Easter

I love Easter!

(Easter 2008, above and below)

My husband proposed to me on Easter (April 16, 1995). I wish I had a picture of that but it was just the two of us and no cameras were around. The thing I remember most about our engagement was after Dave proposed we went to a little outdoor pub and sat and planned our life. It was magical to sit with someone you love and dream about the life you would share. And we have a wonderful life together. I really could not have dreamed it would any better.

Also, Kate came home Easter weekend. I remember planning and hoping she would be home for Easter that year. I had bought this darling dress and bunny bow....

(she has an equally cute smocked bunny dress for this year;)

(and a bigger version of this bow!)

(Easter 2007)

Everyone was a little tired that first Easter home:)

This weekend we plan to head to the beach and do some boating with Dave's family. We will also go to Mass and have our little 3 peanuts egg hunt and a quiet family dinner. It was funny when I mentioned to Will (who is almost 13!) that we would head to the beach, he was a little upset. He LOVES family traditions and he wanted to make sure that we would have an egg hunt at home. I love that he still clings to the traditions of childhood. He is my sentimental one.

A few people have asked about my Lenten sacrifice. I am so proud to say that I made it!!! I did not buy one book,magazine, piece of clothing, bottle of nail polish...anything!!!! I was not 100% certain that I would. There was a time last week when I found myself in J. Crew and Lily Pulitzer seriously contemplating a way around my commitment. But I prevailed. I learned a lot. I learned that I don't need most of what I buy. I learned that I have more self-control than I thought. But I learned even more that temptation is all around us in life. However, if we keep our eyes on our commitment to God, we can resist it all. We cannot hide from God. He knows our hearts.

Now, you will have to excuse the fact that I have nothing new and cute to wear for Easter (I bought the kid's outfits before Lent). I am still human (weak) enough to admit that bothers me. I wish I had some cute and colorful Spring frock to wear but I know that is NOT what the day is about.

The true reason I love Easter is that Jesus rose to give us Eternal Life.

I came across this scripture in my daily reading a few weeks ago and I love it. It is so fitting for this weekend...

¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5: 1-5

I love the whole passage but added the bold emphasis as this part has been especially meaningful to me. There are people who have contemplated the purpose of a Lenten sacrifice and to me the bold part explains it perfectly.

Have a Blessed Easter!