Easter Moments to Remember

On Palm Sunday, during the final praise song, children were standing at the front waving streamers, and since we sit in the second row and Bitty Bantam (14m) was hollering loudly to be put down, I let him toddle around in the front with the other children. He got knocked down once and tripped several times all by himself, but the smile never left his face, and twice he started to climb the stairs to the stage to join the musicians!

Many people, including our pastor, commented on how blessed they were to see him. They remembered that a year ago on Palm Sunday, as his life hung in the balance, the whole church joined with our pastor in lifting him up as a special intercession during the Eucharist. Seeing his sturdy, healthy little self, waving his palm branch and grinning happily, was a joy, a praise and a thanksgiving for many of us.

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Our Easter Vigil, always the highlight of the week, was an especially wonderful service this year. I cannot begin to describe the artistic and dramatic creativity that shaped the presentation of salvation history through the Scripture readings, or the absolutely amazing talent of the musicians--and a composer!--that led our worship. I had thought I might post some pictures, since we all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, but do we all know how bad I am at taking pictures, even when I do remember the camera, which I did not, for any of the Holy Week services? Then on Sunday afternoon, when someone finally thought of pictures (after the kids had all shed their Easter finery), it was discovered that the camera had been in the diaper bag the whole time! I, in a moment of rare foresight, had asked one of the kids to put it there. Think it's early senility??

So, no Easter picture this year, to my disappointment--it's kind of a tradition of ours. (Some other Sunday soon, maybe.) Still, we had a great time of food and laughter at our house on Sunday afternoon with my in-laws, my husband's brother, his wife, their 18 month old daughter, and our next-door neighbor Riley, a single man the same age as my in-laws who has joined us for holidays for ten years now.

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I sure enjoyed my coffee with hazelnut syrup in it on Easter morning. (And later on, the pie with ice cream, and Fannie May raspberry cream eggs, and a Butterfinger--my favorite!) Hits in the kids' Easter baskets this year were Playdough for Chicklet 3, and Sudoku puzzle books for the rest. (We've been putting less and less candy and more dollar store treats in their baskets each year.) Bantam 15 got a watch like Dad's several weeks ago as an early Easter present several weeks ago. And Sunday afternoon, the boys got out all their Legos!!

(Sigh. I sure didn't miss them during Lent.)

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Bantam 7 to Chicklet 3: "...and then the Easter Bunny is coming to our house..."

Chicklet 3 (sternly): "No, NOT the Easter Bunny. ONLY GOD!"