The Easter Outfits

For all of my growing up years, each Easter was the same. Here is the scenario that played out year after year:

My mom would sew my Easter dress--sometimes matching hers and Grandma's. Of course, true to her personality, it was almost always done last minute. The Saturday night before Easter was the same. Mom would be in the sewing room hurrying to finish my dress, while I would be in the adjoining kitchen dying the Easter eggs that she had signed up to bring for the next day's egg hunt at church. I would invariably have stained hands to go along with my new dress. (Mom always told me that is why the tradition of Easter gloves.)

After my egg dying was finished, and I could no longer keep my little eyes open, I would guiltily recede to my bedroom while my mom continued to burn the midnight oil. The next morning I would awaken to find my new Easter outfit hanging from the poster of my canopy bed.

We had purchased an ivory dress for Bethani some time back that needed a short jacket. It seemed perfect for Easter, so I decided on Wednesday that I should sew Bethani’s jacket. I went to my closet and found nothing with which to make it. I did, however, find a piece of salmon colored silk dupion. So, I made up a dress. Of course, it was a sleeveless dress, so now instead of ONE jacket, I needed to make TWO. I apparently didn’t help my cause any.






Thursday we went to the store and bought material for the ivory jacket. Friday I made the second jacket and helped Bethani make her American doll her own matching dress.






Saturday morning I woke up and wondered, “Hey, what about me and my needs???” So, I went to the infamous closet and found a nice piece of blue linen, picked out a pattern, and by midnight had a new suit for myself. It was totally unplanned, but typical of my Easter weekend--in fact it wouldn't have seemed normal any other way.

While I was upstairs sewing, Bethani was downstairs dying eggs. To her dismay, however, the next morning she could only find one glove for her stained hands.

Today, Bethani sleeps in the bed I grew up in. There have been several years when she too has awaken the next morning to find her dress hanging on the post of her canopy. This year she asked if she could hang her Easter dress on the post even though it was finished 2 DAYS EARLY!

Memories, sweet memories...

(The ivory jacket still isn't made. I wonder what the aversion is? I really need to get busy.)

Easter 2008

Windy Easter Morning









The Kiss

Holiday Youth Convention

Pastor prayed for the kids before they left. Can you believe there were 3 vans and 60 people!!!




This is apparently the latest trend. Too bad I don't have a picture of the final "Do". Must have been beautiful!

Jeremi's Lawn Care

This week is Holiday Youth Convention for the teens, and this year, they are earning their own money to pay their expenses. (Well, Grammy did send a sizeable check to help them along...)

Jeremi is a bit shy when asking people for anything, so I was there to help push him along. We decided that since it is spring and time to jump start the lawns, he should mow our lawn first as a sample of his quality work. So, on Saturday when he finished our yard, he and I jumped in the car and started driving around our neighborhood looking for neglected lawns. We found several. The first house had no answer at the door. The second house had a son who is capable of mowing himself, but the third house was his answer. He bravely knocked on the door, explained that he was a neighbor looking to fund a church trip next week and was willing to mow grass. "Would you believe it" the man said, "I was just talking with my wife about what to do about our broken lawn mower blade. I would really appreciate your help."


Well, Jeremi was so excited! He was now in business. You can imagine how excited he was when the man said he was going to pay him a lot more than just the suggested $15. In fact, he came home with 2 crisp $20 bills!

I asked him later, "Doesn't it feel good to do a good day's work?" He admitted that it did and added, "I just don't like to ask for work."

THE INFLUENZA

It has been a little while since my last post. I really have a good reason. Can you say INFLUENZA!!!

Last weekend, Craig and I headed to the airport for a conference in West Virginia. We got to DFW at 9:00 a.m., but because of the terrible snowstorm here in Dallas (maybe 1-2 inches) 300 flights were cancelled, and thus we ran from one end of the airport to the other all day long chasing after promised flights only to arrive and be disappointed "We're sorry, this flight is full." We finally got on a plane, and buckled up only to have it cancelled 5 minutes later. FINALLY, at 4:30 we got on a plane, buckled up, AND pushed away. Imagine our distress when the pilot came on and said, "I have bad news..." Well, needless to say, the pastor had to preach the first night of this prophecy conference--we got into our hotel room at midnight.

All went well for the rest of the conference. We just really love the pastor in Tom's River. After our last service on Sunday, Craig complained of feeling really sick. That night in the hotel, he asked if he could use my heating pad and snuggle with me. "I'm so cold" he said. I felt him, and he was burning up! I knew we were in trouble. It went from bad to worse. Over the course of the next few days, I struggled through midterms with chills, fever, severe headache, etc.

However,

I went to church Wednesday night to be prayed for. Three men of God laid hands on me.

I am glad to say that this is Friday night, and I am starting to see some light at the end of this dark tunnel. I'm so glad too because I don't know how long my resolve not to medicate was going to hold out. (Not to mention how miserable it is to lie in bed for 2 days straight!

Craig is well again, and I am on my way. Thank the Lord for his healing touch.

Birthday Girl

Well, it happened. She turned 9.

I have been instructed not to divulge the very special personal gifts she received. Suffice it to say that our little Blueberry is growing up way too fast. I am so very thankful God chose to put this bright spot of Joy in our home. Happy birthday sweetheart. Mom and Dad love you so very much!





Bethani and Tiffani have been having fun with the clay Bethani got for her birthday. They are so creative!