Completely Random

I have so many thoughts, ideas, pictures, and commentaries from this past weekend that I just decided to explode it all onto this blog page instead of trying to organize it into a 3-part series, like most people would..

So here it goes!

Saturday morning we awoke early and got on the road for a day trip to Hutchinson.  We had 3 bags packed full of clothes, snacks, shoes, diapers, wipes, toys, pajamas, bath stuff, etc.  But we were on our way.  I decided to stop in at Dillon's Warehouse on the way to my grandma and grandpa's house to surprise my dad at work.  I still get excited about seeing him at his work every time we go.  I have nearly grown up on that warehouse.  I remember making trips out there every Halloween, dressed up, to trick or treat, as a kid.  I remember popping in to surprise him on Sunday's after church, with my mom and sister...sometimes to deliver a lunch-so he didn't have to eat hamburgers out of the vending machine. I worked out there as the 'pop girl' as a teenager, filling the pop machines in all the buildings on site.  I worked as a checker/bagger in the grocery store on 30th street through high school.  So its almost euphoric for me to walk through those glass doors into the freezing, perishable warehouse.  So many memories.  Now my favorite part is to take my kids into visit "Papa" at his work.   On this particular occasion, we got a tour of the warehouse...and its been years since I've experienced this tour.  On our way, we taste-tested grapes, strawberries (which according to Blake's reaction-must have still been sour), and then we went into Blake's Banana Heaven.  As soon as stepped foot into the banana room, and he realized he was surrounded by bunches and bunches of bananas, he was overwhelmed!  He raised his arms up in the air, stomped his feet, and yelled in excitement...then took off running to get his hands on a few. 

 

My heart was full after leaving the warehouse, as I was able to watch my kids experience the same thing I had so many times over, as a child.

We then headed to my grandma and grandpa's house for an annual Easter egg hunt.  

Pay attention to that yellow basket in Autum's hands...it will appear in every picture from the rest of the weekend...in fact, as I'm typing this, Autum is sitting in it, to keep Blake from stealing her 'goodies!'

Then, the tree cutters came to take down a dead tree from their yard and the kids were mesmerized.  I was actually impressed, myself. The men would climb up to the top of the tree, strap themselves on and swing around from branch to branch.  SO we set up lawnchairs and made an event of it!  After a limb would fall, Blake would stand up wave his hands, clap, and yell in excitement!

It got even better when the man got down from the tree and Autum yells "DADDY!" (note the similarity...haha, the only thing I can figure was he was wearing tall boots, with hooks, a leather tool belt, and a hat)  From there on, there were NO similarities...haha, just a red face on his part...

From there, we moved onto my mom and dad's house for naptime and more playtime in the country.  What is a weekend without T-ball.  My parents bought my kids a whiffle ball pitching machine for Easter so Kate, Jeremy, and I had a homerun derby for hours that afternoon...with my dad coaching from the sidelines.  Its amazing how he can remember how to push all our buttons with his coaching cues..."hands up", "pull your head out", "eyes on the ball"...and on and on... luckily Kate and I have matured enough to not throw the bat anymore or yell and stomp inside and lock him outside...we were all still laughing at the end, thank God!

Then we headed home to regroup for Easter Sunday...I had been feeling guilty all week about not making time for repentance, for quiet, for complete focus on the reality of what this week meant.  1 of the saddest and 1 of the happiest days in history, took place this past week and yet, I didn't find time to meditate on it.  But, I refused to let Satan hang this guilt over my head. I tried to be meditate in the brief moments I had during my day to worship and praise God up until Sunday.  And I tell you what, by Sunday morning my heart was full...it was rejoicing, and joyful!  As we sang the song with words that go, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death, come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave, Christ is risen from the dead, we are one with Him again, come awake, come awake, come and rise up from the grave!"  I seriously wanted to jump up on my pew and yell it to the Heavens...we have a life in Christ because of Easter, we have a new relationship with Christ because of his resurrection, we have a new relationship with other believers because of his conquering of death...these realities just poured down over my head like cold water...awakening my soul.  I seriously cried tears of joy throughout the worship time.  I honestly have no idea why, except because I was finally getting a chance to rejoice over my Lord.  Whew...what a morning.  I had episodes of near-tears all day long as I sat with family, as I partook of a meal, as I did my workout, as I drove in the car...I just felt the Holy Spirit's presence all day long.  It was an experience I haven't felt so closely since our adoption of Blake. 
Which made my thoughts wander to his orphanage, during the lyrics of "I see Jesus"...to what was the reality of so many of his bunkmates...to those children who seem to have no hope.  Do they see Jesus?  Do they have a childlike faith in a spirituality we never experience in our busy-filled lives?  Who will be their "Jesus" if we aren't?  Oh my soul anguishes over these thoughts...which probably lead to more of my tears..

I told you this would be random.