Sunday we all had a delightful Easter day. Our church does an early morning "sunrise" service. In past years Suzie from England went with the little ones and I. This year it was just me and my three little ones - I nearly didn't go - so many reasons, none of them very good though. . .too early (have to be there just before 6), too cold, it's getting quite chilly here in the mornings now, to hard (try getting 3 little ones ready and out the door by 5:30) - but in the end, go we did, and I was so happy to have gone. There is something special about watching the sun rise, while singing songs about Christ rising from the grave!
Musa was too funny, he seriously cracked me up! I had told my three the night before that we would be getting up early the next morning to go to the sunrise service. So shortly after 5:00 I go in to wake them up. The girls were up very quickly, they remembered why, and were excited and pretty helpful. Musa was quite a different story. I dragged him out of bed, and put him on the potty. He looked at his bed and moaned, "bed, bed, mommy bed". I was like, no Musa, we're going to an early church service outside. He said with no doubt in his voice "No, No" and again looked at his nice and cozy bed. Then he looked out the window and I could see his little brain working. He pointed and said "dark, Mommy dark outside" and gave me a look to say I had completely lost it. Since when did we ever go to church while it was still dark. In fact, I had often pointed outside to the dark and told him it was not time to get up yet, it was still dark, and he should be sleeping! You could seriously see that he thought I had gone cookoo - lol!
After the sunrise service we headed back home, where the Easter bunny (Keshia) had been hard at work! My girls made me promise the night before that I would phone the easter bunny and tell him that Musa couldn't have chocolate, and that he needed to bring something different for him. (Aren't they the sweetest sister's ever!). So they were both very happy to find that the easter bunny had not only brought them chocolate, but had also brought jelly beans and gummy bears for Musa :)
Nomusa had never heard about the easter bunny, so obviously Mario had never had an easter egg hunt before. Keshia explained how the easter bunny worked to Nomusa, and it was such fun to watch Mario join the kids searching the garden for all their goodies!
Musa getting ready to search for his treasures. . .Mr. "Cheese" face!
Finding an egg full of candy - such a smart easter bunny!
His first year being old enough to really fully enjoy the hunt!
Where oh where could it be?
Found it!
This was one tricky easter bunny! Good thing Sihle has such good eyes!
Not even a tumble can take away this girl's smile today!
Where oh where could it be?
Where oh where could that chocolate bunny be? It has to be here somewhere?
Once they had emptied the garden of all it's goodies, we went inside, and they sorted through their treasures. I told them they could keep 5 of their favorite things. The rest they could give away at our local hospital. (After our regular church service we would be going with our pastor and wife to hand out chocolates in the different wards at the hospital.)
I think they had more fun giving away their extra chocolates than they even had finding them. With ear to ear smiles they walked through that hospital passing out their Easter eggs and wishing everyone a happy Easter:)
Walking up the stairs to get to another ward of patients. All the nursing staff welcomed us so happily. You could see they were tickled pink to watch these little kids march up to all the patients and hand over chocolates with such joy and fearlessness!
Nearing the end, only a few chocolates left in their bag. Pammy's looking slightly tired by now - I guess the 5:00 start was catching up with her. . .
Mario had such fun as well - so nice that him and Nomusa came to help hand out goodies!
Wishing everyone a joyous week.
He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!
