Easter

Two days after Easter was our anniversary which meant that a sigh of relief was around the corner! I feel like we've been so nutty busy since the beginning of October with birthdays and holidays. I love both but I am ready to have to few months off from the expense, the clean up and the planning. 

Two months ago my family requested that we host Easter, we gladly accepted knowing full well what a hectic month we had ahead of us but we also knew it would be a lot of fun. It was shaping up to be an eventful Easter; my mom had prepared 80 eggs filled with candy and money for an Easter egg hunt, everyone was bringing food and drinks, they all had gifts for my daughter and the Brazilian kids who were celebrating their first Easter in the US and we wanted it to be very special for them. My step dad was going to bring his flamenco guitar and I planned on joining him for a few dances. I was also excited because this was going to be the first time everyone was meeting the Russian, Valeryia. On top of it all we decided to redo our living room to surprise everyone and because we wanted it to look nice for the holiday since we were having so many people over. Though due to the expense and the very busy week there is no way we would have had it done at this point in time-all the cleaning, prepping and cooking would have been plenty of work.

The day after we finished the living room was Joel's 30th birthday, a Thursday, that Saturday I had to work then come home to prepare for 16 people to come over for Easter dinner. While I was at work Joel sent me a few text messages that our daughter was not feeling well and had thrown up a few times. I felt terrible but he said she seemed to be in good enough spirits and that I ought not be concerned. When I got home she threw up once more and feel asleep. I wasn't with her so I did not know what kind of shape she was in. I never hesitate to take her to the clinic and from what I saw she was on the mend.

Pricilia and Valeryia and I made these ingenious deviled eggs. 

The next morning we decided to skip the Easter service at our church but not because I thought Z was too sick, it was more as a courtesy to others...at the time I made the decision she was running around the house talking about how excited she was to see everyone.

I called our friends to tell them about Z being sick the day before but that she seemed better. I said we would still be cooking dinner but if they didn't want to risk it we would understand.

Concerning my family on the other hand I thought two things; 1. I assumed they would come regardless because everyone wants to be around our little one all the time no matter what and 2. I expected them all to come since she was feeling better and we all had been looking forward to celebrating the holiday together. It wasn't even a question whether or not they would still be coming. When I called my family and uttered only the words "Z threw up yesterday" you can imagine my surprise when I was interrupted and hysterically  informed that NONE of them would be coming.

It was a major disappointment to say the least that all but my sister did not show up, but we still had an enjoyable time with our foreigners. When I told Valeryia it would only be the foreigners coming she said 'we're not scared' I said "right....you've been through worse." And our sweetheart loved her Easter surprises, the dinner was great and I was happily given several bouquets of flowers so it was a good Easter!

Our daughter had us laughing all afternoon, she was very bossy to Be the 7 year old boy and during dinner, she kept shouting at him "Sit down Be, Eat your food and Drink your water!"

I never get sick of getting flowers and I never will!

I had to add these...pictures of our baby opening her Easter baskets....

Her first Easter 2011

2012

Her favorite gift was her little medical set, she loves to pretend she's a doctor which came in handy 36 hours later.....