Easter Weekend 2009

He is risen!

We've been blessed with three wonderful church services during this Easter celebration season. Palm Sunday with 133 baptisms, Good Friday with a rejoicing in the "goodness" of Christ's redeeming power at the cross also testified in the personal lives of some of the church leadership, and yesterday's illustrations of guarantees in our lives because of God's guarantee in the resurrection.

He is risen, indeed!

We also were blessed with family time on the weekend. Friday morning after church we went to Calgary to spend the day with our children. We hiked up on Nose Hill in search of geocaches. We found three out of the four - not bad! And two were still buried in snow. The third was deep in some trees! It is more beautiful up there than I ever imagined. All those years living in Calgary, then visiting we never went up there! Not all the way to the top anyway! We will have to make more treks to this preserved small oasis of remaining prairie in the middle of a chaotic mass of rushing humankind! We actually could leave behind the noise and enjoy the peaceful quietness while looking west towards the still snow blanketed mountains! I loved it, even with the steady upward climb to reach the solitude!

After making our way back down to the truck we went over to Eric and Becky's so I could meet the new kittens. Dexter was more than happy to make my acquaintance, but shy little Piper only came upstairs long enough to peer at me with his large hesitant eyes. That's OK - I'm patient! And well Keira puppy had stories to tell and couldn't get enough scratches or petting, which is not that unusual. We'll just have to visit them more this summer.

We all went out for supper and then over to Starbucks for coffee and visiting and discussing California. It is going to come so quickly, and I'm afraid go by just as fast! I think all the plans are in place that can be for now. I just need to find a pair of fuzzy ugly brown socks and hopefully not need to pull them out while down there! Kev came back with us and all the way home he and Peter watched the north sky for flashes of lightening that kept reoccurring over our destination! But we were too tired to listen to the thunder long once our heads hit the pillow!

Saturday back home in Lacombe it was time for some of the kids to come see us. Brent and Kirstin arrived in the morning and after visiting and tea the three guys came over to the office while Kirstin and I took the longer on foot. Us girls did a bit of shopping since we knew they would be a while going over a drawing. Once back home we sat outside in the sun and watched Kev get his RC plane up and running. Unless he opened it up, it sounded no louder than a lawn mower so we weren't concerned at all for a noise problem in our backyard and neighbor complaints. We had our unique Easter dinner and spent the early evening playing Settlers of Catan. I think I was getting the hang of it by the time most of the others were close to the final push to win! I need more practice time! Then it was time for Brent and Kirstin to head to her family's place and Kev, Kels and Peter and I sat around the freshly brought out fire pit and spent some time talking money things. The decision had been to go to the first service the next morning so we didn't make it too late.

Sunday afternoon and evening was quiet with Kev watching Flyboys - a good WW I movie - and doing not much of anything. Brent and Kirstin picked up Kev to take him back to Calgary late evening and it was soon time to think about starting the new work week again! And that brings me to now. A quiet "Easter Monday" in town with schools closed and major offices following suit. Being a small office, the "employees" haven't pushed for an "in lieu of day" for yesterday. But the door is still locked and the answering machine is serving it's purpose.

Stay tuned for pictures to follow. Need to do a few other things yet today first!