Celebrating Life

Easter 2013 was so lovely.  It was full of good people, sunshine, excited children, and most importantly an overwhelming gratitude and testimony of our Savior and His resurrection.

Nana Teresa and Grandma Hamilton decided to make the trek to Montana and spend a few days with some of their favorite little girls.  We were so happy they could join us for all the usual Easter festivities- coloring eggs, windy Easter egg hunts, and a visit from the Bunny, himself.  They made the trip with a good family friend, DeAnn, and stopped first in Cody, Wyoming to visit her son and his family.  After leaving DeAnn behind to spend some more quality time with her cute grandsons, the dynamic duo made their way to Billings where they were bombarded with the crazy shenanigans of our two girls.  As always, they were good sports about the early morning tea parties and toddler meltdowns that come with a visit to La Casa de Palmer.  Stella was really into the genealogy of it all during their visit.  She was so excited to have her “dad’s mom” here, as well as her “dad’s mom’s mom”.  You following that?  She loves understanding how we are all connected in this great big world.

Stella loved “Easter hunting”, as she called it.  Thankfully a few ladies in our ward organized a small hunt so we were able to avoid the crazy crowds involved with the city sponsored events earlier in the day. Stella was really only interested in the “golden”, pink, and purple eggs until she realized that all of them held some sort of treat.  Eliza was just happy to be there, until Stella tried to steal an egg and then she made her presence known.

Sunday morning the girls awoke to find that sneaky old bunny had indeed come.  He is a bunny after my own heart and found 100% of his loot from Target.  He hid a few eggs filled with yogurt covered raisins (poor girls with a dietitian for a mom), as well as the few real ones the girl’s had dyed the day before.  The grand bunnies also made a visit bringing pajamas, dresses, lip gloss, and summer hats, but they came a little earlier in the weekend so as not to overwhelm the children with excitement on Sunday morning.

With all the excitement that comes from the commercialization of holidays, it is the true meaning of Easter that brings us the most joy.  Our Savior lives!  This truth is the reason we celebrate each spring, and I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of my Savior, His atonement, and His ultimate resurrection. Because of him we will each live again someday.  What comfort and joy that brings to each of us who have families, who have lost loved ones, or who are struggling to understand what happens when we leave this earth.

For me personally, the Atonement has become so much more clear and sacred as I have dealt with the death of my father.  It is so hard for me, and anyone that has lost someone to an untimely death, to let go of the “what could have beens”.  We feel they were too young, our loved ones will miss out on too much, and our hearts will never forget the times that they weren't there for the big moments.  I think those thoughts are some of the hardest part of grief, because the truth is that life is not fair, and your dad or your brother or your child not being there for every special moment is hard to justify.  A sister in our ward used this talk as the basis for her speaking assignment on Easter Sunday.  So much of what she said and quoted rang true to my heart.  I especially loved when Elder Bowen speaks of losing his son and says “I was given to know that I had not been robbed, but rather that there was a great blessing awaiting me if I were to prove faithful.”  Thanks to the resurrection of our Lord that blessing is eternal life with our loved ones who have left us far too soon.  What a glorious promise that is!

We finished the weekend with sunshine and celebrating my 27th birthday.  It was a wonderful day full of kind words and birthday wishes from friends and family.  I am so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life who take the time to let me know they care.  Thoughtful Facebook messages, Instagram posts, texts, phone calls, cards, and gifts all helped to make my day wonderful.  As is true for most birthdays, it was a pretty normal day, but spending it with my girls really was sweet.  Stella made sure to tell me Happy Birthday at least every hour, they both thought it would be a good idea to make a little birthday mess to celebrate, and we wrapped up our day by eating the cupcakes they helped make.

Life is beautiful, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!