Easter Around the Table

It's been a few years since we've celebrated Easter dinner around our table

and this year was special because we were able to accommodate the growing family

by having extra leaves added to the table.

Many years ago we bought our set with two leaves, never imagining

that one day we'd need much more space.

But, as you can see on the photo here . . .

by now we have a line-up of leaves. Five of them.

It was so much fun to set it with new pale yellow place mats 

and thoughts of why we celebrate this special day.

These little chocolates were not something I was looking for

but when I saw them I also saw they'd be the  easiest thing to add name tags to.

And, on the back, a verse about a sheep or our Shepherd.

Everyone read their verse out loud

and Lacey so beautifully explained how we connect a lamb to Easter. 

This butter lamb idea comes from my blog friend  Rosella

and I knew I had to try it . . .

if only for one child who especially loves butter.

With my H behind the camera and

five smiles still across the ocean . . .

for all reasons to do with Easter . . .

we have so much to give thanks for!

After dinner, with the sun still out, there was the traditional basket hunt

and fun expressions caught to remember after the fun is over.

And then we had Paska.

Easter

I brought home some spring clipping from the park where I walk regularly.  I've done this before, yet every year I'm amazed at the first sign of buds and then, maybe a week or so later the green hue, creating a natural arbor over the path as leaves begin to open. It is an amazing sight to observe bare trees and straggly, lifeless bushes planted in a mulch of rotten leaves come alive again. I marvel at the birds flitting about and the ducks pairing off, all creating their little nests for life to go on.

In the first verses of Genesis I read,
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

We know what happened next. God created out of nothing. He spoke and it came to be. He has left his fingerprint, His word in the skies and on the earth below, pointing to Himself. And if that is not enough, He sent His one and only Son to show us His love by allowing Him to die on a cross for our disbelief and rebellion. And from the dead, God raised him up.

Just like He will raise up all who believe in Him. The One who makes something out of nothing. The One who makes life out of death.

The Wonder of One

 While her mom has gone back to work, 

my weekly visitor has me in awe of how she learns by simply observing.

One day she walked around the kitchen pointing to the chairs around the table 

where each person sits. 

It's not that we have told her . . .

she simply knew where Papa always sits,

where Mimi sits,

and where members of her family sit.

Who would have guessed that a one and a half year old would notice?

It made me smile and ask for more.

We know that she does not like sitting in her highchair,

so I asked her where Evy sits.

She pointed to Papa's chair. 

Hhm... either she likes sitting on his lap 

or she has claimed that chair because we let her sit there once with a booster.

Another thing I noticed just last week 

was that while we read stories I usually point out the

animals as I count them.

Suddenly she was pointing as I counted. 

Repetition and tradition are her friends.

If I'm not sure what she is saying.

I repeat it as a question

and she says, "Uh huh," nodding her head.

And then there is the Tupperware shape puzzle!

Up until recently I would hold the ball and simply turn it to the shape she was holding.

Then I'd angle the ball just so that her shape would line up.
A little bit of cheating.

Not any more.

 I sat in wonder as I saw her check out the shape

 find the matching opening

and twist it until 

 it fit!!

 Her favorite is the "tar"

 Again, it took a few quick clicks with the camera

 and I missed her big smile of accomplishment.

It's all happening so fast!

Really such a miracle to see what she is all taking in

even when we are not aware that she is watching.

Good Bye Downton Abbey

So what did you do last night? Maybe I'm not the only one going through some sort of withdrawal symptoms from Sunday nights' entertainment by the Crawley family and servants, so I thought I'd have a little farewell blog party right here. Reminiscing on what it may be that has ten million viewers fascinated with a show that takes us back one hundred years, I come up with several of my own reasons.

First of all, what intrigues me most is that, although life is very different for both aristocrats and servants from what any of us know today,  deep down they deal with the same relationship issues and feelings we do today. And I'm attracted to the way they deal with these and each other using manners and respect. It's Granny's poise and honest one liners that had me laughing in disbelief, and yet, you knew that when it came down to it, she just cared enough to speak the truth. I think back to the time when she found out about Edith's out-of-wedlock pregnancy and how she supported her with love and grace. I laughed when she said, "It's a grandmother's job to interfere." With so much of life behind her, she was wise and, in her estimation, never wrong. When accused of hating the feeling of being wrong, she simply stated, "I wouldn't know. I'm not familiar with the sensation." And spoken the way she said it, even that sounded almost friendly. I also loved Anna, the way she served lady Mary, but mostly for her undying love and support for her husband through much hardship. And then Lady Edith, who struggled through so much insecurity and yet came out shining as gold, choosing to be honest, rather than possibly claiming her position and happiness in a deceitful manner.

Another aspect that had me hooked was the aura of splendor in how they dressed and dined as a family. Coming from the era where seafarer jeans, mini skirts and hippie dresses were the style when I was a young lady, I have loved the array of beautiful dresses that I would wish to just try on and wear for an evening. There is a certain feminine aspect that has gone in other directions since that time, but whenever there was some lace to be had, I've been in. . . . even when dresses sported big shoulder pads.

And one more personal draw in watching this family live out life, quite comfortably without our modern day conveniences, made me think about my own grandmother who was born into a wealthy family in 1907. Her family operated a family business that invented and sold farm equipment. They owned several factories and employed hundreds of workers in Russia.  How often, as I watched, I wondered how this show would compare to what she experienced in her early childhood home with servants quarters, a shiny black mahogany piano to play and beautiful cars with leather seats, to say nothing of all that I never thought to ask her about.

Although Downton Abbey is a fictional story, the characters have come to take a place in our hearts as we saw them with all of their flaws and idiosyncrasies become transparent and help us understand and love them for who they are. Something we can apply to all whom we interact with in daily life.

Four Fun

Spending a day with Teddy, I should really have a notepad to record the things she tells me as she has so much of life figured out. Sometimes stating the obvious just makes me laugh, as I see exactly what her little mind is thinking. Like when I told her I'd have to fix the hole in her leggings and she said, "but then I'd be wearing panties!"
Other times I can see what she has learned about waiting for something. I was telling her that this summer we would be going to the baseball game with all the cousins and she said, "But that's still a long time away." Thinking I'd put it into closer perspective for her by telling her that she would still be four years old (like she is now), she responded, "It's still a long time away because when I was three that was a long time."
Obviously I've forgotten how long a year is!

Happy Birthday to our Leap Year Baby!

Dear Makenna,

On this special day we remember your birthday

by way of visiting with you through photos.

What a happy day it was when we got the call that another little girl was here.

Your family was home on furlough and too soon we had to say goodbye.

We visited you on your first birthday

and you gave us the gift of witnessing your first steps.

For your second birthday we were back in Indonesia.

You enjoyed tickles with Papa

and were not going to miss out on Grammy's buns with jam.

We missed your third birthday . . . but made up for it on your fourth back here!

It was your first birthday on your actual day

and the first time you celebrated with cousins and the whole family.

We dubbed you "Spatz" (German name for sparrow.)

On your fifth birthday we took you to Build-a-Bear.

And on your sixth you were still here 

although crates were being packed once more.

These years at home were special bonding times,

playing in the playhouse, baking cookies, trips to the playground 

or the park and trips to the Lakehouse. 

We missed your seventh birthday and now this one,

But our memories of Hawaii linger on and

bring joy every time we think about them.

Your smiles, your words that I wanted to store up forever,

your laughter and honest expressions

have warmed our hearts, whether near or far away.

We wish you a very happy 8th Birthday 

and God's favor to rest on you always.

Sending hugs and kisses,

Love, Papa and Grammy