Easter Babies

I cannot help but think of Mary on Easter. As a mother myself, I cannot imagine anything worse in this world than having your child ripped away from you the way Jesus was from her.  I know there are mothers who know the pain of losing a child.  I am humbly grateful that I cannot fully understand the magnitude of that anguish. What I do know is the love of a mother. A deeper love than anything I could express in words. When they are happy, I am happy. When they are sad, I am sad. When they hurt, I hurt.  We are connected in a way you cannot articulate.

I think of Mary watching her son suffer unimaginable pain, brutal beatings, mockery, and finally an undeserved death in the most atrocious manner- crucifed on the cross.  Her innocent boy.  I cannot imagine her pain.  During this Easter weekend though, I try.  I want to live in that place of loss, of unimaginable pain and sorrow for what Jesus went through.  He was not my son, but what He endured, He endured for my sake.  Something that is also unfathomable to me. I want my heart to break for his sacrifice.  To hurt for what He willing went through to save me. I am undeserving. I should have suffered and paid the price for my sins; yet He went willing to an excruciating death- for my sake, and for yours.  He offers us the free gift of Salvation. He paid the price that we owe with His own sinless, precious blood.  And while the sky is still darkened with the sting of death, Sunday is coming. Praise the Lord. HE DEFEATED DEATH. He rose again. He conquered death so that we might live. Praise the Lord.

 Praise the Lord.

My Easter Babies..

Happy Easter!
xo

Our Lovely Easter Celebrations

We are so blessed to have both of our families in town, and as a result, we celebrate all holidays twice. :-) Sometimes that means crazy, long days with too much food, even more dessert, and no naps- not a good combination. I am usually frazzled because we run from one place to the next {and occasionally we visit up to 4 different locations on 1 holiday}.  Now that we have 2 babes, it is a lot harder to haul them all over the planet on a given day- so we are getting better about taking turns for holidays, or celebrating the day before or after with one or the other family.  For Easter this year, the Bradford side decided to have their celebration on Saturday, which was wonderful because all the cousins could come and we didn't have to feel divided or rushed. Jack had so much fun with his (2nd) cousin, Ellya. He pushed her around in his fire truck for a long time! 

On Sunday morning we celebrated as a little family.  Sean and Jack repeated proclaimed, 

"He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!" 

and we gave Jack and Claire their easter baskets :-) 

Claire shared her candy with Mommy&Daddy ;-)

dinosaurs!

loves his soft bunny

Later we went to Nana's house for dinner and an Easter egg hunt with the cuzzies.  We now have 11 kids at our family parties! 4 of which were born in a 6 month span. Claire is number 11. 

We had so much fun celebrating with our families, but the greatest joy is knowing that we serve a living God. One who conquered Sin and Death; a perfect, sinless sacrifice. He is Risen Indeed.

love this pic

Jack & Nicky {wish I could have heard this conversation}

cute lil chocolate face!

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