Easter 2015

This Easter was a very special one indeed!  I always love Easter for so many reasons.  I love springtime!  I love the changing of the seasons anytime, but springtime is such a wonderful reminder of God making all things new.  Life is greener, brighter, and more colorful this time of year.  It is a perfect boost of cheer from the dark winter we are usually getting tired of by Easter.  I also love Easter because I love to see all the children in their new, spring clothes.  There are sweet dresses and darling bubbles.  Ruffles and lace.  I'm a children's clothing junkie.  I admit it.  I love the excitement of Easter egg hunts and the Easter bunny.  But most of all, I love what Easter stands for.  It is a celebration of Jesus's resurrection!  A promise that "Sunday's a'comin!" He has won, and He will come for us again.  Of course we celebrate and remember His resurrection everyday, but this is one day that we hold special...a celebration day!  Thank the Lord He has risen!

The kids woke up Sunday morning to fun surprises from the Easter Bunny.  It's more fun each year to watch Millie Janalee's reaction since she is becoming more and more aware of what is going on around her.  I carried her down the stairs, and she said "For meeee?!"  So fun!

And of course, we were elated to celebrate Smith's first Easter!  Such a special day.  He donned the traditional "Baby's First Easter bunny ears" and he was so happy to do so.  I love him so!

Russ and I enjoyed watching Millie Janalee help Smith look through his little Easter basket.  Gosh, I love watching them interact.  Even when they are hitting each other, it just fills my heart and makes me smile.  Thankful, thankful.  All the time!

Russ and I did the typical rushing around trying to get everyone ready in their Easter Sunday best without speaking harshly to each other.  We may have lived on the edge there at the end, but I managed a few pictures of the kids fussing...actually it was more like Smith trying to grab Millie Janalee with a huge smile on his face while she pouted and tried to keep him from touching her dress.  Don't tell me I'm the only one with that kind of Easter morning!

We picked them up from the nursery, and Millie Janalee had made a sweet and yummy craft in Sunday school.  She was devastated when she found out she couldn't eat the donut that was attached with glue.  But she soon forgot.  And I managed to get a cheerful picture of my sweet Easter bunnies!

Smith and Millie Janalee 2015

Smith and Hughes

Every Easter, my mom cooks a delicious and special Easter lunch.  So my entire family goes to my parents' house after church for lunch and the obligatory family photo.  It's getting harder and harder to get the "perfect picture" with all these babies in the mix.  But it perfectly describes the moment.  And that's what we will love in the future.

Becoming a mother of two changes things all across the board.  One of those things is my own Easter dress.  Russ and I just grabbed something from our closets and threw it on.  At least the kids were perfectly planned and picture perfect.  I wouldn't change if for the world!  THIS is what I was made for!  God created me to be Russ's wife and mother to Millie Janalee and Smith.  What else He has planned...we will just have to watch and see.  But I know it will be immeasurably more!

Happy Easter...months later!