HAPPY EASTER!!!

What a beautiful day here in Maryland for Easter Sunday! Early mass, then home to see what the Easter Bunny brought and a little egg hunt in the backyard. Between the weather, the family, the food...it really is a day to rejoice!

I was just going to post a quick link since it's Easter, but I have to mention a cute story quickly. We got to mass a half hour early so we had our choice of seats. Our son initially sat in the very back pew (we typically sit towards the back to make potty breaks easier). My husband asked him if he'd like to sit a little closer since the altar was decorated so beautifully and so he could see things better. So he walks towards the front of the church...and walks...and walks. Until he's in the VERY FRONT ROW!! Now I inherently don't mind sitting in the front row, it's just that with a noisy, squirmy, potty-inclined preschooler, it's a little nerve-wracking. And I HAVE sat in the front row before, but it was years ago, I was not married, had no children, and it was in my very small hometown church. But yet again, my fears were in vain because Jack was the perfect angel all through mass. Even more fascinating was the feeling of how much more intimate mass is from the front row. We go to a pretty huge church and typically sit towards the middle/back, so we're always surrounded on all sides and can see everyone there. But when you're in the front and no one is in front of you, it's almost like it's a private mass! The church seems smaller, you're closer to the priest (sometimes even making eye contact), and closer to the altar. It was actually a beautiful experience.

I just want to leave you with this thought-provoking post from Conversion Diary (my absolute favorite blog on the web). As a cradle Catholic, I guess I never really questioned why Jesus had to die for our sins so that we could go to Heaven. I think this post (and some of the comments to it) is a wonderful explanation.

HAPPY & BLESSED EASTER!!