A day to be joyful!

We love Easter!! It's like a new beginning on the church's calendar. We start fresh with a renewed commitment to live in a way that shows how thankful we are for Christ's sacrifice. That and we get to each lots of chocolate. Hannah and Ellie, but especially Hannah, looks forward to Easter like it's Christmas. We had to count down every day of Lent with anticipation. There were some days that she asked more than once how many days were left. 40 days is like an eternity for a child (and that child's mother).

Well, all the anticipation was worth it. We had an Easter Egg hunt at church. Everyone got plenty of eggs and commenced eating as much candy as possible without delay. Benjamin even got an egg whose contents he generously gave to his Mommy. Yes, I took candy from a baby.
Then we went to San Antonio for Easter weekend. It seemed appropriate to celebrate the holiday as a family with Granny's funeral just passed. It was nice to have a couple days of fun together. Here are pictures of the girls and Benjamin on Easter Sunday. Amazingly, they didn't have chocolate on their dresses yet! However, no one was in the mood to pose for pictures, so we do not have one of the whole family. It's mornings like this when you most remember why it was necessary for God to come to earth as a man and save us from ourselves!! The rest of the day went well, though. All the girls and Ben went to Brackenridge park the following day while the guys went to play a little golf. We all met up for lunch before it was time to head back to Houston.

Benjamin on Easter Sunday

The girls hunting for eggs in Noni and Papa's back yard. Hannah was disappointed to find out that the eggs outside weren't stuffed. I guess the 12 stuffed eggs in her basket weren't quite the loot she was hoping for!

All set for a train ride through the park!

Hold on tight, Benjamin...the train goes at least 3 miles an hour!

Noni with all the kids at the Sunken Gardens. Is that a smile I see on everyone's face. It's a beautiful thing!

This picture documents a record for the closest my daughters have ever come to a live insect. Yes, folks that's a Roly Poly and just a few minutes after this picture was taken an obsession with roly polies began. We've been searching for them wherever we go ever since. Ellie still won't touch them, but she doesn't scream when she sees one. Baby steps.