It takes a village

Because we rolled into Dayton at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, I had already made up my mind that we would NOT be coloring eggs this year. This confession might make me a really bad mom, but I HATE coloring eggs with my kids. It's so messy. Which is ironic, since my mom had me dying eggs and hunting them through my Sophomore year in college. Yep, college.

My decision was met with tears and complaints from my 6 year old. Drama and hysterics are definitely part of our future.

But I stuck to my guns. After seven days where the world revolved around them, I was not about to kill myself so that we could color eggs. I'm a Grinch, what can I say?

Thankfully, some good friends invited us over for Easter lunch. They have three girls (one is away at college) who have occasionally babysat for our kids since Olivia was a baby. Let's just say when the kids hear we are going to Monica and Meredith's house they jump up and down and do a happy dance. These girls (and their parents) spoil our kids rotten!

Honestly, my Easter started off kind of rocky. Easter in my mind was always associated with my dad's side of the family. I'm not exactly sure why, but my dad really loved Easter. This holiday really snuck up on me (maybe it was our trip that distracted me) but it wasn't until the morning that I realized it was my first Easter without my parents.

My mom always bought the kids an Easter outfit. Here is a picture of baby Turner (pre Quinn days) on an egg hunt at my parent's. My emotion was high and my tears were flowing. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it together to enjoy our friends.
God always knows what we need, though! When we got to their house they had pulled out all the stops.

An egg hunt (with toys, trinkets and candy!) An amazing spread, crafts, games, great conversation and even gifts for my kids!
Which is exactly what I needed on Sunday. My soul was overwhelmed. I miss the certain way my parents did things and spoiled my kids. Don't get me wrong... we have PLENTY of family who spoil them. There is a unique way each one does it and its weird and sad some days that theirs no longer exists.

Part of my Easter blessing is that without even knowing it, our friends provided a little something that was missing from my life. God's grace through friends. (These girls are quite the little Pinterest queens, too, I might add!)

No one will ever take the place of my parents. But I'm slowly learning that sad days don't have to be totally sad!