Easter, 2014

Like I said in Wilson's update post, we have been talking about death alot lately because of Andrew's grandfather's passing into heaven. If Wilson doesn't see or talk to someone for a couple of days, he asks if they died (ack!)... it's all kind of morbid, but it gives a good springboard to talk about spiritual things with him.

We were making Easter cards for family with crosses on the front and I asked Wilson if he knew what happened on the cross. Nope. (He can remember all the lines to Wheels on the Bus... but not this?! Side note.) He likes to make sure that Grandaddy really is getting a new body, because (was this a mistake?) he saw the old one in the casket and realizes it doesn't work anymore... that it's just a shell, a temporary home. I told him that the only reason Grandaddy can have a new body, the only reason Grandaddy is safe in heaven, is because of what Jesus did on the cross. 

How in the world do you tell a three year old about the most precious, incredible moment in human history? I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and not let go until he understood every word. I know that will come, and I know that our job as his parents is to weave these beautiful truths into everyday life for him... so I am praying God gives us a lot of grace to do that.

Easter was always one of my favorite holidays growing up, and I want to make it memorable for him, too. So I made this bunny cake. Maybe it's just from pictures, but I think I can remember alot of cakes my mom and grandmothers made growing up.... something that tastes SO good decorated really fun just seems to seer in the memory. It wasn't terribly hard but when we arrived at the egg hunt I was taking it to and it slid from the front seat into the floorboard I cried lots and lots of tears.

I must have had an angel in the floorboard, because by some miracle the cake survived. I can't explain it y'all... supernatural cake resurrection.

Our friends, the Smiths, had all the friends over the week before Easter for a egg hunt at their house. So thoughtful of them to host! One of my favorite parts was trying to get a picture of all our little people.

Do our friends make cute babies, or what?

We released the hounds outside to hunt down their ten eggs a piece.

Wilson tried to stop and open each egg to see what was inside before he put it in his bucket. A sly one. We convinced him that this was a terrible gamble and all the eggs and chocolate would be gobbled up if he didn't hurry.

On the Saturday before Easter, we went to another egg hunt at Wilson's sunday school teachers' house. They invite every child in the church and there must have been 100 kids there. Incredibly generous.

I kind of gabbed with a friend the whole time and didn't see Wilson hunt one egg, but I don't think he cared. By the time I got to him he was content playing in the sand box.

We loaded up on some more sugar and played with friends.

On Sunday morning I woke W up by telling him he had a surprise in the kitchen.

We didn't do an Easter basket last year and I felt the pang of it afterwards... you know, the mom guilt. So I put a little something together for him this year. 

Really I wanted an excuse to buy him these two CDs I've been holding in my Amazon cart for awhile. Hidden in my Heart sings mostly straight scripture and is definitely a lullaby CD (I tried to play it this morning during breakfast and it was lulling us all back to sleepy town.)... but it has such pretty arrangements and beautiful lyrics. The Elizabeth Mitchell CD (Thanks, Courtney for the rec!) is just straight fun... very folksy and upbeat and she sounds a lot like Sheryl Crow to me, whom I adore.

Also, he got his first pair of goggles.

Then off we went to have the words of the gospel washed over our souls. A beautiful sermon on a vindicated King and I left thinking how incredibly blessed we are to hear such life-changing gospel truths every Sunday... not just Easter.

Who is this dapper young fellow? And what did he do with my toddling Little Man? :(

We had a family Easter lunch (plus our sweet friend, Tori)... I cooked my first Easter lunch ever. (How did I make it this long without doing that?) and then we just lounged around in the hammock the rest of the day. 

And Charlie kicked his hardest kicks and made sure we all remembered he's on his way. Yes, we know Charlie... we are ready for you to join in the fun. Happy Resurrection Day to all.

Seven & Thirty

April is my favorite month of the year. I can't imagine a more perfect time to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday than when the world is turning green again and bursting with color. 

This year Andrew and I celebrated our seventh anniversary and that number seems so small to me. Could it only be seven? I can't really remember life without him and don't want to. He's the most beautiful constant thing... always laying down his life for me and making me feel like the most incredible woman in the world. I'm not, but I am humbled to think I'm married to the most incredible husband (who is currently ripping up linoleum on his day off because that's what kind of a servant he is). 

Mom came in to watch Wilson last weekend and sent Andrew and I off to celebrate in Point Clear/Fairhope, Alabama. It felt like our honeymoon all over again... except this time we were early risers and went to yard sales and played horse shoes and watched fish jump and read the newspaper over breakfast and oh my goodness, I really am 30! 

It was everything we needed. 

