Got our Allelulias back!

It has been a long Lent! We were so ready for some Easter cheer yesterday.

Storytime!
We awoke at 5 am on Easter Sunday, this time not simply to feed the baby or redirect the toddler back to his room, but to attend the Great Vigil at church, start time: 6 am!

...Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it. It's an intensely beautiful service,  beginning with darkness, fire, incense, candles, plainsong, and a pageant! (I had big plans for photographing the whole morning. Alas, once again, I failed to hire a photographer for the event.) Yes, a pageant, children dressed as animals and symbolic concepts, sound effects, simple and lovely and, as always, I thrust my firstborn child directly into it. Like a donation to the church, which should surely be tax-deductible.

At rehearsal, Miles was a straight-up terror. That is all. When Easter actually dawned, however, all seemed on-track for full participation. He waited in the darkness with me, wearing his cow-helmet, supposedly prepared to perform his part of wandering, mooing, and hustling into the ark at the thunder sound-effect. At the last moment, however, when I nudged him after his cue, he began to SHOUT: "NO! NOO!! NO ARK! NOOO I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THE ARK! NOOOOO!!"

It was epic. However, we had very good seats for the pageant and enjoyed church very much.

Jon caught a couple of shots of Miles on the way to get his Easter basket that make him look like a GQ model, according to Jon.

This little boy will NOT suffer to be called a baby, or even a little boy. If you ask him, you will find that he has become a man. A "BIG" man. Pretty good for 2 and a half.

Fortunately, this one doesn't mind being referred to as my baby. Adele was so mellow and mild and happy, this Easter!

He was actually saying, "See, baby sister, this a egg. A orange egg."

My little Easter Egg. I was trying so hard to get a picture that shows how gorgeous her eyes are becoming. I don't think either picture does her full justice.