I am not Orthodox, I was attending services regularly before I was married, and now am attending services twice a month, and the other Sundays I'm at RC (we go to church together).
We were married in a Lutheran Ceremony, then had it blessed by a Catholic priest.
My wife is a cradle Catholic.
Basically the problem is that I want to become Orthodox, but worry about the complications it will bring to my family.
Given that your wife agreed to marry in a Lutheran Service, I would assume she is not very strict about her adherence to the RCC Dogma and might be more inclined to identify herself as a Catholic more out of habit and family tradition than any deep belief in theh Dogma. This is how it is for most Roman Catholics. Since she has agreed to attend and Eastern Rite Church, I would also assume she does not mind things like icons, incense, candles,etc and in fact might find such things appealing in her overall worship and prayer practices?
I know I am assuming a lot here.....
Have you and your wife ever discussed attending Divine Liturgy together? What is her opinion? Is she concerned,
given your track record, that a few years from now you might want to explore another Church and she wants to insure her children are raised in one Church only?
If I were you I would try to get my wife and child to a Divine Liturgy at a very family friendly parish. See what she thinks. If she is agreeable to attending DL with you regularly...perhaps suggest that when the child is old enough in that Parish that the child attend Sunday School there......
You though really need to decide:
IS it important enough for you to convert without your family joining you? FOr me that is something I could have never done.
Is your wife even open to the possibility of exploring Orthodoxy with you as a family?
My wife was hesitant at first...when it came to actually converting. When it got down to brass tacs she did not want the kids to miss the "parties" associated with First Communion, Confirmation, etc.....eventually she found this to be as silly a reason as I ...but do not discount the importance a woman and mother raised RC will put on these things....don't trivialize them....there is much emotion attached to these things.
What finally convinced my wife to convert was the fact that:A RC who converts to Orthodoxy ...and then wants to return to the RCC need only go to confession in a RC parish if they ever want to get back in....becoming Orthodox is not burning any bridges. An Orthodox who who was never RC can become RC through confession only as well, but the diocese might want to chrismate a cradle Orthodox....although I am personally unaware of any Orthodox ever converting to the RCC...and I was involved with cathecising converts when I was RC....
If you can find a parish your wife will be comfortable in with parishioners who will be friendly and warm...just keep showing up and trust in the Holy Spirit. If your wife is like mine...the real forces holding her back are habit and family tradition. Change the habit...incorporate new traditions and she should be less hesitant...be patient though. This could take years.
If your wife is like mine...after about three Divine Liturgies....she could not even imagine wanting to back to the RCC.
