This is the only Easter picture I took

It has been hard to look at Facebook for the past few days. It seems that all my friends had lovely, relaxing Easter celebrations with perfectly coordinated outfits and tons of family pictures.   I got this one of Piper walking down the dining hall steps. Cadence ran out of the picture before my phone got its act together enough to snap.  And she wasn't even wearing the dress that matched Piper's.

Our Easter was lovely too...mostly. Eating lunch at the dining hall was probably a mistake.  My parents came for dinner, which I made and enjoyed. Matt hid lots of eggs in the yard for the girls. The weather was great, so we played outside. We all enjoyed church - redemption gets me every time, and I love that my girls are starting to understand the redemption story we celebrate.

I don't want to feel bad about not having perfectly executed holiday pictures, but I do.  It just makes me feel like a bit of a mess.  I guess, because, I am a bit of mess.  Probably all my facebook friends are too, underneath the glowing smiles.

So here's what I'm telling myself. As Cadence said to me the other day, "I'm so glad we get to live in this story." And while this may be a season where my to do list is way too long and I don't have the mental energy to take pretty photos, I am living a beautiful, resurrection, mercy-filled, Love wins story.  When my days are long and too often involve cleaning up other people's messes, I have a "great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me"...and cleans up my messes.

Thanks be to the God who doesn't judge by appearances.