Happy Easter!

What a beautiful day this was, weather-wise and otherwise. The girls got new Easter dresses and looked oh-so-cute in them for church this morning. Susan had to be there for all three services (8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 A.M.) because the choir sang, so we attended the first service as a family. The brass quartet joined the choir and the organ to fill the church with radiant music, and our new head pastor, Roger Dykstra, delivered a great, upbeat sermon. At two ends of our church, throughout Lent we have had displays made of floor-to-ceiling Styrofoam panels carved and painted to look like (very realistic) cave walls. The stones on each have been covering the openings, but this morning they were pushed aside to reveal an empty tomb but for a grave cloth and a potted Easter lily (yes, I just used the construction "but for"). Whoever decorates our church throughout the year does an awesome job. During "kids' time" in church, Pastor Marty had four boxes for the kids to open, the first three of which each contained an object that somehow symbolizes Easter (a plant, eggs, and a butterfly). The fourth one was empty, and he asked who knew why. Abigail raised her hand and offered, "It symbolizes the empty tomb that they found when they rolled the stone away." Yay!

The girls and I then went to Starbuck's while Susan stayed for the next two services. We drank hot chocolates and shared a cream cheese Danish and a chocolate glazed doughnut while I read the paper and started the Sunday crossword puzzle. Then we picked up Susan and went home. She started Easter dinner while the girls and I went for a walk. The weather was beautiful--about 74 degrees. We returned to a nontraditional but delicious Easter meal (that I had requested): paella, a Spanish dish of spiced chicken, sausage, and shrimp. It was superb, and the flavors were unlike anything that either of us ever ate while growing up. Susan is excellent about trying new and unusual recipes, and the girls are great about joining us in trying anything. Click here for the recipe. She served it with peas and multi-grain dinner rolls with garlic butter. Susan and I drank adult slushes (called California Hangovers--a recipe from her mom--served with Fresca) in lieu of sangria, which I thought would have been a great accompaniment.

In the afternoon the girls read and replied to all their Easter e-mails (from my dad and stepmom and my two sisters) and then played outside. We all went for another walk before supper, and the girls led us to the playground at their elementary school (just a few blocks away). We played there, and I played a little basketball with some of my students, who happened to be there using the courts. We had more paella and finished the jasmine rice pudding afterward.

It was a very full day but a relaxing one (well, except for Susan perhaps, who had all that food to make). It's been an excellent break so far!