Easter

Happy Easter! I have felt so overwhelmed with gratitude this weekend for all our blessings. Family has been the focal point of my gratitude as I've pondered about the the Savior. Being surrounded by the people we love most this weekend made the thought of forever families so tender for me as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ.

All the feelings I've been feeling about Easter really came together after I took this picture of Lydia yesterday.

I had been thinking all week about why we put more thought into what we wear for Easter. I really wanted to put Lydia in an outfit that was special, beautiful, and that reflected the reverence and gratitude I was feeling for this day. A couple weeks ago I was visiting Harrison's mom and she brought up some clothing she'd been saving for Lydia. Among the things she showed me was a beautiful hand crocheted blanket and sweater Harrison's Aunt Holly made for him when he was a baby. After picking a dress sent to us from Harrison's sister, Justine, and a bonnet my mom actually made for Lydia's blessing day, this sweater and blanket seemed to tie everything together. This picture has so many elements of love and family -Wedding dress lace, cousin hand-me-down dress, daddy's sweater, a timeless blanket, and a beautiful little girl in the middle of it all. Literally and figuratively clothed, surrounded, wrapped up in the love her family has for her.
I am so overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessing of family given to me by a loving Savior who lived a perfect life, atoned, died, and rose again for me. 

Oh sweet, the JOY this sentence gives. 

I know that my Redeemer lives.