Face the Future With a Smile – Easter 2016

28
2024
easter 2016 smile at the future

I’m glad that Easter was early this year. I have been in need of a break from routine after having my head behind a computer screen most nights since our holiday in October last year. I still haven’t found a way to get ahead with my blogging, but that just means you get to read posts that have been written in the moment.

I had many plans to work on a few projects over the long weekend, but my growing pile of books and tv shows that I haven’t had time to indulge in, beckoned stronger. It was a good mini break – and when you add family time and chocolate… well the long weekend couldn’t have been more perfect.

Easter Eggs

 

easter egg eating

We have our usual Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday. The girls had fun looking for their eggs, although I think next year Jacob will have to make it a bit harder because all the eggs were found within 5 minutes! All three couldn’t wait to hog into their eggs before dinner.

easter egg hunt

We had our neighbors over for dinner and they have 6 month old twin boys. Wrangling dinner with a baby brought back memories of when Jacob and I used to tag team holding our babies while we ate dinner. While I’ve sometimes been sad that my baby rearing days are over, I’m glad I’m done. That first year with a baby is beautiful, but hard.

Saturday morning we spent time with my brother and sister-in-law shopping for winter clothes for Esther. It was nice to spend time together and have extra hands and eyes to watch over Maggie and Phoebe. Phoebe likes to bolt and dart between aisles and hangers of clothes. I rarely let her out of the pram or trolley. She had to be rescued a few times by her Aunt and Uncle. My brother rescued a chocolate bunny in Target that Phoebe found and was about to eat it’s ears. There is never a dull moment with toddlers!

Phoebe

As usual, I had plumbing enquiries in the week leading up to Easter. I know the long weekend is the perfect time to do a bit of DIY, but my stomach still clenches when I hear about people doing their own plumbing. I reckon a fair few plumbers will be busy this week fixing up jobs that didn’t go to plan. Let me know if you’re a plumber who finds themselves busy this week because of a DIY gone wrong.

Sunday morning we went to help serve at church that was held at the RICC centre to accommodate the large number of people that come in and out of the services on Easter Sunday. A mini fair for the kids was being organized and volunteers were needed to man each amusement activity. When we arrived, the amusements weren’t to arrive till later that day, which for an organized person like myself, found it rather annoying to be told we had to wait till midday to help supervise the amusements. Thankfully they arrived a little earlier than expected so the families that decided to stay a little longer, got the benefit of seeing the animal farm and climbing this awesome jumping castle. My reaction to the changes on Sunday morning wasn’t very gracious. It seems I still don’t like change at the last minute even though we’ve experienced the most change in our lives in the last couple of years.

easter jumping castle
Esther and Maggie climbing this awesome Jumping Castle.

 

blackboards
Phoebe drawing on the blackboards that some of the dads knocked up together last week for the Easter services.

 

After quietly contemplating the message in the service, I reflected on life and it’s messiness that can bind us and keep us from being where we want to be. I’ve been stressed about issues this year that have been out of my control and it’s been easy to allow my mind to slip into a stressful state where I negatively think things will never change. It’s in those moments I know I need to stop, and bind that negative thought with positivity and face the future with a smile.

The Easter message is definitely a reason to face the future with a smile because we know that our stresses and problems are only temporary. Still hard nonetheless to face, but in the grand scheme of life, they are little and shouldn’t overtake our focus.

I’m looking forward to having slower mornings now that it’s school holidays. Sometimes a change in routine is as good as a holiday.

I hope your Easter break has been a good one. It’s been one of our best ones yet.

Tell me how did you celebrate Easter? Did you do any DIY over the long weekend? How much chocolate did you eat?

I’m linking with Essentially Jess for IBOT.