Christ is risen, dear ones. We had the most joyful and rejuvenating Pascha. Michael loved holding his candle and icon as part of the procession, and hasn’t stopped wandering around the house singing Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death! We didn’t get home from church until around 4 am, exhausted and elated.

We also had a beautiful Easter Sunday dinner with my grandparents and great aunt, and Beatrice and Michael had a blast with a small egg hunt orchestrated by my mother. Michael loved finding every egg and immediately emptying the candy into his mouth or the mini toys cars into his bucket. Unsurprisingly, Beatrice was content with picking up two eggs, one for each hand, and wandering around the yard with her prizes.

We had friends with us for the last few days of Bright Week (the name for the week after Easter), and really enjoyed good company, good cocktails, and good conversation. It was a low key visit given the exhaustion following Pascha, but we were able to go all together to our local used bookstore to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, and we girls were able to go to a fabric sale! It was adorable watching our kids play together, too.

We acquired a picnic table for our garden, planted some more flowers, and dusted off the water table. Michael has continued his obsession with the hose, and my plants are very well watered (his sister now less so, thankfully). We’ve spent more time in the sunshine and both children are developing quite impressive farmer’s tans.

Of course, Michael’s had some more toddlerisms:

Michael: Mama, you’re SO handsome!

Me: *giving Michael a plate of breakfast*

Michael: Thanks Mama! Wow, you’re so nice! 

Michael, singing at the top of his lungs: Head, shoulders, knees, and nose!

Michael: Hey Dad! Can you do me a favor?

Michael: Am I four yet?

Us: No….

Michael: I’m STILL three???

Michael: There’s lots of gods?

Me: No; there’s only one God.

Michael: But grandpa says God has a Son!

(This was at 8 am…I was not expecting to have to explain Trinitarian theology to my three-year-old before coffee)

Beatrice is growing in leaps and bounds. She gives high fives and loves throwing balls (then applauding herself for throwing them). She’s sprouted a molar and is working on another one, and all of us are sleeping less because of it. She’s finally getting a bit more hair, and it’s coming in a beautiful wispy strawberry blonde. Her favorite foods right now include mozzarella balls, sausage, and bananas. She dances along to music, loves trying on everyone’s shoes, and sings with much gusto and no tune. We love our precious, precocious girl.

We’ve already begun having 90 degree days, but thankfully they’ve been sparse and interspersed with some lovely mild 60-70 degree temperatures. On the cooler days, I’ve been indulging in some baking. I found a delicious soft pretzel recipe and have made it twice already: they don’t last long in our house. Michael loves helping me knead the dough once it’s no longer “too sticky”.

Me Made May is here, too — for those of you who aren’t familiar, it’s a social media trend where makers try to wear something “me-made” every day in May. I haven’t done every single day, but I still have really enjoyed incorporating my handsewn/knit clothes into my outfits more intentionally and documenting them.

Finally, this week Jake and I were able to have a date night out just the two of us, after months of trying to get one planned and having to reschedule for one reason or another. We were able to sit and chat without interruption, enjoy a good cocktail, and talk about everything from the funniest things the kids have said to life changes and next steps for our little family.

He is everything my childhood self dreamed of, and everything my adult self could ask for. I’m so grateful for him and all that he does for us.

And now we’re settling into late spring’s rhythms, taking each day as it comes. The days have some tears, but are mostly full of laughter and play and books and coloring and gardening. The nights have some sleeplessness and fatigue, but are mostly full of quiet and card games and comedy shows and beer and books and conversations and snuggles.

I am so grateful for the gift of this bright, bright life.