Happy Easter 2009

Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. Growing up we always celebrated it at my Grandad's home in Sterling, Illinois, with my extended family. I love spring -and it was always slighly warmer there than in Wisconsin. One of our Easter traditions, that I loved as a child, was hunting for our Easter baskets. My dad, the bunny, would hide them 25 feet up a tree, over a 6 foot stone fence, on a beaver's dam, and other creatvie places. This year I was the bunny. I hid the baskets for Luke and Eva and I loved watching Luke run to find both. Now he has been carrying around all his important items in his basket. He has his blankets and stuffed animals in them currently.

I also loved Easter because I loved wearing an Easter dress. My grandmother would buy all the girls Easter corsages that we would wear to church. We would bring home an Easter lily from the front of the sanctuary. Everyone in the family would sing, "Christ, is risen, Allelulia" throughout the day as they felt lead. They would sing the special "Grandy way" where you do a heel raise for every high note. After church we would lay out on the grass on a pink sheet and absorb the sun that we had not felt over the long winter. We would climb the magnolia tree and take our pictures there. Now, I was the one carrying my daughter in her dress. I love her so much and kiss her all the time and I still want her to know that I love her more. I want to give my children the special memories I have of Easter.

Sweet Spot

I am so thankful for the wonderful child care that I have found for Luke and Eva as I work on Tuesday and Thursday. Before Luke and Eva were at a day care called All About Learning. Dave dropped the kids off and picked up so I did not have to say good bye to the kids on a daily basis. Yet every day I hated to leave and I wanted to quit my job. I imagined them in one room for 10.5 hours with rotating hourly workers.

Now, Eva stays with Marilyn and three of my co-workers kids. Eva gets held and loved all day long. Marilyn even has two pictures of Eva framed and hanging in the wall of her foyer. I am so fortunate to have her to love Eva. I enjoy working again because of her. Here are the boys letting Eva drive the space ship to Pluto and then then sun.

Luke's school has also been a wonderful place for him to receive consistent love. He will have the same two teachers until he is 5.5 years old and starts attending Kindergarten. Every week a family brings the sharing basket. Last week we brought the basket with strawberries, cantaloupe, bananas, grapes, flowers, many crackers, gallons of milk, and cleaning supplies.