A Perfect Day

Today was one of those days that you just want to freeze and frame. I have always loved Easter but for some reason this Easter was extra special. The boys are in bed, the house is cleaned up (or as cleaned up as it's going to get), and the house is quiet. I feel so blessed today and am overwhelmed with thankfulness. I need to get to bed but I also feel the need to sit down and write out the day before I forget it.

I love everything about Easter - dying Easter eggs, the yummy food, lots of candy & sugar highs, the egg hunts, fun spring outfits (or coats when it's freezing cold outside), flowers, sunshine (or snow), and of course, being with family. Easter has always been big in my family, and I desire that for my boys.

It's been so much fun to teach Levi this year about what we celebrate at Easter. For several months now Levi has said the same thing at the end of his prayers each night, "Thank you for dying on the cross, giving us eternal life and living in our hearts. Amen." We have had lots of talks this past week about what that really means, and it has brought such a renewed sense of joy to my heart. I love that aspect of parenting - my faith is often deepened and renewed as I seek to explain God through the eyes of a child. We often think of Christmas as the holiday where we celebrate Jesus, but as Christians, Easter really is our most significant holiday. The fact that Jesus took on flesh and lived as a man is a miraculous thing, and we were redeemed through His death on the cross. But if Jesus had remained dead, the cross would have meant nothing. His resurrection truly gives us our hope and life. He conquered death, and that is definitely something to celebrate!

Our pastor quoted C.S. Lewis today - "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but by it, I see everything else." I just love that. The resurrection of Christ is the essence of Christianity, and it is in this that I find life. True life. Not just mindless day to day living...taking care of the house, raising kids, paying bills, etc. But purposeful living. Hopeful living. Because our Savior lives, Michael and I have hope to pass on to these 3 precious little guys.

In celebration of our living God, our family had the most perfect day. We went to church, had a great lunch at our house with my mom and my sister's family, the kids had an Easter egg hunt in the yard, and we did LOTS of eating. It always makes me smile when my boys get to spend the day with their cousins because they just adore them. However, we really missed the oldest cousins this year - it wasn't the same without them! Happy kids running around with chocolate all over their faces and wearing adorable little outfits all day long is something to smile about!

This was Graham's first Easter, and he was so happy today! He loved the excitement in the house.

Ben entertained us all day with his sweet little personality and his rapidly expanding vocabulary.
And I think I heard Levi say about twenty times today, "Can you open my skittles?" He was bouncing off the walls with excitement all day (or maybe it was all the skittles!)
A perfect day...very few tantrums and fights (except over the plastic Easter Thomas trains in the Easter baskets. Who knew the one pulling the Easter eggs is way cooler than the train pulling bunnies?!), happy kids, time spent with family, and lots of good food. But, most importantly, a day spent celebrating our risen Lord.