We could see on the calendar that Easter was coming.  But, you could not tell from what was going on in our house.  Besides the fact we still have Christmas decorations on the outside of the house that Easter decorations may have clashed with, the truth of the matter is I just did not have it in me to get out the Easter decorations. 

Since the arrival of our wonderful Katriel, we’ve been working to get ourselves back on track.  Those first few weeks and months of New Baby can be hard.  This time was no different.  🙂  She started out as a pretty good sleeper, even offering us one night of seven hours uninterrupted sleep!  Alas, that is not her regular thing (what do you want? she’s a newborn?).  But the week leading up to Easter was particularly difficult.  John and I averaged about 4.5 hours total sleep per night, broken into sections.  By about day 4 I was losing it and by day 5 (Easter) I was ready to crumble. 

But, now, this entry is getting off track.  What I WANT to share is how weird, yet flexible, our family is, and how AMAZING and GENEROUS our good, good God and is.  And how He uses His children to bless His children.

Point A.

Do you see what I see?  I see kids filling their own Easter eggs for an Easter egg hunt.  This is unprecedented.  And – can you believe this?  They loved doing it?  Here I’ve been doing the “good Mommy” thing and filling them on the sly.  Who knew they’d enjoy filling them themselves?  An added layer of fun? 

(Daddy was still expected to hide them.)

Here’s the GOOD GOOD GOD part!

While our Easter gatherings have been random assemblies or invitations out over the years, one tradition has remained steadfast.  I normally cook some yummy food.  I love to cook; they love to eat.  It works well.

This year, I barely got left over pasta on the table the days leading up to Easter.  So – any plan for a delicious breakfast ran out the window by about Tuesday or Wednesday.  I still held out hope that I might be able to pull off a good dessert to go with whatever dinner we scrounged up.  But, come Saturday morning it was clear we not only didn’t have the time, or physical strength to pull off any extra confection creation… we didn’t even have the groceries! 

I’m being funny now, but really, I was very sad about this.  Now, I’m well aware of the hunger and poverty around the world and I’m not going to make too big a deal out of, “My poor kids don’t get special food this year.”  But, from an American-mom-who-likes-to-do-nice-things-for-her-kids point of view, I did feel badly that I had no yummy tricks up my sleeve.

But – God did!

Early Saturday morning a friend came by to deliver a gift, some items she thought we could use, AND some Panera bread treats that are SAFE for Stewart!  He was so pleased.  Now, I think she meant for them to be used on a weekday to help me out with breakfast, but when the kids saw the raisin bread and Danish ring I knew we’d use them as a special holiday breakfast!

 

A few hours later other friends delivered the last new-baby-meal we were going to receive.  As I saw them walking to the house I almost cried.  Check THIS out.

Easter dessert!  (To be enjoyed Easter Eve and Easter Day.)  Also – Stewart safe.

It didn’t matter that I was a sleep-deprived heel.  It turns out that God does care about little things, too.  Our friend G. signed up for the last day on purpose; she likes to help out a few weeks out when the novelty of things has worn off a bit and mom is still at her wit’s end.  AND – this time around it had to be Easter Eve. 

I love this. 

I’m so blessed.

Tab was beyond excited.  As she was born on Easter she considers it sort of her second special day. 

Look what I made not too many years ago…