Easter Sunday Twenty-Fourteen

 Before Church:

Surprise baskets

French toast and fruit for breakfast

Dan's roll-making session

"When will we have the Easter egg hunt?" (heard twenty times)

New Sunday clothes 

First photo attempts

Apparently we have a tradition of doing an Easter Bunny ear shot. Or so they say.

At Church:

Talks on all we can do because of Him

"I Stand All Amazed", sung by the children

J's talk, which he pulled off with his normal outline and confidence.

Eight kids in nursery

2-minute lesson on Resurrection and the empty tomb

(Because that's all you have with two-year olds)

The rest of the two-hour block with eight adorable kids and my nursery partner 

After Church:

This shot in the parking lot.

Hard-boiled eggs for snack
Egg hunt outside

Two hours of food prep, just a little quiet stress, yellow tulips on the table, two new recipes.

Eighteen of us at dinner--two families, two sisters, two adoptees

Delicious additions to the meal from invitees

Boys table, girls table, grown-up table

Four square in the cul-de-sac

Sees Candy, sheet cake, and conversation after dinner

I love big family dinners. 
When do I get to do this again?

Note to self for next year:

I have big plans.

A new tradition to celebrate Lent.

(We don't follow the liturgical calendar, but this is a great opportunity.)
A seder dinner as a family. 

More Holy Week build up

A sunrise service
Another He Is Risen banner.
(This year's was masterfully water-colored by A.)

I love Easter. I am so grateful for the hope and peace I feel, for the assurance we have that there are no ends, for Christ's perfect example of giving all.