Easter.

All the little things of Easter seemed kind of, well, meaningless this year.  It's been 3 weeks since Mom passed away...which like everything else seems like both yesterday and forever ago.  Despite it all we are doing okay-and fully relying on the sweet truth that Christ has defeated death and whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  He is Risen!

 

I started what I hope is a new tradition this year. On Maundy Thursday Matt and I hosted a Christian Passover Meal with our small group.  It includes many of the same elements of a Jewish Seder, but focuses on Christ as our Passover Lamb and as our Messiah who has come and will come again.  I think it went well, but blast it I forgot my camera at home (we had it at the church). 

 

Last minute Saturday night I mixed together some food coloring, water, and vinegar.  I used my Wilton coloring that is for cake decorating.  It worked pretty well, but we all had colorful hands when we were finished. :)

 

We also went to a nearby church for a carnival on Saturday(pardon my mood, but I wanted to scream at them for making Easter into a carnival...but still we went...).  The kids had fun, won some candy and small trinkets, and had their faces painted:

 



 (after taking the above photo of Nathan, he said "oh yeah, you captured it!"...He was very upset to have to wash Spidey off for church).

 

Sunday morning we went to church (which I forgot about outfits until the night before, apparently Nathan cannot wear the same Easter outfit three years in a row...everyone still looked good but I didn't get a group photo.  I'll have to get Nathan a new shirt (and pants) and stage something in the future), then we drove to my oldest sister Brenda's home in Canby, MN.  We decided to just have a small gathering with my dad and my sisters (minus Amy who was at her in-laws).

 

I managed to get a couple photos of Evelyn's First Easter!

(Her last first holiday)

 

Afternoon story time with Papa. 

Ella especially has been so sensitive to others during this time.  I half-think she snuggled up with Papa because she thought he would like it (though I know she enjoyed it too).

 

 

Though I didn't think about it much, I assumed our kids wouldn't get Easter baskets this year.  It's not something Matt and I have ever done, and usually they come from Nana (and Grammy if we are in AZ).  Sweetly though my dad went shopping at bought gifts for each of the kids, and even put them inside their own sand bucket that he put their names on (with a label maker, which is totally something my dad would do).  I didn't get any photos of them, but all the kids were excited about their gifts.  Nathan got a rocket that launches when you put it vinegar and baking soda, Ella got clothes for her Barbie, Addie and Evelyn got books, and of course everyone got candy!

 

This year we also went through our Resurrection Eggs.  It is great that even Addie now can recite the Easter story.  (I think I might switch them to a new carton so we don't have to look at "fight bac" again next year. :)

 

 

I hope you had a blessed Easter focused on Christ as your Risen Savior!