Jesus is Alive!

March 31:  I loved having a relaxing Easter morning at home.  We started our morning by telling the Easter story with "Resurrection Eggs" activity.  The activity is meant to be done during the 12 days leading up to Easter but we did it all on Easter morning.  I was able to put the kit together the day before using things I had around the house.  The kids loved taking turns opening each egg to see what  was inside.  After each egg was opened we read a corresponding scripture.  The eggs told the story beginning with Mary washing Jesus feet thru the empty tomb.  I used these instructions and printables to put my kit together.  I of course saved it with my Easter stuff so we can use it again.  I also used it at church with my 2-year-old class and they were very captivated!

After we read the Easter story we let the kids look for their baskets and their colored eggs.  They were excited for the surprises they found... Macey's favorite was the movie, Jamanji.  The kids had rented this from the library several times and Macey LOVES it.  She started screaming as soon as she saw it!  Kinnick's favorite surprise was his Derrick Rose jersey.  Doggie Dog also got a Bulls jersey.  Sadie loved her new umbrella and her Barbie earbuds.  She also got a "big girl" necklace--an "S" with a pink jewel.   

I can't tell the story or Easter morning 2013 without telling the WHOLE story--the good with the... not so good.  I took the girls shopping the week before Easter to pick out new dresses.  Every year previous to this one I color coordinated our family and a few years the girls had matching dresses.  Christmas and Easter are about the only time I splurge on new outfits for our kids (ones that aren't on clearance!)  I knew this year would be more challenging because Sadie has become quite picky and quite opinionated about what she likes to wear.  It was okay with me if the kids didn't match. 

Shopping: Sadie quickly picked out a hot pink sequined skirt that she was in love with.  I told her that was fine but we had trouble finding a shirt to match--every shirt I suggested had "something" wrong with it.  I finally told her we would have to look at another store but we could still buy the skirt.  (Macey happily picked one of the 3 dresses I suggested.)  Sadie also chose a dangly (like down to her shoulders) sequined hot pink hair clip.  We made our purchases and left.  I later picked up 2 shirts at Target that I thought would match her skirt.  She first complained that they were both black and that is her "worst" color.  After I convinced her that hot pink doesn't match easily with other colors she choose the shirt that was my second choice. 

Easter Morning:  When it was time to get dressed I gave Sadie some knee length black tights to wear under her skirt.  You would have thought I was torturing her--she did not want to wear the tights.  I decided not to pick this battle because I  didn't want to ruin my morning.  She put her skirt on and immediately burst into tears because the skit was "itchy."  Let me just say--the "itchy" that she was referring to was the 1/4" bottom of the skirt where the sequin material passed the lining.  By this time I was frustrated and we needed to get moving so we wouldn't be late.  Marc talked to her, I talked to her... nothing worked.  The only thing Sadie was sure about was that we "never listen to her because we always try to boss her around and that we just don't understand what she is telling us."  By this point everyone is ready--except Sadie. 

People like to tease us because we're always late everywhere.  Truth be told, we could always be early if we only had two children (you can guess which two).  Sadie's getting dressed escapade lasted well over 30 minutes and resulted in me asking her to get dressed in something that was appropriate for church.  She ended up wearing the black capri leggings (the ones that were not an option with her skirt) and a shirt still in her closet from last summer.  Her outfit didn't match.  I typically don't let her wear leggings with shirts.  In my mind it was far from an "Easter" outfit.  There were tears--mostly from me. It wasn't necessarily this one morning, it was more about how it is most mornings... and afternoons... and evenings.

I was crying as we drove to church and the song "You Make Beuatiful Things" came on the radio.  It was a perfect reminder that Jesus is making something beautiful out of my strong-willed little girl.  Even more importantly, He can take me--an imperfect mommy, and make something beautiful out of my shortcomings, my imperfections, all that is ugly in me...

That's kind of what Easter is all about!