Monday, March 24, 2008

Where to Start???

First, we had a wonderful Easter, despite the snow. This is our fifth Easter in Colorado, and this is the fifth time it has snowed on Easter weekend. I loved that we sang "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus" in church yesterday morning, especially about the blood washing us white as snow. It was quite fitting. Thankfully, the snow had melted by the afternoon and today we're supposed to reach about 60 degrees!

Our day yesterday was lovely. One of my favorite things about Easter Sunday at our church is the bells. During the somber Lenten season, we refrain from using the celebratory word, Alleluia, in our services. On Easter Sunday, however, we say and sing lots of Alleluias! Everyone brings bells to church and each time we say or sing the word, everyone rings their bells wildly. It is a beautiful, beautiful sound to hear! I love it so much, and yesterday was no exception.

We came home from church and had a nice lunch together--just the five of us. I think this is the first Easter we've lived here that we haven't joined friends for Easter lunch. It was different, but good. Also good was the two-hour nap I got to take! I love naps.

John and Abbey had a fun birthday on Saturday. We talked her out of McDonald's for lunch and went to Noodles & Company instead. And then next door to Coldstone Creamery. Did I mention it was 30 degrees and snowing? Who eats ice cream when it's snowing? I'm pretty sure they picked Noodles and Coldstone for their birthday meal last year too...what can I say, we're creatures of habit!

Abbey is having her birthday party later this week. I tried to have it before Easter and we couldn't work it out, and I didn't want to schedule it during Easter weekend, so we're going to do some celebrating with her little friends one day this week, which should be extra fun because her grandparents will be here! John's parents should arrive this evening to spend the week with us. YAY!

I'm usually running around like mad before company comes trying to clean. I *thought* about cleaning over the weekend, but honestly, I was just too wiped from last week's busy-ness. My house is actually in pretty good shape (thanks to having Bunco last week!) so all I have left to do today is a couple loads of laundry and vacuum! SUCH a good feeling!

As I was cleaning bathrooms this morning, I asked Will to go take a couple of boxes out to the trash. When he opened the front door, Jack-the-Beagle somehow escaped, and when Will ran after him, Jack bolted. Poor Will had on his socks and was chasing Jack down the street. Jack took off for an open field behind our house and Will came home bawling and extremely worried that we'd lost Jack forever. Oh yeah, Jack wasn't wearing his collar--Yikes!, so I was more than a little worried too. I loaded everyone into the van and drove off in search of Jack. We drove to a nearby park that connects to the big field where he'd last been, and couldn't find any sign of him. The kids were all crying (broke my heart) and asking Jesus to help us find him. They cried even harder when they saw a guy walking his beagle. After about 30 minutes of searching, we came home and drove around our neighborhood. As we were nearing home, I pulled over and told the kids to go look behind some houses (they back up to a field). They spotted Jack right away and we got his collar on and made it home...much to everyone's relief. Whew! I hope we don't have to live through that again. That was crazy. The kids were thankful that Jesus answered their prayers, and they've been lovin' on Jack all morning.

We're leaving in a few minutes to go run some errands...library, Blockbuster, carwash, and we're stopping at Petsmart. I think Jack needs a special treat, don't you??

10 comments:

Julie said...

Hey Mer,
I am glad you all found Jack.

It sounds like you all had a wonderful, celebratory Easter.

I wanted to pop on and let you know that I had to move my blog web address so I had to start over.
The new blog looks very similar to the old blog. I even carted a few of my previous posts with me so that it would feel like home to me.

Please be sure and change your link to find me.
I don't want to lose your visits!!!!

The new blog address is: http://jewelsightings.blogspot.com (I dropped the "z" in Jewelz in order to get a new blog up). If you can't find me you can always go to my old blog and follow the link.

Love,
Julie

*carrie* said...

Mer,

So glad you found Jack! I know that heart-pounding feeling . . .

I love that idea of letting the "Alleluias" well up inside you--powerful!

Deidre said...

Oh, I love that idea for the bells. I know that sounded extraordinary!

I'm so glad you found Jack. That would have broken my heart to see the kids crying like that.

Gretchen said...

Jack needs a special treat? Okay, maybe, but Momma probably needed a valium after that lovely experience. ;)

What a fun Easter it sounds like you had. We napped on Sat and Sun, and I just think that should be written into some kind of code: the weekend nappage.

Do you go to an Episcopalian church? You speak about lent, and yet I don't think you're Catholic. Not that it matters or is my business. I was just intrigued about the lack of Allelulia and then the big celebration with the bells. Sounds just lovely! It's cool to hear about other people's traditions in their home churches.

Blessings, Mer. xxxooogretchen

Casey said...

I am so glad you found Jack. We have a foxhound and she is forever getting loose!

And I love the bells! What a lovely idea! Glad you had a great Easter.

Kelly @ Love Well said...

Jack needs a treat?!? I think Mom needs a treat.

Maybe you can angle for another two-hour nap. That sounds heavenly.

His Girl said...

whew! for finding your beagle!!!!

Your church tradition sounds fabulous, and your birthday celebration sounds great!

glad you are bloggin', sistah! I love to read what you have to say!

Kecia said...

I love the bell tradition! Once we went to a church that had everyone bring wildflowers and place them in holes on a cross--it was beautiful. :) Glad you had a happy Easter.

Leah Belle said...

I love the bell tradition, too. I would have loved to have been involved in that.

I know you are getting sick of the snow, but don't hate me if I'm wishing for a little of it to fall towards the end of April.:)

Jenn said...

I agree with everyone else, I love the bell tradition! I have never heard of that - how neat.

My heart was racing through the Jack story. I am so glad you found him!!! Poor Will he must have felt terrible. So cool that they remembered to pray for God's help and then they had the opportunity to praise Him once Jack was found.

Enjoy John's parent's visit.

PS- I love naps too! :o)