Easter Memories

I remember an Easter not so long ago (it was yesterday, indeed), when poor as we were, I received the richest of memories on the day we celebrate our Savior’s resurrection.

There was a pretty, soft dress, an occasional Easter bonnet, frilly socks inside shiny white patent leather shoes buckled on the side, and a basket filled with a hollow chocolate bunny, jelly beans, and colored eggs atop green Easter grass.

I believed in the Easter Bunny, and now, at age 66, I can assure you – that temporary magical belief did not taint my love for or relationship with God. I was a child with a wonderful imagination and a desire to invite good thoughts, people, and charitable bunnies into existence.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY

I cannot begin to imagine God's pain to watch His Son suffer on the cross and then die.  I understand that He knew He'd be in heaven with him once he had breathed his last earthly breath.  But still.  It hurts to watch those you love suffer.  

Yesterday we rejoiced in the fact that Jesus had risen and because of that (though we may see a lot of pain and suffering in our families today) we will share a perfect life with those we love and who share our love for God  - one day in Paradise.

I don't know about you, but after being beaten down by this fallen world of deception, and bad news, I am so looking forward to that day!!!!

Yesterday was filled with chaos, hope, fun, beauty, good food, surprises, and lots and lots of love.

These kids!!!  Be still my heart!!

I hope they always hold these special memories in their hearts....

Dear Diary,

I went on an Easter egg hunt and found an egg with beef jerky inside.  Dad had to help me open it.  I tried for the chocolate filled eggs but Mom the nag hollered GRACIE NO!  She is such a killjoy.  Gracie

I hope everyone had a fun filled, lovely, BLESSED Easter!

What We've Been Up To....

We recently hopped on over to Walmart to stock up on plastic Easter eggs and fillers for Sunday.  There will be lots and lots of colored surprise eggs for the kiddies to find.  

Then it was off to the grocery store for some special treats for movie night.  We had a variety of  donuts, party mix, and popcorn flavored jelly beans.  This weeks presentation:  Bumblebee.  It's a transformers movie which I would generally steer clear of...  but for Jake (11 yr old GS) I said sure.  And to my surprise it was enjoyable.  Some humor and some heart with a lot of action (not a fan of the action).  I give it a 5/6 on my 1-10 scale and that's not bad.

Last week we celebrated National Pet Day by taking our pet to camp for the day.

Easy Gracie...  those wild boors are not intimidated by you...

Dear Diary,

National Pet Day won me a trip to the zoo  camp where I got to antagonize play with little pig little pig.  They were show offs if you ask me, dancing the piggly wiggly dance and causing mom and dad to think they're cute.  hmph.  Not as cute as the cockapoo. 

Gracie

Scrapbook of Easter Day

Gary got me a new iPhone 10X for my birthday... yay!  I needed it.. my phone had gotten s-o s-l-o-w. The camera is awesome, but for some reason my photo's are showing up blurred as I post them to blogger.  The better the technology, the more complicated.  Or maybe it's just blogger.  I'm losing interest.....  

but... anyway... 

I finally got my Easter pictures downloaded (that too, was an issue) 

 and I can now share... blurred and all.  

Those of us that went to church dressed up all purdddddy....

Then we came home and dressed down for the easter egg hunt.

Every single one of our grandkids were present!

I am amazed at how they have grown through the years.

I note the changes in each one and I am in awe.

It's funny how life is.  A lot of changes can take place but if we look for the good in those changes life just keeps on getting better.

 Eggs, eggs and more eggs were found.

This was Greyson's first time here for the egg hunt...  and Silas's first time here.  We were truly grateful for this family coming all the way from NJ for Easter.

Jake tries to play Mr. Cool leaning against the golden ear.

I did mention how I can't believe how these kiddies have grown, didn't I?

We had a delightful time!

Cousins bonded....

Laughter and joy filled the air...

And when all was said and done we had some pretty tired bunnies on our hands...

I was glad to see Jake enjoying the book I made for each of them..  "The Lamb and Me" to go with their plush stuffed lambs.  The book was a reminder of Easter's real celebration of Jesus.

Later it was dinner at Rocky Gap with Gary's uncle and all the rest.

The food was fabulous and ....

just look at the smile on that face...

Ahhhhh...  dinner on the lake.  What a perfect ending to a perfect day....

Gracie enjoyed the chaos and loved the attention she got from all the kids.  She was the first one to hit the bed and ... she ... was.......     out!

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter day.  We are now thinking through the bitter cold winds and repeated snow accumulations...  of spring.  We know it's somewhere out there...  if you locate it could you send it our way?

Something Missing

Ya see anything missing from the following picture?

 If your guess was 'THE DOG' then you are right-on.

'THE DOG' was also not invited to hunt for easter eggs with the kiddo-s.  But hey.  I don't hold a grudge.  I tried to help by sniffing out the harder-to-locate eggs...  but the nag Mom warned me...  "no chocolate, Gracie!"  

Whatever.

So, if being left out of the family fun wasn't enough... a trip to the vets office was in store for me the following day.  

First, the muzzle.  Thanks Mom, for warning them of how vicious of a dog I am.  

Next, weigh-in.  Dr. Fox says my weight is perfect...  

*holding head high*  *clearing throat*  *looking straight at mom*

So  you can quit saying I'm getting stout ... and tell dad to get that bag of beef jerky back out.  I'm ready to eat.  I'm hungry.  And.   I'm of perfect size.  The Fox says so.

Diagnosis:  A fungal infection and possible bacterial infection.  Tomorrow starts meds.

I need to practice spitting. out. pills.   Gracie.

Trees ~ A Value That Spans Generations

It's no fun being sick.  Especially on a 'special day'.  I can't remember the last time I missed church on Easter Sunday... 

But today I had to settle for a 2011 online broadcast from  Andy Stanley. 

 Morning's aren't good.  I'm pretty sure what I have is a sinus infection, so if I'm no better by tomorrow I'll go to the doctor to get antibiotics.  

This afternoon, Gary and I got out of the house for a while.  We went to an almost empty theatre and 

we saw The Hunger Games.  

Then the grand-angels came...  

There were Easter baskets...

and soft pink bunnies...

A curious Gracie looks on as Rissi and Pop-Pop 

plant cherry trees...

This fun project was planned not long ago, 

after seeing The Lorax... 

Rissi promised.  

When she's a teenager and drives down National Highway she's going to remember....  'those are the trees pop-pop and I planted on Easter day, just before I turned five'...  

It was chilly and windy, but memories were made...

Love was all around...  Well..  until a certain 

someone had her own version of hunger games going on...  

"A bottle please!!"

Happy Easter!