Easter

We had Easter together as a family this year.  I must admit it was strange not getting together with extended family, but it was still a good day.  I decided to do an Easter feast with just us.  I did the usual: homemade rolls, ham, mashed potatoes, salad, etc.  It was a beautiful, sunny day.

The kids opened their Easter gifts/baskets in the morning (I tried to limit the candy as much as possible.), then we had church, our dinner, then we went to the cemetery to visit Anneca's grave.

We were finally able to put the pinwheel flower at her grave, since the ground has been too frozen previously.  The cemetery was so beautiful, full of flowers everywhere you looked.

This Easter was actually a really hard one for me.  It was the first one since Anneca's passing, and while I felt like I should be celebrating Christ's Resurrection--and knowing that, as a result, Anneca will also be resurrected, it was a sorrowful day for me.  I do well most days, but this was one of those days where missing Anneca hit me really hard.  I long to hold her, to watch her grow, to nurture and love her.  I try to remind myself there will come a time I will be able to do this, but sometimes I'm not very good at remembering that.  Life is hard.  But, ultimately, I am more grateful than ever before that the Savior loved us enough to suffer the Atonement for us, that He overcame death, and that we have hope through the power of His name.  Yes, life is hard, but I'm doing my best to learn what He would have me learn along this beautiful journey.  And to remember that, even amidst sorrow, we can have joy, because of Him.