Wearing: by late afternoon on Sunday when we took our annual Easter family portrait (with whichever combination of children happen to be home) this is what we looked like.  The teen boys and I are shopping this week for some new dress clothes.  They are avid weight lifters which, together with the current style of narrow pant legs, poses more wardrobe challenges for their mother than I can tell you. 

Lest you get the impression we are entirely refined I will also share the other annual Easter family portrait tradition – the outtake:

Around the house: There are buntings and vases and vignettes. The easter lilies smell truly divine. I wish spring flowers lasted all year!

From the kitchen: It was typically simple fare here. Our guest brought us some ham which I warmed with a brown sugar and mustard glaze.  I roasted a couple chickens and toasted some rolls.  The little girls made some peep cupcakes.  The bunny pancakes made their appearance as always.  That's the thing about traditions, they look forward to them with great expectation.  It is different now that there are more able hands to assemble them all. 

Creating: the crowning project, of all things, were the Pixar eggs. (below) I'm not sure what got into me lol.  It involved paint and glue gun and I seriously questioned my sanity at one point a couple hours into it.  Still, they were so very happy and busy and utterly thrilled when finished.  They are not toddlers anymore and I know how soon the day will come they will not have hours to sit at my table and laugh and craft.  It's a new season, couched between the chaos of preschool and the outside activity of the teen years that will soon be here for them. It's a good season.

Reading: The Dolorous Passion of the Christ   We watched the movie together on Friday and it occurred to me that perhaps next year it would be good to watch it at the beginning of lent.  It is always so convicting and I think the visual and reminders would inspire better focus.  One thing that struck me this year was the laughter – from the guards, the party-goers at the palace, the crowds.  Sin can appear to be so terribly funny.  Sigh. I've asked myself how often I too have had Truth standing right before me and I missed it as completely. Is it possible I have looked into the face of God and dismissed Him in the same ways?  The time it's taken to read random chapters online in bits and snatches has been well spent. 

Thinking about: Hospitality and all it entails for me.  It's sort of a dirty word it seems.  A few moments online will turn up jeers and scorn and questions – "Who are you trying to impress?" they ask as though that must be our motive.   Well, the thing is we have had some weary souls around our table at times and these lines come back to me often –

"No day should pass, we say, on which we do not put a little cheer into some discouraged heart, make the path a little smoother for someone’s tired feet, or help some fainting robin unto its nest again. This is right."  JR Miller

 I know how to do some things well.  My cooking is only passably good, but I can set a pretty table.  I like to gather flowers and set candlesticks in place.  I press tablecloths and pull out cut glass bowls.  It makes me happy.  As we sat down together I realized that, much more importantly, it was making other people happy.  Those who have no home of their own or no time or resources or strength to beautify their space could be spoiled for a few hours and maybe leave standing a little taller and feeling a bit steadier.  This is as it should be.  As Miller said, this is right. 

It doesn't fix everything but perhaps it makes us better able to tackle all the rest. 

And now we are well into "all the rest."  April and May are full of travel both for ourselves and for guests arriving here and I am already there in my head working out plans and making lists.  I hope your Easter was lovely and your springtime full of promise.