Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter! 

My Holy Thursday started with the middle school seder meal. I always go early and help with the setup. 

I am honestly only comfortable with this because it is so wildly unauthentic. I am not a fan of seders that feel too Jewish, as we are not Jewish, and I have read accounts where those of that faith background feel like it's appropriation. 

The middle school version feels much more like learning how the Seder became the Last Supper and how much it parallels the Mass. 

Then that afternoon, I went to the Live Stations of the Cross put on by the 6th grade. Jesus, is a family friend and actually is at my Seder Table. (The way it works is you get the same kids for all 3 years. I will miss my 8th-grade girls very much, but it was nice to get some fun 6th-grade boys.) 

Our Triduum started with a bang. It was severe thunderstorming and tornadoing all over our area. We left C's voice lesson with just a wall of black clouds behind us and sunshine ahead. Luckily, we drove towards the sun. 

Was I impatient at every red light? Yes. Yes, I was. I luckily got C to the theater safely and without incident. Then made it back across the bridge and to the church, where I planned to celebrate Holy Thursday before it started really getting going. I was so relieved. 

It was a very light crowd at that Mass because of the weather. We, M, Husband and I, were asked to bring up the gifts. I even said "oh we aren't parishioners" and they said "we know" and there it was. The Universal church churching. Community is community after all. 

M and Husband went home/to the theater to wait for C. 

I stayed and waited for my friend so we could 7 Churches. 

We actually just did 5 churches. I am sure Jesus isn't mad. I was very hungry since I never had dinner and knew if I didn't stop and go home to eat before it was Friday (and a fast day), the next day would be miserable indeed. 

We met our friend at the last church we were at. 

How blessed to pray with Jesus and see friends. 

Good Friday was good. In the way that it is. Quiet. 

Husband wasn't feeling well, he actually came home from work and went right to sleep so we decided not to venture out for a service as we had planned. Sometimes uniting our suffering to Jesus looks different every year. 

Saturday was also quiet. 

We made our traditional bunny butt cookies.

And took naps before the Vigil. Several hours later, we were waiting in darkness. I do not remember taking this picture... 

And several hours after that... it was Easter! 

Then we went home, put kids to bed, and got baskets set out. 

And then we crashed. 

Before waking up to look at baskets and eat a breakfast while watching "It's the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown" 

Then we headed off to do Mass again. (Because different readings and different music!) 

And it was a delightful, low-key day with a ham dinner. And I love a ham dinner. 

And that was that. Happy Easter!