Easter

I woke up this morning, realizing it was Easter and remembered back to a time when things were quiet, orderly and properly sacred on Easter morning. I even remembered how very much I enjoy a sunrise service.

However, that was not how our Easter morning played out.

At 9:56 I was in the kitchen, frantically ironing Mia & Maggie’s Easter dresses. They wouldn’t have needed ironing if A) hubby & I hadn’t buckled last month and let them wear the dresses the first time it was 80 degree weather or B) I had bothered to think ahead and actually iron them prior to today. Instead, there I was, ironing in my pajamas, hair sticking off the top of my head and left-over makeup circles under my eyes, listening to the girls and Isaiah play leap frog in the living room.

I had a vision of my own mother ironing the dresses my sister and I wore for dress-up occasions. I used to think she was slightly crazy to put so much effort into it, but as I ironed, wishing I had spray starch for the cotton dresses, I realized that strangely enough, ironing those dresses was an outward sign of the internal love I have for those silly little girls. I guess maybe my mom loved us a little, too.

At 10:02 I hollered, “The dresses are on the hangers and ready – I’ve got to go get ready myself,” to Isaiah as I flew by the living room at mach speed. A hair spray-down and makeup remover second later he came into the bedroom.

“Why are you in such a panic?” he asked. “Because the service starts at 10:20!” I gasped out around the toothbrush I was maneuvering around my mouth with my right hand while brushing my hair with my hairbrush in my left hand.

“What?! I thought the service started at 11!”

Isaiah shifted into mach speed.

At precisely 10:38 we fled the house, spirits hardly in the mood for Easter services. After a hasty conversation about the pros and cons of arriving 25 minutes late to 50 minute service our church venue changed. We went to another church that had a 10:45 service. We were right on time.

Other conversations in our household lately?

Daddy: Mia, why aren’t you eating your hamburger?

Mia: Because, Daddy! I don’t have much teeth!

Mia (in her cheerleader singsong voice): Maggie, when you say no, I say yes

Maggie: No

Mia: Yes

Maggie: No!

Mia: Yes!

Mommy: Maggie, would you like some cinnamon roll?

Maggie: No

Mia: Yes!

After church we came home for naps and now we’ve just finished eating our Easter dinner (with carrot soufflé, Isaiah’s “cloud of wonderfulness”) and Isaiah and Mia are playing Candyland in the living room. We opened an Easter gift from family and I got one Easter photo shoot. Which I have presented for your viewing pleasure.

Later tonight I plan to plot how I can fit about 20 hours of work into 10 hours… while also squeezing in Candyland and Ring Around the Rosie. I can’t complain.