Easter

   This Easter was special because it was our first Easter as a family of three.  On Saturday we hung out as a family all day which was fun. We had beautiful, warm weather, so we took advantage of it and were outside most of the day. In the afternoon we went to an Easter festival in downtown Murfreesboro. They had a petting zoo and Brody was very interested in the ponies, horses, goats, and chickens.

         That evening Phillip and I went out on a date and had our first paid babysitter over!  We have been out of many dates since Brody was born but usually a friend from church offers to keep him for us. We decided that it was time to get a babysitter that could be regular for us and could keep Brody at the house. This makes things so much easier when he is kept at our house. Our sweet friend from church, Becca kept him. She has offered to before and did a great job! She is a single girl from Texas ( so I knew she would be great) haha that we have gotten to know at church. We also used to be in lifegroup with her brother and sister in law.  She is such a special person and is the type of person that lights up a room when she enters! She just radiates love, goodness and joy that only comes from the Lord.  We are excited for her to be a regular babysitter. She did such a great job that she is coming back this Friday to keep him again!

        On Sunday morning we woke up, put Brody in bed with us and gave him his Easter basket.  I put together a little Easter basket for him with toy trucks, bubbles, and a book. 

Our good friend, Cole Griffith ( Audra's husband) took these family pictures in the parking lot before church. 

 Our good friends from Harding, Emily and Ryan Johnson go to church at Fourth Avenue and were there Easter Sunday with their families who came in for the weekend. They were kind enough to invite us to their house for Sunday lunch. Emily fixed ham, and all kinds of delicious casserole's, and we contributed KFC! ( grilled) Of course, is any holiday meal complete without KFC?! Their family was so welcoming and kind to us. We had a great time! They absolutely loved holding Brody! It makes me feel so good to see people loving on your child.

Ryan and Phillip at Easter lunch.

Emily and I have been friends since Harding. We were roommates there our sophomore year and in Kojies ( social club) together. I'm so glad that her and Ryan live in Nashville and go to church with us! It is such a blessing having had her in my life for so long!

Emily is so good with Brody! She works at Baptist Hospital ( where Brody was born) on the postpartum  floor. She told several of her nurse friends to check on us while we were there. It was such a blessing having people she was friend's with come in and give us extra special treatment. Emily is a great friend and I can't wait for her and Ryan to become parents one day!

Brody's beautiful Easter outfit ( if you look closely you can see the bunnies) was given to him by our dear friend's, Michael and Wendy Humphries. They gave that to me at my baby shower at Fourth Avenue. 

    
               Most of all Easter was special for us to remember that we serve a risen Savior! It was so uplifting celebrating at church the fact that Jesus not only died for our sins, but that he rose from the grave! It was good to remember this on Easter but to also remember that this should be celebrated every day in the way that we live out our lives. We were a lost people but were found! I pray that we strive to live out our lives in response to God coming down and saving us!