Seersucker and Linen

We had a wonderful Easter this year, and for the first time in a long time it was actually warm on Easter weekend. It seems like it is usually cold, or rainy, or both on Easter, but the whole weekend was lovely this year. The Hendons invited us over on Good Friday for an Easter egg hunt with lots of kids from our church. It was so much fun. Holt had a blast playing at Trace’s house and hunting eggs (he is much improved this year) and Harper Ann had fun crawling around on the porch with Thomas. After lunch the kids sat in the yard and Jennifer told them the Easter Story. It was so wonderful to watch them listening so intently to the true story of Easter. I know it is beyond their understanding now (it is still beyond mine) but it is wonderful to know that we are a part of a church family that values the word and its blessings.

That Saturday, we went to Jonathan’s Aunt’s home in Clarksdale for the Fortner family Easter. It is usually when we all get together for Daddy Joe’s birthday, but he is to the point now that he can’t travel. We got together and celebrated all the same, and the kids had a wonderful time. Both kids were so tired when we left that they passed out before we were at the end of the road. I always look forward to getting together with the Fortners. There is always so much love and happiness for one another.

Easter Sunday was special for me because I got to fix Easter lunch for our family. We went to Church at Covenant and then my Mom and Grandmama came over for lunch. Every now and then I have moments when I think, am I really old enough / adult enough to be doing this? - I had many of these moments during the first year of our marriage - and this was one of those days. It was odd (not bad odd, but odd all the same) to be cooking a holiday meal for the two women who have done the majority of the special meal preparation all my life.

After lunch, we went to Cindy’s where we had an Easter photoshoot and a very special Easter egg hunt. You see, we got there later than everyone because we ate lunch in Cleveland with my family, so when we got there, everybody else was privy to some special information. Once the pictures were taken, we found out in a very special way that Holt and Harper Ann have a NEW BABY COUSIN on the way!!! Holt was directed toward a very special plastic egg with a little poem inside. When Holt gave the egg to Jonathan and he started reading it I think my heart skipped a beat I was so excited.

We are pumped that there will be a baby Powers for our kids to play with. My cousins were so much a part of my childhood (adulthood too), and really made me who I am and I hope that Holt and Harper Ann can share that bond with their cousins (in the South, cousins are cousins, degrees of relation don’t really matter all that much).

She loves to patty cake

She was one tired puppy when we left Cindy's

I bought this outfit on sale last summer when Punkin Patch was having their red-tag sale, but Harper Ann is, like Holt, at the top of the growth chart, so I am glad it got some wear this spring.

What a handsome devil. He does not look 4 years old.

Playing with Thomas at the Hendons

What a good big brother.

Laughing with Aunt Deborah

HA and her little lamb

On the way to the Easter egg hunt - how stinking cute?

Waiting for the story

Harper Ann made a valiant effort to hunt eggs.

She ended up with a leaf instead; it's what she really wanted all along

I thought this was a very sweet picture

Ahh, the egg and the leaf = Success

This makes me happy

Yay for Easter bonnets and new Cousins!!!

She was surprisingly amenable to the bunny ears

Holt had to make a hat for the Easter Bonnet parade at school. This was what we came up with.

It was a wonderful, blessed and eventful weekend that was made extra special by the big announcement. How unworthy are we of such blessings here on earth and infinitely less worthy of our blessings to come, but, how thankful and joyful are we that He has paid it all.

Ten Thousand Times
Ten Thousand

Ten thousand times ten thousand
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng
Up the steep of light:
’Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.

What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!

O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan’s happy shore;
What knitting severed friendship
Up where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Shoe in the heaven Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come.