Easter 2006
I really don't know where to begin when writing about this week. It was one of the best weeks for our family and one of the hardest.
I knew that I wanted to celebrate Easter where we focused on Christ, but just didn't how to do it and get the kids excited about it. The book I posted about earlier last week was a lifesaver and the beginnings to some great traditions.
I put some of our photos on a smugmug gallery, but photos won't do justice to what we learned this week. Everyday we had something that we did or made to teach us about what Christ did every day the last week of his life.
some of the highlights were, talking about the parables and making lamps like the 10 virgins, doing a play of palm sunday, the talk about the last supper, Jeff washed the girls feet, talking about the betrayl (annie kate had so many questions) watching Easter Dream and Faith in Christ but my favorite was on Friday night, which was the day he was crucified we didn't use any lights in the house once it got dark. We used flashlights. we ate dinner in the dark, showered when it was almost dark, read in the dark. It had quite an impact talking about how it was dark for 3 hrs in Jerusalem and 3 days in the Americas. The whole world knew he died! Jeff only slept at home two nights last week (thus the hard part of the week) so he was not home on friday night. I was tempted to go do some stuff when the girls went to bed, but I decided to do the same. I went to bed and just read with my flashlight. It was a powerful night for me.
We had Stake Conference and Elder John Madsen (mindy isn't that your neighbor?) a former teacher of mine from BYU and is now in the first quorum of the seventy come speak. We got there early because I wanted Annie Kate to meet him. The temple president saw that Annie Kate was waiting for him to come in the chapel and he help her right to him and said "this little girl has been waiting to meet you" She had a glimmer in her eyes when he shook her hand. He said to her, "I work with President Hinckley. He could not be here today but if he was, and if he was shaking her hand he would say to you, Annie Kate I love you!" I of course and standing there crying. When you live away from the hub bub of Utah, when General Authority comes to visit it is amazing!
Jeff stayed in the meeting to hear them speak (I had gone to the adult session the night before and he was at work) and i played with the girls outside the temple in the water fountain for over an hour. ( i was a bit cranky, but seeing the girls in their matching yellow easter dresses playing in the fountain at the temple was a little dreamy)
We had a great Easter dinner and made funeral potatoes for the first time ever in my life. We went for a walk down by the river by our house and the girls stayed in their dresses. Photos.
It was a great day and I look forward to next years Easter Week.