April Showers ...

A quick break this morning from our lovely anniversary recap ... It's 6:25 a.m., and our vacation is officially over. Easter weekend was busy but fun, packed full of family time. Friday was "Kids' Choice," always a "bite the bullet" affair for me, especially when it comes to their choice of a lunch destination. After going to the theater to see "Rio" and spending some time in the Lego store, the kids declared their choice for lunch: chili dogs. If you could put "yum" and "ugh" together, that was the result ... for me, at least. My taste buds were quite happy; my stomach ... not so much.

Ah yes, it's good to be home. It truly is. The kids have been fun, with Grace especially pouring out the cuteness with her unique phrasing ("Aidan went to the Museum of Actual History!") or adorable thoughtfulness: "I made a Holy Week Bag!" she proudly exclaimed, holding up her ziploc bag filled with all kinds of bits representing elements from Holy Week. A plastic loaf of bread and pink goblet (the Last Supper), a sparkly sapphire and diamond-encrusted heart from one of her tiaras ("this is Jesus' heart, because he loves us so much"), and even a red coffee stirrer ("This is the soldier's spear"). To be honest, I was a bit floored by how much she has been absorbing, and understanding, and in a way it was all quite moving. One thing in her Holy Week bag had me a bit stumped -- my old Raggedy Ann's apron. Thinking it was just filler, I was immediately chastised. "No, Mommy!" she said rather indignantly. "This is the apron that Jesus wore on Thursday, because he took all his clothes off to wash the disciples' feet." I hid my smile at that one, yet at the same time felt a bit of wonder at this five-year-old ...

Our Easter service yesterday was fantastic ... joyful, exuberant, loud, and absolutely packed. I had the privilege of singing in an "ad hoc" Easter Choir, something that always brings me great joy, singing in that capacity. And the icing on the cake was ... the weather. Yes, after wearing a wool sweater the day before (in April! in NJ!), and despite the forecast of another gloomy day, the sun shone down hot, and we finally broke out the short-sleeves. The kids were ecstatic, clad in their t-shirts and shorts and running barefoot through the yard. Finally ... finally! A thunderstorm rolled in late in the afternoon, just as we were a few blocks from home after walking Jack. We ran, but we didn't mind that rain one bit. It was a real spring rain, warm and lovely. And, for the kids, lots of fun.

Yes, it's good to be back home. In a minute I'll head to the kitchen and get my "real" life started once again. Don already asked me to make him a lunch -- and so it begins. Backpacks to fill, miscellaneous school papers to fill out (since I'm a terrific procrastinator, despite having had all weekend to take of "business"), kids to wake up, feed and dress, and get to school. Mountains of laundry need to be tackled; suitcases need to be put away. Cares begin to pile up again -- my dad, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in the fall, is having a procedure done today to implant radiation seeds. We're praying for success and no complications ... but it's something on the mind. Yes, we begin again ...

Happy Monday, dear readers ...