Easter

I grew up going to church every Sunday, and Easter was always my most favorite Sunday. When I was a little girl I loved getting a new pastel dress, big hat, gloves and shiny white shoes. I loved waking up to find my Easter basket at the end of my bed. I loved Sunrise Service at the top of Harvey's Hill. I loved the pancake and egg breakfast at the church before Easter Sunday Service. I loved the tulips and daffodils that filled the church. I loved playing with my friends in the church parking lot and getting my new white shoes and white tights all dirty.

As the years went on I loved different aspects of each of those Easter Sunday traditions. I still loved the new pretty clothes, but was becoming a little self-conscious as most teenagers do and caring a little more about what I looked like. I still loved my Easter basket. I remember one Easter morning, my brother Wit was leaving for Germany for two years for the Army. He woke me up to say goodbye, and I cried, and cried, and cried. Then I went back to sleep. When I woke up I found his and my Easter baskets at the foot of my bed. I cried some more, but more happy tears than sad ones. I still loved Sunrise Service, but I loved that I was participating in it now. One year I played my trumpet (barely, because it was sooooooo cold). Another year my youth group reenacted Christ's death and resurrection. I still loved the breakfast, but avoided the eggs because they were green from sitting in the pan over a sterno for hours.

I won't get into a discussion of my faith. I only want to say that I really miss church and I want my children to have a church-going experience in their lives. The service today was beautiful. The sermon was entertaining and moved me in a way that only my ex-father-in-law can move me. (I know entertaining sounds strange on Easter Sunday, but you would understand if you ever heard a sermon by Carroll Moore!) I know that I will never feel the way I did when I was a child and teenager, but I hope that my children can one day feel it.

This year the kids and I traveled to my parents' house in Epping for Easter. Damien had to work. My brother Nate, his wife Jennifer and their darling little girl Evelyn also made the trip from NY. It was a tight squeeze on Saturday night, but it was so nice to be with my family on my very favorite Holiday. We had a fabulous Easter.

Saturday Night Chinese Food

Saturday evening Cameron colored Easter eggs. He was such a big boy. He did it all himself with very little assistance. He even chose his own dipping tool. Plastic tongs!

Dipping

Waiting

As with all other holidays, celebrations and birthdays, Damien and I tried very hard to keep it simple. And by Damien and I, I mean "I". It could be so easy to overdo it, which would only overwhelm me and the kids. It's easy to not overdo it when the gifts are handmade and local. This year all the gifts were handmade and the tiny bit of chocolate was made in NH. Cameron loved his felt sword and is sleeping with it as I am typing this. Olivia adores her rabbit and was filling and emptying her handmade basket for an hour when we got home this evening.

The Handmade and Local Easter Treats

As a parent I make choices that I believe are right for my family and my kids. Cameron loves the PBS show "Sid the Science Kid". Sid has a toy microphone and Cameron had a feeling it was a toy I wouldn't let him have. He asked me one day if microphones were plastic. I said that toy microphones were plastic and he said, "So I probably can't have one?" While I felt a little twinge of guilt when he said that, I don't feel badly about the choices I have made. I have guided my son into being a conscious consumer. He knows we don't just go out and buy him toys whenever he wants. While a plastic microphone is not my ideal choice for a gift, I realized that while Cameron does not always get what he wants, neither should I. So I conceded to this wish of Cameron's and let my Mom get him a $4 plastic echo microphone which he thinks is the absolute coolest thing ever! I know that he doesn't completely understand my philosophy, but I know that he appreciates these little things more because of it! I am not so closed-minded that I can't see what truly makes my children happy and accept the fact that it is not the end of the world if we have a little bit of plastic in our house, as long, of course, as it is pre-approved plastic!!!

Pure Echo Microphone Joy!

Evelyn With Her New PJs

Knock knock. Aunt Jennifer? Mommy? You in there?

After church we went to my Uncle's house in Salem with my mother's side of the family. It's always a feast! And plenty of vegetable dishes for me. Lots of cookies, pie and brownies for the kids. The kids enjoyed the beautiful sunny, but windy, weather and played outside for a bit. I love watching those three cousins play together. Cameron is so sweet with the two girls!

Dozing on Grampa

Silly Face and Dessert Plate

Messy Dessert Face

Echo Mic Love

Outside in the Beautiful Sunshine!

Little Miss Sunshine

We brought some leftovers home for the Tilton-Northfield firefighters and stopped at the station to drop it off to Daddy. They weren't there so I left it on the counter inside because their refridgerator was full and disgusting!!! When I got home and turned on the news I realized where he was. The Alton Bay Christian Conference Center is currently on fire. It's pretty bad. One firefighter was taken to the hospital and then transferred by helicopter to the hospital. Damien has called since I first heard the news and he is fine. But it's a pretty devastating fire and for the first time it hit me what my husband does for a living.

I will be sleeping lightly tonight, waiting and praying for my husband to come home safely.

Happy Easter!

PS. 10:45, Damien is back at the Fire House eating Easter dinner safe and sound!