Easter Weekend 2021

                                      

Our Easter this year looked incredibly different than last year in pretty much every way, shape and form.  Last year, we were at the height of the first wave of quarantine, the weather was cold and rainy, and we didn't get out of our pajamas or leave our house other than to "egg" a few friends and pick up some groceries for our Easter feast for four.  And this year, we were blessed with beautiful sunny and 70 degree temps, a family almost fully vaccinated, and a sweet baby nephew to celebrate!  Taylor and Kate welcomed their baby boy, Theodore Curt, to their family the Monday of Holy Week, and were just getting settled as a family of three.  We all met together at a park to let our kids and puppies run free, hunt some eggs, and of course, all stare a whole lot at our precious little nephew.

Some sweet memories from our Easter week...

Our first Sunday back to church in over a year called for matching outfits with my girl and a picture to document (with our puppy, of course!).  I wasn't prepared to feel so emotional in church that morning, but my goodness it felt good to be back worshiping in community again.  Now we anxiously await no masks, big hugs, and all that lingering in the atrium.  Soon, soon, soon.  

Other than carving pumpkins, I can't think of a holiday "tradition" I loathe more than egg dyeing.  But this year, I may have finally found a technique that is both creative and effective.  Using a tub of Cool Whip, some gel food colors, and some toothpicks, we had fun experimenting with lots of color swirls and scoring some pretty great results.  And the kids' favorite part was definitely the fact that they could lick their fingers when they were done.  Last year's shaving cream, not so much!

One of my favorite things we did last year during Holy Week was our own Good Friday "last supper."  We baked bread together, poured wine and grape juice in fancy glasses, lit candles, and read about the Passover meal.  We did the same this year and even though instead of baking bread together I baked it myself while the kids were at school, we had to start our meal late because Cruz's baseball practice ran over, and our meal and conversation was interrupted by sweet neighbor kids "egging" our house, I wouldn't have changed a thing.  I'm feeling such a nudge to prioritize these family meals as our spring schedule gets busy and know without a doubt they won't always look pretty but they'll give us an anchor at the end of every day.  And hopefully point us back to our truest anchor, who loved sharing the table with his people. 

And a gorgeous Easter Sunday!  So grateful for the hope we can find in springtime, a world opening back up, and most of all, that empty tomb on Easter Sunday.