This last weekend, the unimaginable happened. One of our friends experienced a loss so incredible- that it has left me with tears in my eyes for the last several days. Our friends little girl went missing Friday afternoon and soon a search ensued. Surrounding fields, yards and houses were searched thoroughly, and divers were called to start looking in the nearby river. At dark the search was suspended and early the next morning, one of the neighbors found her body several hundred yards down the river.
This story touches everyone on different levels. The horrificness of the accident makes us all catch our breath and pray for the family.
As Easter Sunday dawned the day after they found baby Jayci- I couldn’t help but think of what we were doing last Easter. We were in the middle of our own nightmare. Ryan had been out of the hospital for a few days and was in a body cast. It snowed that morning and we wrapped Ryan up in a blanket and took him outside for an Easter egg hunt in his dad’s arms.
We were so close to having the same ending as our friends, and for some unknown reason- he was spared. I am so grateful for my children, you never realize how fragile they are until times like this. Stories like Ryan’s and Jayci’s are those of legend- as parent’s we always think that these things happen to someone else. But I am someone else. Jayci’s parents are someone else. I pray that nothing of the like happens to anyone, so please learn from us what we had to learn the hard way. Love your babies. Hold them close tonight, because others are relying on our Heavenly Father to do so. Memorize their faces and their laughs. Breathe in their scent and smooth your hand over their cheeks. You need their grace to realize your own.
The boys were really excited to head out into the backyard to hunt for eggs- they couldn't even pause for coats- though it wasn't warm by any means.
Ryan didn't know where to start- he ran to the middle of the lawn and picked up one egg. Then he ran around in circles. He'd run toward an egg- and then another direction toward another one- and then he'd make a run for his bag, as though he couldn't decide which he should have done first. It was so funny!
Ty was all over the Easter egg hunt- though he was very methodical about his hunting. He ran around the yard looking only for purple ones. Once he found all that he could, he moved onto green, and then yellow... Such a goofy kid!
Since it was cold and the grass was wet- Kate had to watch from the deck with dad. But she was so excited when one of the boys would remember her and bring her an egg. She sat and shook them for all she was worth! 
Here's trouble (times 3) just before church, all in their Easter finery... I love that not one of them is looking toward the camera. I took 5 pictures and this was the best one... 
Kate looked like a giant stick of cotton candy in her dress- but it was stinkin' cute on her! She hated the feel of the tulle- so she wouldn't put her arms down. 
