Easter Sunday

Finally, Easter Sunday. Here's my confession: Easter service is my least favorite service of the year. In my snarkier, crankier moments I think of it as amateur night at church. I'm not saying that's the right attitude--in fact, I know just how wrong an attitude it is. I'm just sayin'. It's crowded. One year I actually got to church and turned around and left because people were spilling out onto the street. This year was crowded, too, and Anneke and I FELL on the way in because I couldn't resist wearing my ridiculously high-heeled red shoes. But, as with everything else, church was a whole different experience with Anneke in my arms. She was enthralled with the processional, and the beautiful music, and the stained glass windows ("cat! cat! cat!"). Everyone was so glad to see her, and she got to plunge her hands into the baptismal font and splash around once again. She was a doll in the nursery and danced to all the good music when I brought her back in for the end of the service. She finally melted down, but one of the aforementioned "amateurs" offered to hold her while I gathered our stuff to high-tail it out of the building. So much for being snarky.
Today the sermon was about resurrection, of course, and the notion of resurrecting hope. It hit home for me, as I know several people who have a tenuous grasp on hope right in the face of hard, scary times. I prayed hard for them to experience their own resurrection and for guidance on how to support them in the meantime.

Then on to brunch a the McMillers and dinner Kevin and Stephanie's house--it's Claire's third birthday!

Easter dress--thank you, Dawn! and see, Emily, those shoes couldn't be a more perfect match!

Erin's awesome play area

Cousins!

Cupcake aftermath