as for Easter Sunday

We had a lovely Easter.  I can say that honestly. 

I tend to stress myself out when it comes to holidays, preparing food for different events or celebrations, trying to plan our days, and getting ready to make multiple stops to see everyone we want to see.  When we added an infant to the mix who we want to share with everyone, my nerves surrounding holidays tend to become shot.  Christmas just about killed us, or rather my stressing out about making all our stops and trying to factor in feeding and napping times with a six-week old during cold and flu season. 

I don't want that for our children.  I want us to remember holidays as a time of celebrating the gospel.  Whether it be a time of recognizing a savior that is born to us, or a savior that is died and resurrected to us, I am determined that our holidays will remain focused on the important things.  With the grace of God, and the graciousness of my husband, we remembered that this weekend.

And we got some good shots along the way.  Saturday we visited family in Spartanburg.  Now I'm not ready to tackle the Easter bunny question just yet, but there may have been a man dressed in a terrifying bunny costume present.  And that may, or may not, be my child snuggled in his lap.  For whatever reason, she took to him and was more than compliant for this photo.

 

Sunday we celebrated with more family, and got what I believe is the first good picture of the three of us, aside from the fact that MPG is trying to eat her dress...

 And, there was the birth of our first family Easter tradition.  A walk at sunrise.  It came out of struggle.  We were up early cooking.  Zach was on Sweet P duty while I was trying to figure out how to cook my first ham.  His duties also included keeping the dog occupied, and there was great potential for tension and bad attitudes.  All of the sudden, he was saying that we should take a walk when the sun came up.  And that's what we did.

 

We got to spend some time together celebrating as a family, it was gorgeous outside, and as we walked by a church down the street from us we could hear a congregation worshiping in their courtyard during their sunrise service.  Can't wait to carry on this tradition as our family grows.