I only got one picture (selfie, classy) of us and it was blurry and terrible but who can think about capturing the weekend with pictures when you are having the best of best times?

Happy seventh, Andrew! Let's keep doing this marriage thing... it's fun. 

Yesterday I celebrated 30 years of life and unlike seven THIS number seems too big. I don't feel 30... but then again, what is 30 supposed to feel like?

It seems fitting to celebrate Easter in the midst of my birthday, because the gospel is really what gives me such contentment with where I am in life. I lack nothing. The veil is torn and it is finished... the Servant King has washed my feet and my heart. Everything else is just an overflow of goodness and grace.

I told Andrew that for my 30th I wanted all of our friends over for a grill out in our backyard. He got frustrated at me several times because I was doing too much hosting for my own party, but giving me the chance to host is a gift. It's my favorite thing and the older I get the more I'm learning how to use things that give me joy to bless others. 

I told Wilson all I wanted from him was a good picture of us.

After about ten tries and a little bribing, he finally obliged.

We had a backyard full of our favorite people and my favorite littles, and I was thinking that life really couldn't get better.

Can you see how W is learning how to brand his toys?

 Have I said too many times how much I love our friends here? In this season of life I feel like I'm desperate for other moms with genuine honesty, sharpening encouragement, and the desire to live in real community. These friends are all that and more. There's never been a time when I've had a problem and thought, "Who can I call?" because I have a wealth of grace at my fingertips. I'm going to lock them all up in our attic and never let any of them leave me... but really.

And all of their littles, too.

At some point my party turned into a Frozen dance party and I was thrilled to be so trendy. Who of the cool girls, hasn't had a Frozen party this year... I would have hated to have been left out.

A night I will store up and treasure in my heart. Here's to the next decade! I'm hopeful for the hard and the beautiful, because I know that they are both necessary to get me ready for heaven and to experience it fully now.

Holiday Catch Up Part II: Christmas in Mississippi

Last year we decided that we were staying put in the month of December until Christmas Day. Since it seems like the rest of our year is on the go, we so enjoyed this restful advent and decided to do a repeat of it this year. 

Also on repeat this year was getting our second REAL tree. I'm pretty obsessed with the concept of a real tree now... nothing artificial comes even close to its beauty and the smell, OH the smell. 

My morning (all-day) sickness was at its peak in December, which actually lent well to giving me freedom from the pressure to do all things at Christmas. We kept our advent simple: Lit a candle each Sunday, read a story from Jesus Storybook at night, and let every heart prepare Him room.



We also had some fun times with students (that I failed to get pictures of). One favorite was a carol singing night at our house, with a student at the piano and precious advent verses in between each song. It was so dear to us to celebrate our hope with these students who have become our family. And then we brought a few along with us to our annual tradition of the Lewis Lights. Wilson thinks they are all his big brothers and sisters and I really love that.

Andrew's parents came into Mississippi on the 22nd and we had a fun couple of days celebrating Christmas with them. Like last year, we treated the 23rd like our Christmas Eve and had some fun making sugar cookies with Little Man. 

Who am I kidding? He did maybe three before a combination of his disinterest and my controlling-personality (the reindeer HAS to have both of his feet) made him run off and play legos while the adults had fun with sprinkles. 

But he did get to pick out which cookies to leave for Santa that night (because Santa came a day early at our house).

He kept saying, "Just these three and then the rest he will not eat?" We've got a Scrooge-like tipper at our house, Santa. Sorry, Old Man! 

This is a "Mom if you have to take one more picture, I'm going to make you pay for it" face.

We finished the night with the advent calendar and a Jesus Storybook Bible reading.

The next morning we woke up to a lazy morning of cinnamon rolls and coffee and a little boy who didn't know it wasn't normal to eat a long, slow breakfast before running into the living room to open presents. How much longer do we have before that's over? I'm not sure, but I'm going to milk it.

Santa fills the stockings in our house and then Little Man gets three presents from Mommy and Daddy. I love the simplicity of that and the fact that he has full attention to really enjoy and appreciate what he gets.

New underwear!

Monster trucks were the theme of this Christmas

Monster truck legos were a hit and combination of his two favorite things

His "big" gift from us was a rocket ship. He hadn't asked for one but I had an inkling that he would love it. And he did.

Baba and Grandan got him the coolest fire truck sleeping bag and he really couldn't wait to sleep in it. 

That night we headed off to our church's Christmas Eve service which is probably the biggest reason we wanted to stay in town.  

We are so thankful for the time to adore Jesus, to ponder in our hearts what it means that He has come, and to watch and wait for His return to set all things right. All the bad is coming untrue, and this world will be made new. Amen and amen!