Easter Remembered

There is a lot about Easter that I don't want to remember...

Actually, it started off terrible.

Scott and I fought.

Scott and Landon fought.

We were rushed (who would have guessed).

My hair was frizzy.

Kellen cried.

I just knew it was going to be bad, but we took a (extremely fake) Happy Family Easter Picture and got on our way.

And then, somewhere between backing out of the driveway and I35-S, we somehow turned our moods around.  
And now... there is a lot that I want to remember about our Easter.
 

I want to remember the fun we had coloring eggs.

I want to remember their little faces seeing the baskets the bunny had left.

I want to remember sweet Landon helping his little brother find eggs and feeding him the treats that were found inside.

And then crying when Kellen accidentally bit his finger.

I want to remember going to church with the family. I want to remember the way I felt hugging my baby while the people sang. I want to remember the way my heart swelled when Sandy (the pastor) saw Chloe and told her that everyone had been praying for her when she most needed it.  I want to remember how much I love that church because it feels more like a welcoming house filled with love than any other church I have ever been to. It's not cold or uninviting or preachy. Just warm. I wish we had a church like that close to home.

I want to remember how much I love and appreciate the traditions that come with going to Grandma and Grandpa's. I love that we always eat in the dining room and we always eat on the "good stuff"... the kind of dishes my children will only get to experience at Grandma and Grandpa's. The kind you have to hand-wash. We always pray, we always sit in the same spots, and we always, always have good food.  I love the formality of the meal.  And then, after dinner, we get to lounge. It has taken me all of 5 years to get used to the fact that the Cruces don't have to be "together" in the same room all of the time.  I love that it is so comfortable and everyone does what they want.  Men usually downstairs watching some sport, women watching something else upstairs, kids napping, grandma being forced to play "mean guys good guys" or "alfas".  At some point, everyone always ends up in the living room for togetherness, laughing and dessert!  I love that we have such a small family with such big love.

I want to remember coming home, ditching the nice clothes and the bunny ears and just playing outside.

I want to remember my mom and sister coming over to see the boys -even when the boys "easter outfits" had changed dramatically- because we couldn't possibly go a holiday without seeing each other. 

I want to remember that as I sat on my stoop, Easter night, I thought about how lucky we are to have each other. How lucky we are to have our family, friends and health.  I realized that my family is my religion and my home is my church. And even when the mornings at 9705 start off super-duper terrible, this place still makes me feel safe and home.

 I want to remember this (extremely real) Happy Family Easter Picture...