Hope Renewed

Easter. I like Easter. It lines up with spring. It lines up with new. Newness. Hope. Fresh hope. He is risen.

I just dig it.

And every so often, we try to make Easter our “Wilber Holiday” because of the memories I have from going to Easter Sundays for decades at that church. It’s one of the three days of the year that I attempt to make my boys wear specific clothing. I try to get a picture of all 5 of us together. And this year, with my sister and her family making the “voyage” from Northern Iowa, I felt like I couldn’t miss it. Even having spent the last four weeks, essentially, in bed.

But I needed this. A change of scenery.

So we packed up the Acadia.

We cranked up the radio.

We headed down to Wilber.

And I was excited.

Because. As I noted in my blog earlier this weekend, I love my hometown. {btw, thanks for all the love on that post. I am glad that my waxing poetic isn’t overkill for y’all. But Oh, THAT TOWN}

The car ride was one of the hardest parts. My boobs were not in love with the bumps.

But we made it!!

And I snapped some pics throughout the weekend.

All the kids present, enjoying some screen time on the softest leather sofa known to man {outside of the one at my Uncle Hank and Aunt Deb’s guest cottage.}

Auntie Danielle hangs with the littles.

Park time. Nora doing the hard work since mama B can’t push yet.

Bowling at Wil-Bol. I love this place. I didn’t bowl, of course. My arms and chest aren’t ready for such things.

But Uncle Chris melted my heart with his help of Harrison’s first game.

I ran into my friend, Kayla. We are February birthday girls. And we have known one another since we entered Kindergarten. And when you have a class of less than 50 people from Kindergarten to Senior year, these people know you. And I love that we have been able to stay connected through so many “grown up life” stuff over the last couple of years. And am thrilled for this little boy she has on board.

This. Melted my heart. I will blog more about this later. I never say or even think about wanting a little girl. But Nora. This little girl. She’s got a piece of my heart.

Nora snuggles with grandpa.

Saturday morning, the boys hosted “The Waffle Spot”. Taking orders. Flipping the waffles. It. Was. Darling.

Egg dying. More cracked eggs than full survivors. But fun, just the same.

We headed over to our sister town, Clatonia, for some child-fun festivities. It was so so fun. And, the girl underneath the costume, she’s a doll… who also happens to be an extremely talented writer.

These girls. One, I’ve known since I was 3. The other, since 7th grade. They know me for me. And I know them for them. Even 15 years our of high school. Love them.

The hubs and I left the kids behind and traveled to Omaha for my best friend’s bday party.

I laughed, so incredibly hard that I was crying. And holding my sore sore boobs.

All the pretty ladies.

After driving back south post-party, we were up for Easter brunch.

And the kids, all in their spiffies.

Nora and Harr. Kissin’ cousins.

This is something I will always remember.

Family photo. The children had already abandoned their church wear by the time we got home from catching up post-church.

After we packed up, we headed to the Brehm side fun. Card games, checking out their amazing new basement, and basketball outside. I mostly hung out in the theater chairs. It. Was. Boss.

HarrBear and Auntie Kim. To say this kid is loved is a complete understatement.

What is it about Easter? As the pastor gave her sermon this morning, she talked about the way that Easter reminds us that no matter what we are dealt, we should handle it with joy and take each day for what it is. She talked about being a witness in your own life. Living in a way that helps people see that Christ is at work within you.

For me, this year, hope is being renewed. Love springs eternal. I am thankful, each day, many times over, for the breaths I get to take. I do, as Brian Andreas says, cry at least once a day — but not because I’m sad, but because I have a very clear and real understanding now regarding how short life can be. I find myself thankful for spring. For the sunshine to wash my tears away. A bit. I am thankful for the comfort of family and familiarity. And mostly, for time with family. Time that I so desperately needed and so didn’t want to end.

I’ve started trying to lift Harr every now and then. This is my first week “solo”. And I am thinking that the skies will be full of sunshine, blue skies, and hope. It’s the time of year. When hope renews. When the thought of cancer, and death, and leaving this life sooner than I want, will hopefully start to become a wee less frequent. If even just a wee.

I am hopeful. I am a believer. I am feeling a sense of renewal this year. And I am more thankful than usual for Easter. And for the promise of new beginnings.

Hope Renewed

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