St Barbara Orthodox Monastery

A friend of ours at St George has a college aged daughter moving into the same area in CA and while visiting will stay at the St Barbara monastery in Santa Paula. She highly recommended we visit and experience the life of these female monastics.
The monastery is fairly new though they've been meeting together for ages. It is a home now that's been turned into a monastery and will be fully renovated down the road. One of the sisters told us that it didn't start growing with new members until our very own Bishop Basil from St George procured relics of St Barbara for the abbess, Mother Victoria to display at St Barbara's. The sister's joked that once you're Orthodox, you're part of a family where all of you know everyone else. It certainly felt that way (we went to church Sunday and the priest at St Demetrios Greek Parish is a close friend of another priest of ours)!
I don't know what I was expecting; maybe solemn women whose constant prayers don't allow room for conversation or social niceties. But I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of wisdom openly shared and pure humour punctuated by wit. We came for 9th hour prayers and were invited to stay for lunch. I don't know why I didn't get a picture of the bounty fresh from the garden! Fresh berries, greens, soups, etc. These women know how to host! They even had Stevia to sweeten our chamomile tea with. We enjoyed the conversation and sharing our conversion stories.
A spunky sister Mary (I guess Mothers are fully clothed, tonsured nuns, while Sisters are those that are clothed, but not yet fully committed) gave us a tour of the icons and relics along the history behind each. Such a foreign and mystical world I wasn't yet sure how to swallow. But I'm eager to learn!
My favorite of the pictures I've included is the one of Ella swinging with Sister Greta, a novice who recently joined the order and is so young! I also love the solemnity of the picture of 9th hour prayers.
We visited again for Vespers and learned so much more. These ladies were a joy to get to know, and the choices they've made force a somber reflection on my own! Lord have mercy.
On a side note, I bought many things from their book store and was excited to find Molly Sabourin's book "Close To Home" in this humble little place! Such a wonderful piece to any Orthodox mother's library. It will now be my gift at any and all baby showers at St George! It enhanced my prayer time so much while in California (especially the chapter on comparisons FYI).

I will post the rest tomorrow. I need to get some sleep! :)