Happy Easter!!!

The last couple of weeks have been filled with many different activities leading up to today...Easter Sunday.  Of course there have been the Easter parties, Easter baskets, Coloring Easter Eggs and many Easter Egg Hunts.  However, the most memorable for me was on Friday when we attended Daybreak's "Good Friday Experience.  This is the first year that we took Alexia through the experience and it was a very meaningful time of being able to help her understand more deeply the sacrifice that Jesus made for us (and more specifically, for her,) on the cross.  There were different stations that we went through that explained what happened to Jesus and then at the last station we were able to take communion together and say a prayer of thanks to Jesus for dying for us so that we can be free!  Megan was still a little young to go through it, but it made a huge impact on Alexia.
Yesterday, as we were driving around in the car, a worship song came on that Alexia has heard hundreds of times, but she kept wanting me to play it over and over again.  The song is called, Amazing Love...here are some of the lyrics...

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken

I'm accepted -- You were condemned

I'm alive and well -- Your spirit is within me

Because You died and rose again.

Amazing Love...how can it be?

That You, my King, would die for me?

Amazing Love...I know it's true...

It's my joy to honor You...in all I do....I honor You!

When I took a minute to stop and realize myself what song it was and listened to the lyrics...I asked Alexia why she liked this song so much.  She responded, "Because it talks about how much Jesus loves me...I can't believe He died for me...He must love me a lot!!!"  I assured her that Jesus loves her more than she could ever imagine!!  It was a very special moment.  I am sure there will be many great conversations to come as both girls begin to personalize their faith in Jesus as their Savior and the Leader of their Life.

As I mentioned earlier, we have been busy with the tradtional Easter activities as well.  Here are a few snapshots from various Easter Egg Hunts...you'd think hunting eggs would get old...but not for these two girls!

An outdoor Easter Egg on Friday at our house...

 

 

An indoor Easter Egg Hunt at our house with Grandma & Grandpa and Jillian...

An Easter Day Egg Hunt at Scott & Karen's house....

 

 

Needless to say, none of these eggs were empty and we therefore have enough candy to last us through Halloween!  I am not kidding, here!

The girls also enjoyed coloring eggs this year...

Oh, and I can't possibly forget Saturday morning when they decided they were going to make Easter Bunny Ears and paint each other's faces...simply priceless!

Today we celebrated Easter Sunday with digging into Easter baskets...



After church, we were invited to join Scott and Karen and some of their family and friends for Easter dinner on Scott and Karen's farm.  Although the forcast was calling for showers and storms today, we were blessed with a beautiful day and we had a great time! 

When we were leaving, the girls asked when we can go back and spend some time there again.  We are so blessed with such good friends...hopefully we can spend some more time there this summer! 

Thanks Scott and Karen for a great time today!