Easter!

I love Easter, it is a toss up between Easter and Christmas as to which is my favorite, but I do Love Easter. I love that while we take time to remember the unimaginable sacrifice made for us - Jesus hung on a cross to die for MY sins - We can take great JOY and celebrate because we know that Sunday is coming and that we serve a living God!
We have a tradition of joining the good Friday Easter walk. We meet at 8am and do a short hike up a mountain for a Sunrise service. This year we borrowed an extra vehicle and picked up all the youth to join as well. We meet at the top and join in a time of worship, testimony and encouragement as the church and members from the community who desire to be a part of something on Easter. Then we head back down to enjoy fellowship and a potluck breakfast together, really a beautiful way to start off the Easter weekend. (this is the first year that we all forgot cameras, so no pictures this year:( ) After the hike we headed into Winfield and enjoyed a meal at Britt and Brads place. Saturday was spent at home, relaxing as a family and getting ready for Sunday, as I cooked for the crew this year!! Sunday morning we were up early as usual, I got my scalloped potatoes in the crock pot and veggies prepped, then we went out side for a little plastic egg hunt before church. The kids loved finding their eggs and helping out each other when they spotted one of the other's colour egg.
Next we went to church, enjoyed a monlogue type skit presenting the gospel story, very cool way to share the meaning of easter. Very tangible for those who only come to church at Easter to understand, yet still challenging and encouraging for the regulars. After church we had unexpected company for lunch which was great! gave me less time to get cleaned up and organized for the family to come for dinner that evening, but I would choose company over a clean house anyday of the week (just ask those who see my house regularly - haha!) Our company was easy company which still allowed me to get the pies made and baked before we headed out to G&G Olunds for an egg hunt. As we were literally walking out the door to bring our company home and head out I missed the bottom step of the stairs and sprained my foot. I kept thinking I was going to shake it off and be fine, but by the time we got to mom and dads my foot was burning hot and the size of a balloon!! talk about maddening!! I could not even put an ounce of weight on it! It was rediculous! I had to sit there (quite grumpily i might add) icing my foot, while the kids hunted for their colour coded plastic eggs. We didn't even get a family picture that day:( I was so thankful that I had the food ready or at least in the oven so after the egg hunt there wasn't much to do. I tried to hobble around the kitchen to get everything out, but was more of a hazard then anything! Thankfully between mom, grandma and Daniel they forced me to sit down and put my foot up! I had no idea I was one of those people who "couldn't sit down" if you know what I mean! It drove me nuts to sit in the living room while I knew others were picking up the slack. My wonderful Hubby was so happy to help me out, after dinner he totally took over cleaning up the kitchen, making coffee and serving pie and truely did it with a happy heart. It was good to have so many people over cause while i sat on my tail all evening with my foot in the air, there was lots of laughter and conversation to keep me distracted! Today (3 days later) I can limp around on my foot and the swelling is down by at least half, but I tell ya it is still such a pain in the butt being injured!!
Even amoungst the chaos (believe it or not there was more then mentioned:) Easter was a beautiful celebration of the freedom we have because of Him who laid down his life for ME! I have a very clear picture of where my life might be without my saviour. I continue to be thankful and stand in awe of God's grace and the life he saved me from!
The few pictures we did get aren't working right now, so maybe i will add them later:)