Easy Easter?

Easter was blessed by the arrival of a good friend's new baby boy who I had the privilege of being the first non-family visitor in hospital for cuddles. And he was blessed to narrowly miss being an 'April fool'- born at 8.30 pm on 31. March. We were looking after his older sisters while he was brought into the world, which was fun for Emily as she and Cora are tied at the hip and a challenge for Mike and I. Mike doesn't generally shout, and I rarely shout at children that aren't my own, but this proved to be one of our exceptions when at midnight the girls are still merrily chatting away, with the puppy joining them, enshrined on the duvet, despite a rule we have about no puppies on beds , keeping the two year old sister up despite missing her nap and having been asked to quiet down umpteen times as they have work and school in the morning. The two year old awoke several times crying 'Cora, my monkey, Cora my monkey' because she couldn't locate her monkey dummy. The bathroom was soaked in blood, which I learnt the following morning was due to Cora's tooth wobbling out and Emily's bed broke under the strain of it being transformed into a nest like that of the 'Croods' (an animated film family). But, three egg hunts later and despite the complaints and spaghetti food fights, we are all still friends and probably closer as a result.

The first of the afore mentioned egg hunts took place in the park where we hold parkrun, and Suzhou Striders joined with Suzhou Family (a company running family activities) and Decathlon for a short run and egg hunt. Mike lead the warm up and got everyone hopping around the park and then it was everyone chasing the eater bunny and a Decathlon-ordained hopscotch and archery experience. The second egg hunt took place on the Sunday after a church celebration, which some of our Suzhou Strider friends also attended, which is a joy, and the third was in our compound garden, hosted by Cora's family.

So despite the general absence of Cadbury's products, family members , roast beef and simnel cake, it was a memorable Easter and Jesus has still risen and is still very much alive. Praise Him!