easter sunday

As is always the way, this year, the Easter Hare left a trail of jelly beans from our bedroom door (where all three of us have been sleeping while comforting each other in our ongoing illnesses) down the hall and into various other rooms of our home.  Naiya covertly slipped out of the covers and began the morning's hunt while mommy and daddy more slowly emerged into the light of a beautiful (albeit somewhat wet) Easter day.
After discovering an Easter basket on her bed, our dear one ventured out to discover hidden eggs of both the felted and hard boiled variety tucked here and there including the hollows of our Braided Easter Bread.

At bedtime for the past few nights, we've been telling a seasonal story from All Year Round.  In it, a child plants an Easter garden that threatens not to bloom in time for the holiday.  Under the guidance of his garden friend, the Brown Hare, the child paints a picture of the sun that ultimately lures a raincloud to encourage the daffodils to open.  Early Easter morning, after the rain has washed the picture on the round page away, leaving it as white as the moon, the Easter Hare collects the paper and leaves a special gift in its place.  The Hare also whispers to the flowers that the sun has risen and the golden blooms unfurl their last petals.  The boy awakes and, with joy, sees the daffodils blooming and runs down to find the special painted egg with a sun on one side and moon on the other in place of his missing picture.

I forget sometimes about the magic of stories.  I think, because of that simple narrative, Naiya was especially excited about Easter this year.  She insisted on planting her own Easter garden and each night we told that tale, her eyes would glow and she'd talk about to the prospect of a miraculous morning and the gifts that the tricksy Bunny might leave for her.

In addition to several especially magical eggs (with the sun on one side and moon on the other), she also discovered a precious gift from the Fairie Queen (who, gone from our yard for the colder months, still visits and leaves her a little something on the day of the full moon and occasionally on holidays as well).

(check out that incredible morning hair!)

After our light breakfast we headed over to Oma and Opa's house for a more traditional hunt with the cousins.

We'll have to do a little bit of candy negotiating in the days to come...

We hope your Easter festivities were joyful too and that the return of the sun brings warmth and lightness into your lives and hearts.