Easter 2011

Most of Easter weekend found us dealing with vomit and poop in some way or another. Everyone succumbed to the stomach bug, mentioned in the previous post, except me. Yes, I am Iron Mama. M and S were feeling better by the weekend so there were a few bright spots amidst the sickness and we enjoyed a sort of hodge-podge Easter celebration.

Journey Church hosts a city-wide egg hunt the Saturday before Easter. Mason, Smith, and I joined every man, woman, and child in Bozeman for the festivities. There was snow on the ground, of course, but the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

Easter Sunday we donned our Sunday best and attended church.
The monkeys are too big/old for nursery, and not quite big/old enough for Sunday school, which means they get/have to sit with the adults and listen to the sermon. Many times they do fine, color, read, sit quietly. Other times they act like monkeys. This particular Sunday, I braved the service with the monkeys and without Matt (he was home sick). It was a wrestling match...and I lost...miserably. :)
However, through the sermon, and at various quiet times during the week, God graciously, and tenderly, reminded me to stop focusing on myself and my (trivial) misery so persistently. And that, truly, is the message of Easter isn't it? Freedom from self and sin by Jesus' death and resurrection. I need to be reminded every.single.day. hour. second.

After the wrestling match, er, church, we (Mason, Smith, and I) joined the Oberly's for brunch and another egg hunt. Mason, in the background, is very serious about finding eggs - he's a pro.

Mason in his church shirt - this is one of his favorites because it has two front pockets where he can keep "pens and notebooks just like Papa D".
We gave all the boys a mailbox stuffed with goodies. Smitty always gets blue, like his blankie, and Mason always gets green, like his blankie. Sawyer doesn't care what color he gets, he just wants to play with M's and S's stuff.

I sewed a fabric envelope for each of my dearies, from this tutorial, so they could play mailman over and over again without using up all my paper envelopes. I have plans to send them special mail every now and again.

Later that night, after all my chicks were asleep, I scrubbed every surface with Clorox solution for the third time in so many days. Then I collapsed into bed and genuinely thanked God for normally healthy kids and for the blessed advent of a new week.



**check back soon for the boys' birthday post!