Easter 2009

This was the first Easter in 28 years that I didn't spend it with my family. Can you believe it? Not a one have I been a part from my dear family on this special day. We really missed the big group traditions and will enjoy our time together next year, but it was fun recreating them on a smaller scale at our house.

The week leading up to Easter was so much fun. Jackson loved listening to the multitude of Easter/Spring books I've collected and had so much fun doing cute crafts together. We made spring chick puppets, the tomb where Jesus was buried with paper plates and crunched up paper for the stone as we acted it out, and marble painted eggs. His favorite was the marble egg painting.

Jackson practiced his egg hunting skills as we hunted eggs at our annual playgroup Easter party where he devoured half a bowl of marshmallows, again at school on Wednesday, and with the multiple house egg hunts we had in our house.

Bryan had Friday off which we spent relaxing together and dying eggs in the afternoon. I was a little dismayed that my rainbow striped egg turned grey after being dumped in the orange bowl by my little stinker. Jackson is not the child that sits and plays with one activity for a long time, which I think is most 2 year old boys, so seeing him giggle and laugh and stay at the table until each of the 9 eggs were beautifully colored to his liking was so fun. I think he shares my favorite tradition!
The Easter Bunny came early this year on Saturday morning because he knew it was going to rain Sunday, so Jackson woke up to a basket of goodies, eaten carrots on the patio, and 50 eggs to hunt. I think I went a little overboard, or maybe I should say Bryan thought I went a little overboard, but it was so much fun seeing him find each egg, shake it, dump it out to see what treat was inside, and eat them as fast as he could. Pure joy!
Sunday morning we headed to church. I love looking around at the many many faces on Easter Sunday that come to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. It's breathtaking to look and see the faith in so many fellow Christians that believe in the most amazing event that changed our lives forever. Our pastor is in the midst of leading a sermon series on Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, from Genesis 12 - 36. He spoke of the righteousness that is credited to us by God "When you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9. He tied the Resurrection story so beautifully to the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 15. Here is a link to his sermon notes and podcast.

http://www.whatisgrace.org/sunday.html

I know Jackson will always enjoy the activities surrounding Easter, but my prayer is that he will experience by faith the most amazing gift of righteousness through God.

After church we headed to Bryan's parents house, because it was about time I shared this holiday. We had a wonderful lunch at Aunt Karen's, an egg hunt at Honey and Doc's, and then Jackson became transformed into a little fish in their hot tub splashing around and swimming back and forth underwater to Doc for a solid hour.

To view more Easter pictures click on the April 2009 picture link on the left.