Dustin's little 4 week old niece Isabella was admitted into the hospital with RSV on Friday so we watched their other 3 kids all day while his brother and wife were in the hospital and sleeping from being up all night with the baby. We did a mini Easter egg hunt down stairs for them before they left. They were happy because almost every egg had a chocolate whopper egg in it. I was grateful we could do this service as I thought about "Good Friday" and the service that was rendered to me as the Savior suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. Next year at Easter we will be better about learning about the Savior in his last week of life through the resurrection. It was neat for me to be able to think about it myself through the week and I want that to be something my kids participate in and learn more about.
Saturday we ended up missing all the community Easter egg hunts. The Easter Bunny visited our house Friday night so the kids were busy playing with their fun new things that morning anyway. Ella got Guess Who game and Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. Alissa got some princess Polly Pockets and a Minnie Mouse movie and Molly got some slippers and a Strawberry Shortcake movie. They all got a bunch of candy too.
Saturday afternoon we visited great grandma Bateman at her retirement center home. She has macular degeneration so she doesn't see well at all. She is doing so well though and looks just great. She was happy we came and saw her. We were so much better at visiting before little Molly was born. It is hard to take all 3 little kiddos up and keep them from terrorizing her room while we visit. I need to be better.
Then we headed to my parents house for our traditional Easter Egg hunt. The kids get to hunt in the front yard and all the adult kids get to hunt around the rest of the yard. Mom and dad are good hiders - so good in fact that we couldn't find 1 egg that we figured had a $10 bill in it!! We hunted forever and never found it. It's always so fun though. Mostly to be with my siblings and parents and visit. I just love those guys!
Grandma and Grandpa gave the 4 older girls a kite so we took them out in the yard to fly around. Ella is getting to be a really good kite flyer. :)
Sunday go up and went to church. Sadly, I had to choose between getting to church on time or taking a picture of the girls this morning. They didn't get a new easter dress, but they sure looked cute in their pink and white colors. Maybe I'll make them wear them again next week and just take a picture of them then.
I witnessed a sweet tender mercy from Heavenly Father today at church. I noticed a sister from our ward bring in a few visitors. One of which I recognized lives at my grandma Bateman's retirement center. I recognized her because when I was in the Young Womens we took the girls to the center to paint some of the women's fingernails and played UNO with them. She was one that came down. She is deaf, but very good at reading lips.
Soon after they came in I noticed a couple walk in the door and thought to myself, "I wonder if they are new or visiting". They walked to the back and sat down and then a minute or two later moved right in front of us. Another minute passed and this brother leaned over and asked this deaf sister if she would like him to sign for her. I can't describe the look on her face and I watched as she mouthed and signed to the family she was there with "How did he know?" Immediatly I was brought to tears and the Spirit testified to me that Heavenly Father is aware of all of us. He was aware of this sister who came out of her room in the retirment center to come to sacrament meeting with family on Easter Sunday. He knows she is deaf and is aware of this brother who knows sign. I had a hard time keeping my composure all sacrament meeting as I watched this beautiful language and this happy sister understanding the words being spoken. What an amazing Heavenly Father. What a sweet tender mercy. It made my day. I was happy to hear they are a new couple in our ward too. I think this was their first week.
We went to Braithwaite's after church and had dinner. A few of us brought candy and eggs and let the big kids hide eggs for the little kids in grandma and grandpa's yard. They all loved it.
I love having older girls around to help with the little kids. Glad I will have a few of those one day! They sure are helpful.
(Sariah, Molly, Alissa & Katie)
It was a busy and fun weekend.
Now I've got to figure a way to get rid of all of this candy without eating it all!
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