Good Friday, Holy Saturday & Easter Sunday

"Acts 13:30-35 ESV
(30) But God raised him from the dead, (31) and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.
(32) And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, (33) this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, “‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’(34) And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ (35) Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’"

Friday started with an early release from work, which was great because with all the overtime I've been working, I was exhausted! I had planned on taking the girls to an Easter event at a rehab a few miles away but honestly did not have the energy. As soon as I walked in the door, I dropped my stuff on the chest & walked into my room, laid down & fell asleep. Bryleigh was already napping, but Cadence came & got in bed with me, watching tv - but ended up asleep too!
Dennis came in & woke us up around 4. By then it was too late to hit up any of the pre-Easter events, so we had dinner & went to Shannon's so Cadence could play w/Kennedy for a little while.
They played Just Dance 2, Hide & Seek, Barbies & Tag. When it was time to go Cadence decided she wanted to stay the nite. Her first overnite away from home with someone other than family - eeekk!

Saturday morning I was up bright & early to get ready to screen for Planned Pethood.
The beginning of the event, which happened to be the 1st outdoor event of the year, was BUSY! I could barely keep up. Once it slowed down, it was SLOW...which left me thinking...thinking about how sore my arms were getting.. Why were my arms so sore? Because they were FRIED!!! I mean FRIED! I was not expecting that...I was so sore.
When the event was over, we picked up Cadence & Kennedy & headed out to theChurch on Strayer for their annual Easter Egg Drop.

It was a lot of fun...until I lost Cadence. I was panicked & crying, searching for her. I reported it to a sheriff working there..thankfully Denise, my wonderful photographer friend found her! Cadence was scared too...I'm still traumatized!
We headed back to Shannon's to drop Kennedy off after the drop, then headed home to color eggs.

The girls had fun coloring eggs & Cadence fell asleep faster than ever ready for the Easter Bunny to visit!
The next morning, Dennis & I had to wake the girls for them to look for their eggs...at TEN O'CLOCK! My gosh, I was always up super early for Christmas & Easter - my girls would sleep til noon if we'd let them! What kind of kids are they?! HA!
After finding the eggs, going through their baskets & starting their surgar high, we got them dressed & went to Church.

Cadence found the 1st egg of the morning!

Bryleigh loved to take 2 eggs & hit them together -
thank God they're hard boiled! ha!

Part of their baskets before they started pulling stuff out..
missing are the keys, movies & lalaloopsy!

Cadence showing dad - who is video'ing the morning..
she was too excited!

Bryleigh looking at her Tangled movie

When we got home, we watched Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure - the movie in Cai's Easter basket.
Finally, we got ready & went to Marge's for dinner. It was a nice dinner - we stayed for a few hours visiting.

Our nephew Kasey

Emily & Cadence

Kasey & Emily

By the time we got home it was bathtime. After their baths,the girls cuddled on the couch while I read them a story...

Before the story was finished, Bryleigh was having an extreme meltdown so she went to bed a 1/2 hour early!
Cadence didn't want to go to bed - possibly still on a sugar high... She finally crashed around 9:45 and I followed not long after!
Dennis was watching tv when I said good-nite...he had some dvr's to catch up on!

One of the things about holidays I love is traditions. Dennis & I would like to make our own traditions for the kids. One of the traditions I grew up with was singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I still carry that one on with the girls. We also started another this past year of new pj's on Christmas Eve & reading Christmas books before bed.
For Easter Eve they color eggs, get baths & we talk about what Easter means. What happened on Easter & how important it is in our lives. Easter baskets always have a movie (this year it was Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure for Cai & Tangled for Bry), a little toy (car keys w/remote for B & a Lalaloopsy for Cai)...I want something more though...more meaningful & something less materialistic...

What are your family traditions?

Screening, Cord Prolapse & Aiden Joseph

Friday was pretty laid back. I was happy to get off work & after a quick trip home to change my clothes we went to visit Marge & Dave. She bought us dinner from McD’s & Cadence stayed the nite.

Saturday my mom came over to watch Bryleigh while Dennis & I went to volunteer at Planned Pethood. I was screening & he helped setup, tear down & take dogs out to use the bathroom.
I LOVED all the dogs there! Some of my favorites from the day were Sally, Sophie & Tyson.
Also, this cat w/the Humane Society, was cracking me up. He totally looked like he was saying FML. Poor guy! Ha!

