the best thing

For our family, Easter was full of so many good things...

an early morning with cousins:

the quintessential family photo shoot that always goes so well:

yeah.

(it got a little better!)

rides with Papa on "Darlene", the 4-wheeler:

fun with Aunt Susan:

(with her tiny pregnant belly!)

 

 extra daddy time:

marmee's* easter baskets for her grandbabies:

(*I'm not sure if Marmee hides from the camera but she is all-too-often missing from pictures. We will try to work on that. And Aunt Marion... was she even there?! Don't know what happened. Kids were too cute, I guess.)

 

 an Easter egg hunt:

 

a first real visit with our nephew Evan, 6 weeks:

So many good things. There was very little about our time together that I would change even if I could. 

Really, though, how can that goodness compare to the reason we gather, the reason we feast, the reason we celebrate Easter at all?

Jesus is alive. That is the best thing.

"Now let the heavens be joyful,
Let earth her song begin:
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein;
Invisible and visible,
Their notes let all things blend,
For Christ the Lord is risen
Our joy that hath no end."
-- John of Damascus