He Is Risen Indeed!

For a day that started with pouring rain and cold temps. and ended in a 3 hour wait in the pediatric urgent care, it really was a great Easter!

Backing up a little...Joshua was out of school on Friday, so Kirk took a half day vacation and we went to Shawnee to visit his parents. We had a great visit with Nanny and Gramps and got to see Aunt Karrie, Uncle Steve, AJ and Brett for a little while too! The boys got to hunt eggs, go riding in the golf cart (Joshua drove!), roll in the leaves down by the creek, and get lots of goodies! We had a great steak dinner and Kirk and I even slipped out for a late night movie! The next day we all met up at Billy Boy's (best bbq in Shawnee) for lunch and then on to the church for some arts and crafts and a huge egg hunt. It was a good time and I'm so glad we got to go.

When we got home on Saturday night, however, it was full steam ahead! I was rushing around doing laundry, ironing Easter outfits, doing baskets, charging video cameras (by golly, I even changed out my purse to match my dress!) getting everything ready for the next morning so we would not be stressed or rushed. Well, let's just say, thank goodness I prepared so much, because I hate to think of what it would have been like had I not done what I did!--It was still rushed and stressed, but I was determined not to let it take away the joy of the reason for the celebration! (I will say, if Kirk had not spent 30 minutes working on the boys' GIGANTIC tiger shark and Star Wars Tie Fighter kites, we would have been on time!--I am not bitter, though...except a little maybe when I look at the monstrously large kites now fully assembled in my house with no place to go!)

The combination of already being 10 minutes behind and the rain made dropping off under the drive thru at church VERY slow! I managed to get the boys in without getting soaked and got them to their classes. Then I waited...and waited...I could hear the music already starting and I was getting anxious and a little perturbed (but remember, I was determined to be joyful!). Needless to say, Kirk returns about 10 minutes later informing me that he had to park at Mardel's and walk over in the rain!

Our "normal" seats were so gone by now and we found ourselves walking up to the balcony! It was totally crowded too, however, we spotted a whole row of empty chairs right in front that had been added. We rushed over, put our stuff down and began to sing! Yea, right? How fortunate, right? Not so much...as soon as we sat down we realized why the seats were not already taken! You couldn't see over the railing when you sat down! So, up we go trying to scout out some more seats. Thankfully we found some available across the room and took off to stake our spot!

And it was just in time! The Lord so showed up in the ensuing praise and worship time! It was meaningful and powerful and full of praise and truth to our Risen Lord! The tone was set and Dr. Harrison preached the word clearly and precisely. With tears and amens, I took in every word and note of the morning feeling so blessed to be a child of our Jesus! What a celebration of hope and peace is Easter!

We left church and met up with Mom and Dad and Melissa and Rus and the girls at Charlestons for lunch. It was so nice to have reservations and just walk in and be seated on such a busy day. We all enjoyed our lunch and then went back to Mom and Dad's house. Before everyone changed clothes, we tried to snap a few pics and then everyone scurried off to get into something cozy! Mom had tons of yummy desserts, the Masters golf tourney was on and naps ensued! We all woke up to eat and hunt eggs and visit! What a delightful day of celebration and family and fellowship.

Yes, the day did end with me taking JT to the urgent care and having to sit for three hours in a CRAZY waiting room filled to the brim with sick and rowdy children, but in between John Thomas' strep test and chest x-ray and endless waiting, we read a book that was in the exam room. It was a bible story book and I was totally paraphrasing because it was so not on a 3 year old's level. Anyone that looks "biblical" to JT is Jesus, so every page he kept pointing out Jesus to me, however when we came to the part where it actually was Him coming into Jerusalem, I said, "Hosanna" and John Thomas said, "Yes! Hosanna to the King!" Yes, my sweet Baby. Hosanna to the King! He is risen indeed.