Easter Uno.

Easter weekend was a blur, but it's pretty safe to say fun was had by all. We decided to drive to Franklin b/c we knew there would be plenty of activities to celebrate Eli's 1st acknowledgement of Easter. Last year, he was four days old, and we had just gotten home from the hospital the night before. The Easter bunny didn't even bring him a basket, thanks to a sleep-deprived and overwhelmed mama. This year, the bunny made up for his absence with an actual visit to the Gentry Farm and a hug for Easy E.

 We had to coach him a little with what to do with the eggs, but he's really into picking things up and handing them to us right now, so he figured it out in no time at all. He found his first egg and that was that.

He was so excited with all the other kids running around and bright colored eggs that he forgot how to walk.

 Here's his loot. He was the big winner that day...for least eggs found.

Not really...but he was very content with his first egg and was happy to hand the others he found to his friends nearby.

Don't look too closely at his basket below. I bought a rainbow colored one from Walmart for two dollars and hand-painted it with white acrylic paint. I was going to spray paint it, but time flew and it never happened, so his basket was a little pastel looking. I did sew him a makeshift liner to hide most of the basket. I'll have to do better next year.

 His first prize was a heart shaped sticker that we promptly stuck on his shirt. He wanted the candy instead. Every time one had a reese's in it, he'd say, "mmmmmmm" and hand it to us to open.

 Later that day, we headed over to my friend Corinne's house for another hunt and cookout. Eli almost fell asleep in this swing. Can you see his glazed over look below? No smiles, no squeals, just that same open-mouthed stare the whole time.

 His buddy Aiden kind of had the same expression, but his tired little body gave over to a few cries soon after.

 Sweet Adriana made an appearance at 6 weeks old.  Isn't she precious? She even had her basket ready for all the egg huntin'.

 Eli was a pro this time...ran from place to place, picking up a few eggs here and there.

 Here Aiden, eat my egg.

 No, no my blonde friend...those aren't for eatin'

 What's that you say? No candy in these eggs? Nonsense...
 Hey there--a distraction! Two daddys are calling our names...

 Here's most of us girls with our brood. I'm in love with these two pictures. Christa and Adriana on the left--friends since middle school. Katie and Aiden come next--friends since elementary school. Corinne in the middle with Olivia and Ava--friends since high school.

 We're missing our last little dark-haired Jeanna and her Ethan, but the five of us have pretty much done it all together, and it's crazy, and fun, and precious to see us all with our babies in one spot. I seriously imagine we'll have pictures with all of us when our brood as quadrupled, and our dark circles will be darker, our bellies bigger, our hair shorter, and our minds a little more gone. I love love LOVE these girls and their humor, and their hearts, and their Christ-like spirits.
I hope one day our babies will have pictures just like these with these same friends and their own kids, and we'll all be old still blonde grandmamas together.

While I have your riveted attention, could you say a few prayers for me? Remember Sara Walker and her colon cancer? The chemo and God are working hard and the cancer cells are reduced-- praise God. Her brother Michael and his wife Stephanie are here in Knoxville with us, and Stephanie just miscarried this week on Mother's Day weekend. Please pray for healing of hearts, and bodies, and comfort for them to know that God is good and in control of all things. He already knows His plans for them and their family, He knows their needs, and knows every tear they cry. I never feel like I say the right words for circumstances like these, but I do know that God can pray for me when I don't have the words.

Easter Day post and Mother's Day comin' next...