Happy, Happy, Happy Easter!!!

Reasons to be happy today include:

1. First and foremost, because "up from the grave he arose!"  We serve a risen Savior! I am looking forward to celebrating the resurrection this morning. The Maundy Thursday service was very meaningful, but it was also very sad as we focused on all the suffering Christ went through on our behalf. Today we rejoice!!!

2. Ian slept 8.5 hours straight!!! I was going to keep him up later last night, but I was having a hard time keeping him up. At 7:50 I put him into his snowsuit (I've been having him sleep in it for the last month instead of using a sleep blanket and swaddling blankets) and he was in such a deep sleep that even putting him into that didn't wake him up (that's a first!). I was worried this meant I'd be starting  my day very early, but I was wrong! I showered (due to the yardwork as normally I shower in the morning) and was in bed by 8:15pm. Aside from getting up to go to the bathroom a couple of times, I was in bed until 4:15am! WOOHOO! I felt great - no headache even though it was 4:15am! I nursed Ian for 75 minutes and then he slept for 80 more minutes. At 6:45am all four of us were still in our respective beds. Wonders never cease!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. We got some yardwork done yesterday. I vastly overestimated how much we could get done in one day; the project took much longer than I expected. We also didn't start quite as early as I'd planned, and since I nurse Ian so much I couldn't help as much as I wanted to, but I am very thankful for what we (mostly Paul) did accomplish. Paul's mom did give Ian one (four ounce) bottle of formula so that I could spend a bit of time outside helping Paul. Nadia had a blast at the playground with Shawn and PopPop, and she also was in seventh heaven digging in the dirt from the front flower bed. Paul dug up and relocated two bushes from that bed. There were four bushes super duper close to each other and then a HUGE gap without any bushes. I asked Paul to move two of them so they'd be more spaced out. He did a great job, but it took many hours. He also removed more ground cover from that area. I'm going to have to rethink the yard "to do" list as honestly I think some of it will need to wait until 2011, but we will tackle a couple more things on the list sometime this spring/summer. Several neighbors mowed their lawn yesterday.

4. The weather was perfect for doing yardwork yesterday! I'm already getting a tan (for example the skin on my feet where my sandal straps are is pale in comparison to the parts exposed to the sun), and it's only April 4th. I think that's a first, LOL! It's good though in light of going to Florida in May. We'll be less likely to get sunburned on vacation. I am very grateful for this gorgeous weather. I honestly would love to live some place where the temps were like this year round, but I doubt we'll actually ever leave Pennsylvania so I'd better just enjoy this weather each spring and fall. :-)

5. Nadia was in bed last night for almost 12.5 hours! She was super duper fussy after her grandparents left so I took her up at 7:15 whereas lately we've been taking her up between 7:45-8:00pm.

6. Today we get to spend time with Paul's family! I'm thankful they only live about an hour away. It will be Ian's first trip to their house. I'm hoping Ian will sleep during both car rides.