and down in spirited dances, tirelessly repeating rhythmic songs. When the holy ark has been safely restored to its dwelling-place, everyone goes home for feasting

The pictures above are a priest carrying a Tabot in a Timkat ceremony at Gondar, at which water will be blessed (he is assisted by a deacon holding a liturgical parasol) and crowds gathering at the Fasiladas' bath in Gondar, Ethiopia. Also, because I can't not post pictures of Meron, a bunch of her on Timkat eve. It's hard to celebrate this one here, although we've been dancing all day... does that count?
In other news, Meron is almost a full fledged walker. We had a lovely supper at some friends' house last night, and Merrie crawled about 2 times the whole night. She was running around trying to keep up with the big kids! It was really fun. I am still startled when I see her take off on her own though. She looks so grown up and toddlerish!

Also, I am kind of an idiot. I just about rushed Meron to the hospital a few days ago, because when I changed her diaper it was full of what looked like super bloody stool. I freaked out! I was totally shaking, getting her dressed and thinking about which hospital to take her to when I realized that she has been eating pickled beets for 2 days. Yup. I'm an idiot. But seriously, what baby loves pickled beets? She ate almost an entire jar all by herself. She loves them to the point of screaming and pointing at the bowl they were in and asking to eat about 10 times a day. Weirdo. I guess her great grandma Opal has one more person to make pickled beets for...