Detergent

I bought new dishwashing detergent to try. Electrasol tabs. Abby saw me opening one and asked what it was. Maybe she thought I was putting candy in the dishwasher. So I said, "It is diswasher cleaner, excuse me, diswashing detergent." I was taking the opportunity to teach her this new word, "detergent". I was wondering then why they call it detergent. Does it deter something? Dirt, germs? It sure doesn't seem to deter peanut butter off our bread knives or flour out of my measuring cups. Hmmm...

Easter Sunday

Friday, our family went to the church building for the first time on a Good Friday. It was so good to remember what a great price Christ had to pay for us. I really think the girls were both marked by it. Brody even watched the images of His crucifixion and was contently quiet, which was an answer to prayer!

We then attended the Easter service at our church building on Saturday night. Sunday morning I woke thinking about Easter. Unfortunately, I began the morning feeling guilty that I had not made a bigger deal of Easter baskets and was feeling like my kids were being robbed of the joy of waking up to a big basket full of goodies. I remembered the excitement I felt as a little one, the anticipation, sheer gladness of chocolate bunnies and the thought of an Easter bunny visiting my house - it made me feel special.

My thoughts were quickly placed in check Sunday morning - when I saw that Stephen put in The Passion of the Christ DVD. We were watching Jesus suffer and understanding how unworthy we were all over again. The girls were watching, too. Sydney didn't seem to understand the gravity of it, but Abby was taking it all in. (We did ask her to turn her head for certain parts but she watched most of it with us.)

Easter is all about God crushing his precious Son because He loves us so. Easter is about the sheer joy the women and disciples experienced when they realized the tomb was empty. I want my joy and my kids' joy to be because of God's power, faithfulness, love, His wonder. It is a blast to follow Him! The bunnies, chocolate and eggs are fun and are fine but if I miss HIM I've missed it all.

Sunday afternoon we drove to my grandmother's house. We then enjoyed a great Sunday lunch, a truly fun time with family and a high-energy egg hunt. The girls made memories there, too, I'm sure. I just hope that when they remember this Easter, they remember Christ most. I know I will! (Jesus, thank you!)

Here are some pictures we took at Gran's:

Another "Blonde" Moment

In high school my friends accused me of dying my hair darker. When my college friends didn't think I was "ditsy" I was so thrilled, but always knew they just didn't know me well enough.

I just realized that I totally missed an Easter Egg Hunt for my kids because I thought it was tomorrow - the rain date - but it was actually last Saturday. Saturday, the day we made Easter biscuits and were home doing nothing and could have totally been hiding eggs. I even RSVP'd yes as soon as I got the invitation.

It wasn't until I was reading a friend's blog this morning and saw her pictures of the egg hunt that I realized everybody was there but us and there are not two egg hunts at Emily Lee's house. Anyway, I have no idea how I looked at a perfectly clear invitation every day on my fridge and didn't realize it. I am so glad we don't keep our bodies in heaven, I will SO need a new brain when I get there!

Easter Biscuits

We made Easter biscuits today and Abby asked Stephen to read the story of Jesus' empty tomb while we ate them. It was a fun time. Here's the recipe:

Easter Biscuits

1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350F. Flatten dough into 3-inch circles. Let child place a large marshmallow in the center of each circle, then seal the dough around the marshallow. Place the biscuits, with their seam sides down, on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Cool the Easter biscuits before eating them and watch your child discover that the biscuits are empty inside - just like Jesus' tomb on Easter morning!

Recipe taken from a "Parent Page" at our church

The LITTLE GIRL Grapes

Okay, I just read the last blog post to Abby for fun and she corrected me. There were three little girl green grapes, not a mama grape. But one little girl grape's mama told her that she didn't want the other two little girl grapes to get in Abby's mouth. Interesting.

The Mama Grape

Today at lunch Abby was turning her food into playmates again. She had three green grapes left on her plate. One was the mama and the other two were the little girls. The mama grape was telling the two little girl grapes to get in Abby's mouth. The two little girl grapes didn't want to. Or so Abby said.

My mama mind started whirling, thinking of all the wonderful ways I could use these grapes to teach her about having an obedient heart but I couldn't seem to think of anything wise to say to so I responded with a deer-in-headlights face and said, "Okay." And now, I just have to laugh at myself because she was great with that answer and she ate her grapes and moved on. Maybe next time I will take more advantage of a teachable moment but for today, "Okay" will have to suffice.

God, the Breath-Giver

Some friends of our family just had their second baby last night. He was diagnosed with a terminal illness and they expected to hold him for minutes after his birth, at best. We have been asking God to heal little, Cohen, knowing that He can and now seeing that he IS! God is showing His power, His might and His unfailing love in ways we could not ask or imagine. He is giving this baby unexplainable breaths - breaths that are sustaining his life. Please read the McGowan family blog, www.cortmcgowan.blogspot.com to follow the updates with us. God is SO very good to allow us to pray and see prayers answered with a "Yes" over and over again!