Easter Celebration

I LOVED Easter this year! I always find that if I observed Lent faithfully that Easter's joy is extra special. This year I gave up sweets, which I haven't done in a long time. I realized how hooked I am on them and would like to try to hold off if I can. Nathan felt like he was giving up sweets too because I also stopped baking them! To celebrate the end of my sweets fast I made an amazing chocolate cake from my Macrina Bakery Cookbook (the best ever by the way!). It was so delicious with a dark chocolate frosting and moist cake that everyone ate it up. Easter was also very special because Mom, Dad, Hailey and the boys joined us at Bethany Presbyterian Church where Sylvia plays. She and Tom are members there and Tom sang in the choir. I loved how joyful the service was, especially the Hallelujah Chorus and Pastor Heidi's sermon. Her sermon was about how Jesus often reveals himself slowly to us like to the strangers on the road to Emmaus. The strangers did not realized they were speaking to Jesus until they broke bread with him hours after they met. She also talked about the disciples meeting the resurrected Jesus, then he quickly disappeared. Jesus disappeared so that the disciples could use their faith to believe in Him. I would really recommend listening to the whole thing here: http://bethanypc.org/sermons/2012/index.htm After church we celebrated with a great big ham meal at the Oines'. The kids got their Easter baskets and did an egg hunt in the back yard. Isaac quickly found half of them. Linnea ate the goodies inside as she went along. Eli was happy to share his candy. Sofia was satisfied shaking one egg! We had some special friends and family join us. My aunts Sharron and Gayle came with their cute dog Cali. Gayle was happy to share that she quit smoking 3 months ago! That's wonderful Gayle. My good friend Heidi came with her fiance Wilson. They will be married in October. And Nancy and Amelia came, who are basically family! I loved spending time with everyone and feeling God's love for us on Easter. He has risen! He has risen indeed!