Easter!

Happy Easter!

So - life has kind of just happened this spring & opening up a computer hasn't made it to the top (or middle or bottom apparently) of my priority lists.

We've had some big firsts this spring & I can't wait to share them.  We've had some great celebrations and some sicknesses and a hip issue that is thankfully starting to resolve itself.  We've seen lots of great friends and have been outside as much as possible - even to sleep!

All of that to come... hopefully before summer.

For now, I'll start with the most recent - Easter!

On Good Friday, our dear friends and former neighbors from West Texas came to visit!  They arrived just after lunch which left us plenty of time to get out to the lake & enjoy the water and beautiful day!

We rode the boat and their boys caught quite a few fish.

Sweet friends

These two have been good buddies since Will was born.  It was so fun to watch them pick right back up even though they haven't seen each other in over a year!

Never in my life have I been so thankful to own so many riding toys.  

 

Daddy caught a fish but since it was on Ellie's rod, she claimed it.

H caught the biggest fish of the night!

They sadly had to leave us Saturday morning and then we headed out to the lake again.

After a day of playing in the sun and sleeping (in the sun for one of us) we dyed eggs

Lovie "ragged" Ellie's hair for church

These two generally play so well together.  I love watching their imaginations and friendship.

Not sure what they were doing with their buckets of mud and nets but it kept them busy.

 

Cookie & his favorite boy and girl in the whole wide world.

(That's what he calls them:  "most favorite boy/girl in the whole wide world" and they've been known to call themselves that in his presence. :))

(I was once his most favorite girl... I've been replaced but I'm ok with that.)

I could not possibly love them anymore.

After church walk with Cookie on Easter morning

"Mommy, will you take my picture with my daughter?"

(Also - her "daughter" had a new Easter dress too (that I found on sale and could not resist.)

Hunting for eggs

 

What Ellie wanted the most for Easter - pretend makeup.

The bunny delivered.

Ellie gave makeovers while Lovie prepared lunch.

This was Daddy's first ever makeover.

His expressions are priceless.

 Mimi got one too.

As did Cookie.

And really anyone who visits and sits still very long.

We did the Vintage Resurrection Eggs (as in - circa early 1980s from when I was a child.)

I thought the Ressurection eggs were really special this year because Will is now a Christian and his reading has taken off so he really got into participating.

We did a Passover seder dinner on Maundy Thursday (of which I have no pictures) but Will was very engaged this year.  He has memorized the plagues of Egypt and was able to recite and describe each of those.  He interjected a few songs that applied perfectly to some of the lessons.  It was precious to watch him engage with the ancient traditions and really get it.

Also, now everytime our kids see grape juice, they assume we are doing Passover.

Lovie has a tendency to buy Easter animals.  Two years ago she got bunnies.  Then last year & this year she got ducklings (which get released at the lake when they are big.)

Ellie is our animal lover and spends a great deal of time holding,kissing, & torturing her duckling (which she calls a "chicken duck.")

It was a beautiful, fun Easter weekend spent relaxing on the water with friends and family, celebrating a Risen Lord in church, and overcome with gratitude for hope in life everlasting.  

We've mourned a lot this spring with friends who lost a child and my heart had such a heaviness for our friends on Easter.  

I am thankful for a faith which somehow takes heartache and sorrow and offers it hope.