Keeping it Going

So, now that I've blogged about coming home, let's keep this thing movin'.

As soon as we hit the ground, we were blessed by friends and family.  I came home to a clean house with a kitchen full of food, along with a whole big basket of diapers and all the other baby necessities I would need, so no errand-running was needed.

While I was still in Rwanda, my sisters asked me what baby gear I needed.  I assumed they meant from the "stash" that our family shares from baby to baby to baby.  But, when I walked in the door, I saw a brand new highchair, pack-n-play, and all the other "family" gear set up in every room.

As you can see, Gabe was very happy with what the aunts gave him!

Huge welcome home banners were hung, and it felt so good to be home!

When I walked upstairs, Gabe's door was closed and hanging on it was the life verse we have chosen for him:

Gabriel Mugisha 

"I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength."

And, then I walked into a room that had always been two-tone pink with scalloped trim.  And, instead, found that it was already gray.  My sisters and their oh-so-loving-and-willing husbands painted Gabe's room for me while I was gone, and hung this adorable pennant above his bed.  

(It still hangs there today...I just can't take it down!)

Blown away.  And so so thankful.  And I slept so SO good that night.

The great and hard thing about coming home on EASTER weekend, is that you are thrown right into a busy holiday.  But, truly, we were so glad to see our family three days in a row.

First, they hosted a dinner for us at La Ha, our favorite tex-mex restaurant.  This was 24 hours after we got home.  I really don't know how all of our eyes were open.  But, I guess for fajitas and family, I'll gladly stay awake! Plus, I have some really cute nieces and nephews who I was missing like CRAZY!

The next day, it was time for Easter celebrations to start, and Gabe got to meet his Grandad, Grandkay, Grandmother, and Papa Roy...a few of the family he hadn't got to meet at the airport.

Lots of pictures were made to capture the weekend, and it is a really sweet time as I look back on it now.  At the same time, we were pretty stinkin' TIRED.  

Partly from traveling, partly from a new baby, partly from the emotion of it all...but we still found the strength to hunt for candy with cousins.  And, I just chose not to think about the stuffed-to-the-brim suitcases I had waiting for me at home. )

I love the pictures of my little bunnies this year.

So, by Easter Sunday, I had really reached my max.  We decided to worship together as a family, instead of introducing Gabe to the big church family who was waiting!  We woke up early (since we were still on Rwanda time!) and headed to watch the sunrise.  This is one of my sweetest memories of our first days home.  Time with just our family of 6, celebrating Easter, taking communion, singing worship songs, and praising God for His faithfulness and redemptive power, both in the big and small things.  So relaxed.  So not Eastery.  And so what I needed.

We skipped the Easter baskets at home and the Easter dresses...and Abby Kate even found out the truth about the Easter Bunny.  (Yeah, I wasn't really in the mood for the American holiday stuff!)

But, we DID have egg hunts and our traditional Easter meal with Pops and Grandma:  Kalua Pig from Hawaii! YUM! And, even more time with family, just relaxing and talking and playing with cousins.

And getting plenty of lovin' from grandparents!

I just started laughing that I'm blogging about Easter right now, in the middle of July.  And, with such detail, mind you.  :)  Ha ha.  Oh well.  At least it's happening.  I'm finding a way through the muddled mind and the jumbled photo files to share our spring and summer with you.  I'm sure you've been just waiting to hear what happened in April.  :)

So...Happy Easter, everyone!