Pascha

I was disciplined enough to know that I should be up before 7:30am if I were going to run, eat, & shower before leaving for church. I woke around 6:30am dreading my commitment to go along. But after sneaking another thirty minutes of sleep, I was OK with it. I had to get moving.

While I exercised and walked Ykraps, Mindy had to keep the kids at bay. They were ready to make a full assault on the Easter baskets. Ykraps and I were speedy with our business. As we reentered the house, Mindy had our coffee poured and ready as the kids waited patiently on the steps.

Once I was settled back in Mindy allowed the children to have at it. They attacked their baskets like, well, kids on Easter. They had just a little trouble discerning whose was whose. Jacob knowingly dawned the Egg hunter hat that looked like safari hat. Apparently he wears this every year for the family egg hunt. Just before bed, Mindy and I hid 30 eggs around the family room and kitchen.

The hunt was on. The kids ran around grabbing the obvious ones first. The pace slowed only a little while they got to the other more difficult eggs. Within three of four minutes they had them all but one. A quick audit revealed that Bella had found 16 to Jacob’s 13. No surprise. In Guatemala one has to ‘hunt’ their breakfast. The last egg proved difficult. Mindy had to aid the two along by doing the old ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ thing. Eventually, Jacob found the final egg. Fittingly, it was black egg wedged between the black iron counter stools and the island.

Next they sprawled out their bounty and dumped the contents. They were all filled with candy. I snapped a number of pics. After the hunt I wasted little time readying for a run. I left out the door before 9:00am. It was yet another cold, gray, damp & dreary day. Oh how I miss my warm and sunny! I heightened the mood a little with music. It was a good run.
Mindy had breakfast just about ready when I returned. Again, we were having maple bacon and scrambled eggs. I squeezed my shower in before eating to save even more time. Mindy was already showered and done up. However, she was still in her robe.

We ate fast. It was nearly 10am. Mindy’s stated goal was to be out the door by 10:10am. That looked to be in jeopardy due in part to the kids moving slowly. We didn’t leave until 10:20am. Mindy was anxious and worried about being late. She wanted me to drive faster than the posted speed limit. I didn’t. Cooler heads prevailed. We arrived just before mass began. It was very crowded – more crowded than at Xmas. They hosted the worship in the sanctuary. We had to take seating along the side wall.

They baptized Ivy today at the service’s outset. During the service they were doing a communion. I haven’t participated in too many, but knew the gig. Mindy was busy with Bella in the bathroom. I took Jacob along. I wondered why Donna, the pastor Steve’s wife held such a firm grip on the wine goblet as I went to sip. Watching others, they were only dunking their pita bread. Others must have been mortified at my indulgence. I didn’t care and laughed the whole thing off.

Pastor Steve did a very nice job as he often does of tying a real life event to the message of his sermon. Today’s message was on living/being the change that God plans for us. The service must have ended before 11:45am. We headed straight to Gloria’s where we loaded up lots of goodies – candy and food – intended for Craig & Jeff’s. We all headed back to our house for an hour or so where we had lunch and played. I put the now cold jalapeño scalloped potatoes in the oven to get them bubbly hot before heading north.

We left for C & J’s at 2:25pm. Although they live about 25 miles north, it’s a fast drive. We were there before 3:00pm. The majority of the family was already there when we arrived.
One of the first people we saw was Craig’s long time friend Mel, who I hadn’t seen in several months and maybe an entire year. Soon the entire family was there and after everyone got settled, dinner was served buffet style. The main course was a Honey Baked ham with lots of homemade sides. There were baked beans, corn pudding, green beans, and of course, my jalapeño scalloped potatoes. There were a few desserts too. Boston cream pie, lemon cheese cake, & fizzy grape Jello. Everything was delicious. I was just shy of full, having a enough sense not to gorge myself.

After dinner the family sat around C & J’s comfy family room chatting as is often the case. The conversation varied wildly with lots of good natured humor sprinkled in. During the conversation Mindy realized that she lost a wager we had made earlier in the day over the proper pronunciation of the word, omniscience. Another Barley tab on her!

We left C & J’s before 7pm. Mindy wanted to get the kids settled and into bed early since tomorrow is her first day back to school after a week off. She’s been off work a great deal lately with the kids being sick, then Sheila’s passing, and lastly spring break. She has only eight weeks of school left before summer break.

We arrived home at 7:20pm. Ashley was already there with Olivia. We haven’t seen the two of them in about a week. While Mindy readied the kids for bed, I played with Olivia. I had her belly laughing for the first time in a long while. I was a pleasure to hear her laugh so sweetly. After kids went to bed, we watched The Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel.
Mindy went to bed around 9:30pm. I stayed up about thirty minutes longer joining her around 10pm.