Easter--A Day In The Life

It is Easter Sunday evening. I've had a day filled with preparing food, trying to coordinate all the food to be done at the same time, attending Sunday School & the church service, and most importantly meeting Skye's boyfriend Ben--she's dated him since last May:)

To start the day, about 6:30 this morning, Wyatt & I had a short green way walk --all was quiet in Shepherd's Vineyard except sweet birds singing:) Thought of Jesus appearing to the women in the garden about that time of day....

(While I showered) Keith peeled & cut up russet potatoes for the Potatoes Au Gratin, recipe by The Pioneer Woman. I wanted to try something different than our usual baked potatoes or mashed potatoes:)

After grabbing coffee, half a banana, & a chocolate donut (tisk, tisk), I put the Au Gratin together, washed & sliced strawberries for a spinach salad, placed the yeast dough rolls out to rise, & prepared the ham for baking. Also set the table with my favorite rust-colored Cole pottery plates & pottery cups. Yesterday I had put freshly ironed white tablecloths on the table, then added a glass container filled with Easter eggs & a tall green pottery vase of fresh flowers for the centerpiece.

At 9:30, Keith & I headed to Peace:)!
Had a precious time in Sunday School with dear folks studying 1Peter.
At 11 we met Seth & Kelley and Cameron in the sanctuary. Seth informed me Skye & Ben had just left Boone--an hour late:(
Ugh. (How was I going to delay lunch an hour?)
Peace's Easter Service is always inspiring to me, & today was as well:) Choir Anthem, horns, orchestra, Andy's sermon! Friday night's service was more intimate & moving, but today's service was glorious:)!

Skye & Ben arrived about 2pm:) We had successfully kept the food hot while checking out Seth & Kelley's new Ancestry.com app & putting dishes back in a warm oven:) Plus Cameron had a call from work he attended to--he even ran home to get his computer.

We had a sweet time visiting with Skye & getting to know Ben a little while we ate:) He lives in Elizabethton, Tenn. & enjoys cooking. He's working at a Bistro there & hopes to go to Culinary School eventually:)
An A+ in my book for Ben: he washed dishes for me:) As much as I love my kids (& they're almost perfect:)), no one offers to do that!
Cooks & does dishes--pretty impressive:)

(BTW, my Potatoes Au Gratin were too soupy, but tasted good:) Ree, I'll do better next time, promise)

Mid afternoon Cameron left to go hiking at Umstead with a bud & S&K left to prepare for their Easter dinner at Kelley's mom's in Raleigh. Skye & Ben decided to take a walk into downtown Apex:) That sounded great, but Keith & I were so tired we opted for a nap!:)

Tonight Skye & Ben are checking out the Raleigh scene & meeting some of Skye's buds. This is the first time Ben has been in our "neck of the woods".
Tomorrow afternoon they head back to the mts. I plan to have lunch with them on their way out--I've asked off for an hour. A short visit, but sweet:)

A lovely Easter day at the McFarlands. We are blessed:)