Easter 2013

After all of the birthday fun, the Easter Bunny may have been a wee bit tired by the time he made his way to our house. ;)  The boys thankfully slept in and then called us down to help them find their baskets.  

We had a little Easter Egg hunt for the big boys, but the littlest guy didn't get to participate this year.  Next year, I'm sure he'll be out in full force!  After all of the Easter Bunny fun, we headed back to church for Easter Service.  Unfortunately, I missed the adult service because it was my week to work in the Kindergarten class, but I learned SO much listening to the lead teacher and they way he talked through salvation with those young kids.   (Tanner isn't in that class yet, but will be after the summer)  It was awesome and really gave me the words to start more conversations with my own kids.  Have I mentioned we love our church?!!  Since then, we've talked a LOT about why Jesus died on the cross for us and how we can live out eternity in heaven with him.  Both of my big boys have asked Jesus to be in their heart -- ahhh -- I get goosebumps just writing it!

One night after I had tucked the kids into bed, I was downstairs painting our family room.  Tanner wandered down saying he couldn't sleep.  Initially, I wanted to send him back to bed, but he was just in the mood to talk to me and had so many little things on his mind that he wanted to tell me.  He kind of followed me around and kept me company.  I'm not sure exactly how the conversation came up, but we started talking about the Easter story and we had such a sweet conversation about it, ending with him telling me that he wanted to always follow Jesus.  He said "You know what, Mom?  I'm gonna ask Jesus 'Please be in my heart, please be in my heart, please be in my heart.'"  When I think about it now, I have no doubt that God orchestrated those moments for us and I will cherish them forever.

A few weeks later, we were on our way to preschool when Landon asked if we were going to Jesus' birthday party.  Tanner explained to him that we celebrated Jesus' birthday during Christmas.  Landon didn't quite understand and wanted to know when we were going to his REAL party.  That got us talking about heaven and that it's where Jesus lives and that some day we can be in heaven with him forever.  Tanner and I told Landon that all you had to do was believe in Jesus and that he died on the cross for us and ask him to be with you always.  Tanner helped Landon pray in the backseat.  It was AWESOME.  Seriously -- God was in that van with us and all I could think about was how many other moms have told me that the most important conversations happen in their mini-vans.

I hope I can teach them to follow Jesus and trust him.  I know that it's not all up to me, though.  God will provide more perfect teaching moments, I'm sure of it.  :)