Happy Easter!

I hosted Easter dinner this year. Since Tyler was spending Easter in New York with Andrew, I thought that it would be nice to have my family join me down here.

So, I started preparing last night.

It was nothing fancy, but I made a summer vegetable dish along with sloppy joes. They were a big hit today! I don't think anyone left hungry.

I was being pitiful this year because I thought it would be the first year in my life that I didn't get to dye Easter eggs. When Mom heard this, she postponed her annual egg dyeing day to today! So, we boiled 4 dozen eggs or so and got everything ready to dye.

We then got to work! Miranda was getting the dye ready at this point, and Steve was taking the picture. The rest of us jumped right in.

I dedicate this egg to my Love. : ) It was hard to be without him today, but it made it easier that my family came down. This is the first holiday we've spent apart... and we plan on making it our last. It's absolute nonsense to not be together!

I dedicate this egg to my brother, Tyler. He always dyes an egg green after writing "& ham" on it. So, I did this one in his honor.

Halfway through, Nana Helen joined us! She helped me finish my dozen. I am SO glad that she came over, and I hope she had as good of a time with us as we did with her. I'm going to miss her SO much once I move. She's pretty incredible!

This is a close up of our finished product. I like the tie-dye one the best.

BUT...

Although it was absolutely amazing having my family here, nothing compares to the church service we had this morning.

At the beginning, 4 people were baptized. That, in itself, was too cool for words. I couldn't think of a more perfect day to be born again. After our pastor had baptized those individuals, he made the announcement that the baptismal waters would still be there at the end of the service, and he would baptize anyone who wished to be baptized.

He then preached about the perfect love story... the love our Savior has for us. The love He felt for us when He died on the cross. The love God had for us when He watched His Son get nailed to the cross. The grace and mercy we do not deserve, but that Christ shows us because He loves us.

At the end of the service, 8 more people got out of their seats, dress clothes and all, to be baptized! The water does not save them, but the outward testimony of an inner change was AMAZING. It was the coolest Easter service I've ever been to.

Nothing was scripted, nothing was planned, it was not a show.

It was simply God. God showing His amazing love to undeserving people.

THIS is what Easter is truly about. I am humbled to worship such a big and almighty God.

I am blessed that I had family to share it with.