I’ve never understood the connection between Easter bunnies and Easter eggs and how they fit with the Resurrection story. Don’t worry, I’m not an Easter Scrooge; I get a kick out of watching the local family egg hunt and our long-distance littles fill their baskets via texted photos and videos.

But on my calendar, that part of Easter began several weeks ago.

Brynn had a birthday. And because part of her (and her sister’s) gift from us included

a book of creative masks, she asked her mama to help her become a rabbit!

Is she cute, or what?

Time out for a rabbit joke.

Across the country to see three Carlson kiddos pose with the Easter Rabbit and not a single tear. A first!

Then a few days later before (or after church), the family posed for the annual Easter shot. Oh well…

Back in Oregon, this was happening at NFC. See my dear man directing the handbell choir? He isn’t 100% recovered from his back surgery, but moving in the right direction. I like to answer people who ask how he’s doing with: “A few days ago he spent $400 at Costco!” Let me tell you, it takes a lot of energy to spend that much when $20 is your biggest item!

We had a glorious Easter morning at NFC! “Made like him, like him we rise!” Oh, what a day that will be!

After a delicious potluck lunch at Pete and Linsey’s, all the kids are hyped to hunt eggs in the backyard. If you look close, you’ll see all five of our local grands.

Lincoln gets a head start. I watched from the window.

She’s counting (each kid gets 15 eggs).

You might get whiplash as we zigzag coast to coast! So I’ll close on the East Coast with the three Carlsons and their cousins. This is Declan.

Avery.

Emery. Look at those teeth!

Christ is risen! Just as he said . . .