easter.

Easter.
My official second favorite holiday.
It's been in competition with Thanksgiving for a while. Christmas is the reigning champ.
But this weekend has sealed the deal for my enjoyment of this holiday!!
Christmas #1
Easter #2
Thanksgiving #3
St. Patty's #4

Some moments from my Easter:

• Woke up remembering that I serve an incredibly loving and sacrificial King! Without Him, where would I be? With him, death has lost its sting!
• Went to church at Gateway NRH with the whole family! Can I just say how refreshing it is to hear believers sing praises to our Savior and rejoice that He is RISEN!!
• Learned that my parents got pulled over for speeding on their way to church. Mom panicked that she'd be too late to find seats so she grabbed her Bible, jumped out the side of the truck, and gracefully jogged away from the police officer...who let my dad off with just a warning after that display
• Oh yeah, they were 30 minutes early!
• Watched my precious 19 month old nephew Noah soak up every moment of his Easter egg hunt
• Brought my A-game to the family Easter egg hunt, beating Austin for the first time in..., well probably in forever
• Only got pushed once during the Easter egg hunt. Guess that's what happens when you get older.
• Had truly the most beautiful Easter lunch with family and sweet long-time family friends. The Riaches hosted us ((even after Mrs. Riach had to got 12 stiches in her leg that very morning!!)) and went all out! Turkey, ham, little carrots with the stems still attached, yummy potatoes, incredible rolls, cabbage, asparagus, frozen fruit salad, too many desserts to choose from, and so much more.
• Admired magazine-worthy Easter decor at the Riaches house. Seriously, there's a tree just for Easter ornaments! It's the little things in life...
• Have I mentioned that I LOVE the Riaches?? Each and every one of them.
  
• Participated in an adult friendly Easter egg hunt...which I had clearly lost my skill from the morning hunt. Lauren on the other hand, ditched Noah and dominated in this one! I knew she meant business when I saw her in the dirt on all fours looking under firewood. Who knew she could be so fierce?
  
• Dyed hard-boiled Easter eggs. Brought me back.
  
• Fueled up with a Blended Non-fat White Rocker to write my 10 page paper ((that I've been putting off for weeks and was supposed to be due tomorrow)) only to learn it's postponed a whole week!!! Truly a modern miracle.
• Rejoiced over this fact, came home, sat on the porch and wrote this blog instead.

That, my friends, that's what I call an Easter celebration!!

And most definitely can't forget or ignore or belittle:

The Gospel of Christ-
God of the Universe, awesome, all-powerful King,
who saw worth in me and in you,
Who looked at us in all our mess and shame
and said without question, I'll die for you!
His sacrifice, His death, and His miraculous resurrection
PAID the PRICE!!
No longer bound to sin, but free because of Christ alone!

1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.