Cadence was dropped off to us at the store and about 20 mins before it was time to go, she threw up all over the bathroom…I felt so bad!
She was pretty lethargic the rest of the day – fell asleep at like 7:30 even.

However, when she woke up Sunday morning, she was back to her happy self! We were feeling a little like we had cabin fever, so we decided to take a small drive. We ended up in Kari’s neck of the woods & stopped by, but she wasn’t home…

After about an hour of driving, we went home to relax. I was also waiting for word on how Randi’s labor was coming. Around 6, Angie texted me that they broke her water, so I headed up to the hospital to wait & greet Aiden w/the rest of the family.

Around 7:40 Randi started having complications…she then had cord prolapsed. They wheeled her back for an emergency c-section. It was so scary. The dr was on the gurney w/her holding the umbilical cord inside of her.
However, Aiden Joseph was born crying loudly, healthy as can be @ 7lbs 4oz 21 inches long! Randi lost quite a bit of blood, but they were finally able to control & she didn’t have to have a transfusion.

I left the hospital before Aiden came out to meet everyone – but got plenty of pics from Aunt Vicki!

Welcome to the family Aiden Joseph – we are so happy you’re here!

Trophies & Dogs

One of the things Cadence's coach did to get the girls excited about their first exhibition was to tell them that they were going to get a trophy for doing such a good job! How exciting - it's all Cadence talked about. Everytime we'd walk into the gym, she'd point to the few dozen trophies already on the wall & say "I'm gonna get a trophy, momma!".
I tried numerous times to explain to her that the trophy was for the WHOLE team, but she ignored my rational comments.
Fast forward to the 1st exhibition at Lake…trophy time…ONE big trophy - Cadence trying to figure out why she doesn't have one.
It's hard to explain to a just turned 4 yr old that she doesn't get to take it home. She was really upset b/c it's all she looked forward to.
Fast forward a few more weeks to their 2nd exhibition - where again, they get ONE trophy. This time she expected it & just looked at me from the bleachers, frowned & shrugged her shoulders as she passed it on to the next girl on her team.
Dennis & I looked for one we could give her, that way she wouldn't feel ripped off. It was too no avail. I talked about it at work & last Sat CSE had their family & friends day. Andrea came & didn't come empty handed - that's right - she found a trophy!!
Although Cadence didn't show much appreciation at the time, she said thank you, but acted all shy (grrr…I hate it when she acts like that!), she did give Andrea a REAL hug when she left.
The trophy has become an appendage for her. It's quite silly actually. She takes it everywhere. She sleeps w/it, carries it randomly around the house, had her Spiderman kiss it…she loves it.
Today, my phone rings - I look at the caller id - Nikki (the foster coordinator for PPI)…hmmm…I'm hoping everything is ok. I just read an email from her the day before that one of the fosters homes burnt to the ground & their dogs died in the fire. 2 of their own & 3 PPI dogs. One was Jefferson & although he wasn't my foster, I had helped them out w/him before. I cried a lot after that email. I can't imagine coming home to your house being gone & your wonderful pets having perished in the fire.
Thank God the family was safe.
So I answer my phone & she asks me how I'm feeling - how's the pregnancy…then she says, I have kind of a favor to ask.
I get excited, knowing it's most likely foster related. No, I know I CANNOT do a foster at this point, not in an apt, but still..it's nice to dream.
I say ok..she asks if I can dog sit for TWO days ONLY. Nothing long term…calm down.
I of course can't wait to say, of course. She explains they're going out of town on Fri morn & will be back on Sun. They have a dog sitter coming a few times a day to feed her dogs & let them out, etc, but Sweet Girl has to be crated b/c she likes her daughters toys & that would mean she'd be caged from Fri-Sun w/about 2-3 hrs of free time.
While she's explaining to me what Sweet Girl is like, Dennis says, Who is that? I mouth Nikki…he squints his eyes at me. I laugh & tell Nikki, who also cracks up. I tell him, calm down - it's just a dog sitting thing.
He shrugs & walks away. So, this Fri-Sun, we will be opening our home to a beautiful pup, Sweet Girl, who is available for adoption @ Planned Pethood.