He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Matthew 28:6
I've been really sick for the past week. Basically, I've been working to not let a sinus cold turn into a sinus infection. But we are bent on making the most of our last weekends being (kind of) baby-free. Eli definitely makes himself known.
Andrew was off work for Good Friday. He got our oil changed and did his workout before date night. We tried out an Anchroage hot spot- Bear Tooth TheaterPub. The main lobby of the movie theater is also a restaurant. Tickets are only $4, and the movies are relatively new (the ones winding down in other theaters, but not yet at Redbox). Every other row of seats is replaced with a table, so you buy your tickets and order your food before finding a seat. They give you a cone with glow-in-the-dark numbers and bring your food out to you when it's ready. We both ordered fish tacos- Hubs had blackened cod, and I got seared salmon. We split it and shared, as usual. I wish we had a picture of us out on the town because we are homebodies. Plus, we looked kinda cute even though I felt like I was on the brink of some sort of physical break-down. Having to hang swollen ankles off a hard chair and mouth-breath in a movie theater for 2 hours is an acute discomfort.
Saturday morning, I was pretty resistant to Hub's plan to hike. But he pushed on, convincing me it would make me feel better. He was right, of course. We took a beautiful, bumpy drive out to Eagle River Nature Center. We were both pretty proud that I hiked 3 miles in all my nine-month pregnant glory. I was a little slower than usual but loved every minute. We had beautiful views and saw meese (meaning: two moose). It was a perfect day, and the mountain air was so refreshing. Mud, snow, and ice still paved most of the trails, and Jessie had her little brown legs and belly to prove it.
Yesterday, we opted out of meeting with our congregation for worship. They started asking us to get tickets a few weeks ago, explaining that because so many people show up on Easter Sunday, they wanted to regulate how many people were in each service to know how many people would be sitting in the aisles or standing in the back. We had our own private church of just us four(-ish) in our living room after breakfast instead. Those are my most favorite times of worship. We were excited to spend the afternoon at our friend's house for a small potluck lunch. I brought the mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. The mashed potatoes were great- I learned from the best on that staple dish. However, the mac n cheese was horrible! Let's just say, never try a new recipe when you are responsible for an item at a get-together.
Many people look to the cross when they think of Christ. Others look to the empty tomb. Some see Easter Sunday as a new start, a fresh spring that rewards a long winter. Some see it as a celebration with gifts and matching hats. Still others see it as silly. No matter what Easter means to you and how you spent your time and thoughts yesterday, Jesus sits at the right hand of God every day, interceding for you. He defeated death, He reigns victorious over evil and is coming back to restore all things to Himself. We have been redeemed through His sacrifice and been offered life in His resurrection. It is all the same story: God's pursuit after us, His payment for us, His perfecting of us. Christ came and conquered, and we claim Him. We share in His glory, and we share in His sufferings. He knows us and loves us right in the middle of what we really are and what we really do- not just what we appear to be on Sunday. So, we can start new, we can celebrate, we can wear matching hats. Because He lives, so can we. We anticipate His beauty in His timing for all the earth. We wait together until then, forgiving and helping each other no matter how much it hurts. Because, one day, it never will again. Praise His precious name!
Gorgeous photos!!
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