Joyeuses Pâques...

or Happy Easter!  And what says Happy Easter better than Easter soup bowls?  We were able to scavange up enough Easter candy for the kids, but could not find baskets.  So our best alternative were the soup bowls from the rental kitchen items we have until our shipment arrives! 

After more than our fair share of candy, waffles and milk, we got dressed and headed out for church. 

It was such a blessing to be a part of a multi-cultural service to see how Christ is drawing people to himself from all over the world!  Even though it wasn't the perfect spring day here, weather wise, it was a wondeful day to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!

This is a funny picture Jason snapped in the car on our way home from church.  Drew looks like he is pleading for a rescue from his siblings!

 After lunch, the kids were begging for an Easter Egg Hunt!  The weather has not been ideal for outdoor egg hunts and  I actually couldn't even find plastic eggs at the store (ours on their way over with the shipment).  Thankfully, a family we know who are going back to the States gave us a bag of Easter goodies, which included about 10 or 12 plastic eggs.  Jenna and Ethan didn't seem to mind that they were each limited to finding only 5 eggs! 

 The spoils of the hunt!  Notice the Food Lion bag.  I usually shop at Carrefour.  However, when I went early on Saturday morning for groceries, the workers at Carrefour were on strike!  They had laid all the buggies down in front of the doors and were hanging out in the parking lot.  I would never have figured this out, but thankfully a man in the parking lot told me what was going on.  It's funny, because before I knew what was going on I did think to myself that it was kind of odd practice for Carrefour to store their grocery carts on their sides!  Needless to say, I went next store to Del Haize (Food Lion), along with all the other people that had come to shop at Carrefour, so it was packed!  Welcome to Europe!

I will end with a picture of our first holiday meal at the house.  We had leftovers for lunch and then a larger  meal for dinner.  Everyone is always so hungry after church, so it is easier to do something quick for lunch.  I am excited to begin a few traditions here, and I have faith that we will begin making friendships with which to enjoy many of these special memories.  However, in the end, we know we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother!  And it is on this day, that we meditate on the sacrifice that He made for us and the joyous resurrection that allows us a way to have peace with God and a hope both now and forever.

"See, what a morning, gloriously bright,

With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;

Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,

As the angels announce, "Christ is risen!"

See God's salvation plan,

Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,

Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,

For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!"

See What A Morning - Stuart Townend and Keith Getty