Holy Week

Holy Week this year was one of the more deliberate and lovely that I've ever had. It was a luxury to be able to give it so much attention; a real grace that I received despite having been perfectly lousy at Lent this year.

Below are the objects I used to teach the Chapel kids about Holy Week, on Palm Sunday. I might have told them that kids say Hosanna better than adults do and might have sent them marching back into church singing Hosanna a bit louder than is usually Episcopal. I regret nothing.

By the way, this is how our Resurrection Garden looked early in Holy Week:

Bearing much fruit

Lighter and lighter the evenings come. This is last Tuesday's 8pm, after I taught my one class (as required in the syllabus). I can see the finish line to this semester and it is taking some discipline to sprint to a premature finish.

Holy Wednesday was our 9th anniversary!

We had a low key time at a local bar that evening, but it was a precious opportunity to talk and enjoy each other. Still, we're making plans to take a trip later in April to celebrate as a family.

Good Friday's sky looked just as it should. 

Thursday night brought us the Grunert Grandparents! We really enjoyed catching up with them, and the kids, needless to say, looooved the attention. At one point, one grandparent was reading to each child, the book of each's choice. Heaven!

I made a slap-dash Christ candle this year. Little efforts at beauty make a difference in one's happiness, don't they?

The Grunerts and Michaela & Marshall joined us for the Smithfield Plantation Egg Hunt. It was precious family time!

Miles was Adele's hunting dog during the Chick Hunt. He would point at eggs, and she'd pick them up. 

Obligatory Smithfield fence picture:

Besties

Miles at the takeoff. He's serious. 

Proud. 

Cuddling with Aunt & Uncle:

watching the blacksmith

Rock pizzas! She's practicing for the "Pizza Shelter" she plans to own when she grows up

Easter morning comes early when you attend the Great Vigil at 6am!

I just breathe this service in. I love the darkness, the fire, the incense, the chanting. I love not being able to see the spring flowers covering the alter but knowing they are there. I love the Old Testament readings and the candles, and I sure love that Easter acclamation and the lights coming on! Alleluia! 

Miles & the other choristers were singing in the 8:30 service, so we stayed for that. But I sneaked out early because I was just flat out too tired to stand up any longer. Fortunately, the egg hunt outside revived me. 

Below, Adele hunts in the sandbox with the other littles, while the bigs have just been released. Look at them charge! See Miles with his hat?

See Miles' ears on his hat?

Showing off their loot. There were a LOT of eggs. 

After church, we all had a nap! Easter miracle!

And later on, the kids (including my inner kid) all did chalk drawings with our new chalk from Grandma & Grandpa Grunert. Thank you!!

A night sky

Below, Adele and my photoshoot. People kept saying we matched. I didn't see the dresses matching, but our attitudes do.

She is my pretty little dutchess. And by the way, when she is grown, there will be a pizza shelter in NYC one day with a huge rainbow painted bus parked out front; that'll be where you'll find Adele if her plans pan out. 

Miles marches boldly into Eastertide this morning. It was sunny and warm already! 

This 50 days promise much! I will try to take them one at a time.