We started the day with a great worship service at Element Church in Tampa. The warehouse was nearly full with attendance and the little ones were all decked out in the Easter clothes as well as quite a few of the adults. It was great to see Bobby back on the stage again as he helped with leading the music. We headed home shortly after the service to get ready for the family coming around 4'ish for a supper. I helped with getting things organized and then settled in to an extra inning game the Rays lost to the Yanks. The Lightning also loss big time to the Canadians later in the evening and are on the verge of elimination from the playoffs with one more loss, oh well.
I made a huge guacamole to snack on along with Nancy's pickled eggs and beets before we settled in to ham, potato casserole, carrots, broccoli, salad and yeast rolls. There was apple and berry pies with vanilla ice cream for dessert to top off this feast. Wow was that ever tasty. The kiddos headed out after cleaning their plates to hunt for the eggs filled with change that Braden, Bobby and Tyler hid earlier. The kiddos kept sneaking peaks out the windows looking for the brightly colored plastic eggs. They each had a sack full of the eggs and then while I cleaned the dishes they opened their baskets . Wow were they ever excited and filled with energy. It was after 8 when it was mentioned they must be going due to the lateness of the hour. Bobby, Jill and the kiddo's headed out around 8:30 after GG, Betsy and Braden left first. Amy, Tyler and their 3 kiddo's left shortly thereafter for home as well. Wow did it ever get quiet quickly. We put the house back in order and I vacuumed before heading in to read and keep one eye on the hockey game.
Well it was a great day of worship as we celebrated the empty tomb and a great day of family get together and feasting. The eating was downright scandalous with so many tasty dishes as everyone brought some of their favorites to add to the meal. It is always great to have all of the grand kids here at one time together and they will remember these times as they grow older and hopefully some day have family time with their kids. That of course is down the road in the future. I can still remember back when we would get together at my grand mothers place in the small community of Mountain Falls and all of the aunts and uncles would meet for a big meal and we would eat off of a special set of dishes. I now have that set of dishes and will pass it on to Amy who will pass it on to Ava and then on down the line. Those were fond memories. I came home from the Air Force on leave one time and there was a huge family dinner with all of my cousins in attendance who were all much younger than me but I still have that picture. Many of them are now parents and grandparents and we have lost a couple of them as well, along with their parents. Memories!!!
Well so much for another time and place and I hope these grand kids of mine will remember these times as well. It wasn't long afterwards that I sought some horizontal time as the sand man was calling. I turned the lights out around 10:30 and was gone until the alarm went off at 6:15 this morning. I'm usually awake much before 6 but for some reason all of the excitement had me sleeping in, LATER Here are a few pics from yesterday!!
