Easter

For some reason, I have so many Easter memories. Moreso than other holidays, I have really strong memories of where I was, who I was with and the love permeated through everything.

I have a scar on my leg from Easter. About 10 years ago. At least. We lived in the old house in Miami- not the one all you Penn State party-ers visited, but the house we lived in before Hurricane Andrew washed us into the new one. We were dyeing eggs and boiling water spilled onto my thigh as we were pouring it into separate cups.

Last year I was with Leigh, Andy, Lily and Ella. I think I woke up earlier than I ever have on an Easter, and watched two really happy girls tear through their baskets. And we ate oven pancakes.

Years and years before... full of eggs and candy and hunting for hidden candies and messages. Easter baskets that knocked your socks off and lots of love. Once we couldn't find an egg and forgot about it... We found it that summer... because of the smell! I got my favorite beach towel in my Easter basket one year.

Junior year I was with Ryan's family. Suffering from hepatitis and leftover TB mania. Didn't eat that year. Julie and I dyed her rabbit and rat with easter egg dye. Made me think of dyeing Lola this year. Natalie's mom made me a gorgeous Easter basket- just like the ones my mom always made me.

Senior year- The year of the pulled pork nachos. After making pb eggs and a Good Friday dinner of pulled pork with Kristina's family, Ben, Doug, Kristina and I drank El Sol by the case and the famous 507 nachos were born. We had been making nachos for a few months, but the addition of the pulled pork changed our worlds forever. It makes me laugh to think that our favorite 507 food has a birthday, and more importantly that it shares it with the resurrection of Christ. I am dreaming of those things over here... Nachos would really make my life complete. Anyhow, that year I also had Easter brunch with Natalie and her family and Mollie and friends at the Nittany Lion Inn... mmmmm....

Brunches at the Rusty Pelican, church mission trips, meeting baby Malcolm for the first time, Paul's lamb and our college Easter with LOTS of sangria!

I am not sure why this holiday in particular brings so many snapshots of the past to the forefront, but it makes me smile. Especially being so far away, and knowing that these snapshots will be forever imprinted on my life.

Easter in China... A German couple that live about 15 minutes outside of town (by taxi) invited us all to their home for Easter brunch. They have lived here for a few years and Joerg works for Siemens while Esther teaches English. They had an egg hunt for Kynesha and chocolate eggs for the rest of us. Brunch was really nice, complete with bread and brie and muesli- which are treats for us country folk. We all sat around on the patio, enjoying the sunshine and English conversation... overall a really laid back day. Later in the afternoon Kynesha, Dyan, Debbie, Kymberly and I dyed duck eggs (our chicken eggs are brown here) with the kit Paul sent me...

A bit homesick with all of this talk, but more than that, very thankful that I have these memories and the people with whom I share them.

ON that note... Happy Easter from me and Lola...