Easter Weekend

So, I didn't take as many pictures as I should have but here are a few. Bob and Sharon came home on Thursday afternoon and we had a fun evening at the house playing wii and watching New Moon. (Joe was so mad that next morning because he dreamt of Edward and Jacob that night instead of hot chicks or something. Ha ha) On Friday morning we went to Serena's to see her and Maggie. They were dying eggs and making egg shaped peanut butter cookies. She also showed us a sonogram and told us she was pregnant! That leaves Julie, and my sister as the only sister/sister-in-laws that aren't pregnant!!! We are SO excited for their family! Maggie was so cute. Instead of saying yes when Serena would ask her a question like "Do you want me to open this candy Sharon gave you?" She says "Yeah Sure" in this sweet little happy voice. Serena told us she says that all the time instead of saying yes. It's SO stinkin' cute! After Serena's we headed to Palestine. Before they went to Utah they had made some changes to the house in Palestine and it was so fun to walk through and see the updates and new paint colors. It all looks awesome! We had a wonderful dinner at the house and I ended up getting a huge headache and going to bed shortly after. The next morning Joe woke up and made everyone a wonderful breakfast and then we headed to Canton for a huge flea market! We were there for hours and only covered about a third of it. Anthony and Addie met us there. Here's a picture I took when we stopped to have lunch.

We had a lot of fun! Sharon got a lot of cool A&M things to decorate one of the bedrooms and I found a girl from Utah there selling watch bands for my watch so I had her make me one. That evening the guys went to the priesthood session (and actually stayed awake, and LOVED it!) and Sharon and I went to Lowes to get hardware and a plant and things. It was fun to chat and shop together. I missed her and Bob a lot and it was so fun to spend time with them.

Sunday was so relaxing. We woke up to a visit from the Easter Bunny! (Joe didn't know I had brought everything with me to make them. Sneaky!=)

Joe and I went to Sun's grave site and Joe had picked out all sorts of pretty bright spring flowers to make a beautiful bouquet. It's always something we look forward to doing while we're there. Afterwards we headed back to Bob and Sharon's to watch the morning conference session and then between sessions we all went to the Davey Dogwood Park to see all the dogwoods blooming. Everything was so green in Palestine and the flowers were blooming and so colorful! It was gorgeous. I didn't know the legend of the Dogwood Tree so it was interesting to hear that. For those of you who don't know..... here's an explanation I found

At the time of Crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus nailed upon it, sensed this.
In His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering Jesus said to the tree:
" Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross--two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."

On the way back from looking at the dogwoods we pulled over to take a picture with the blue bonnets. They bloom all over on the side of the freeway, and it's absolutely gorgeous! Joe said that by law you can only pick one. I have been able to appreciate the greenness here. There's a portion of the freeway on the way to Palestine where the median is like a forest! You can't see the traffic on the other side because it's so thick and green, and it's just absolutely gorgeous. I don't have the mountains, but I have learned to love that I get to experience something different here in Texas. Our car had a film of pollen on it after the weekend was over. I had never seen that before! There were also fields of dandelions (or at least that's what Joe said they were. I couldn't tell) all over on the way home! So pretty!

We had such a fun weekend. I can't explain it, but in Palestine there's just a calmness that Joe and I feel when we're there. It's so relaxing and it's just a wonderful escape from every day life. Thank you Bob and Sharon for such a wonderful weekend! We love you and are glad you're back!