Here are our five children in front of our Easter Egg tree this year. We did not begin the morning with an egg hunt or baskets of candy. We began it concentrating on getting to church early so Rick could play Julia’s (Liz’s mother) piano part for the choir and with a fast for our dear friends Julia and Paul and their children, a family every single one of us is interconnected with, who needs comfort after losing their 12 year old daughter on Saturday after a tragic accident occurred on Thursday. We planned to fast for an Easter miracle for them but Saturday we had to tell our children, each of whom has a peer in this family of six children, that the family just needed comfort instead. This was hard… and it’s the second time we’ve had to tell Haley in the past three years that she has lost a friend. Three years ago when Haley was 12 we got a phone call and had to tell her that one of her school friends had been strangled, raped and set on fire. This murder occurred fairly close to where we live, was plastered all over the news, her killer caught and put on death row where he currently sits and still periodically is discussed on the news. This was hard on Haley. And now we had to give both girls and really all the children the same sort of news all over again. We had some distraught children on Saturday and we decided to spend our time dealing with talking things out. We saved egg coloring and setting Easter baskets out for Sunday afternoon. Thankfully we had just planned to have a quiet Easter dinner at home alone. This gave us flexibility and less stress. We needed that.
It turns out that the Wagner’s didn’t receive the one Easter Miracle they were hoping for but four other miracles did occur. Out of their tragedy and loss the gift of sight was given to two individuals, a young man will walk again and a desperate little baby received a heart valve.
Elizabeth, oldest child of six children, would have turned 13 years old on April 22 this year. Her obituary can be read on her Mom’s blog "My Adventures and Antics" that I follow; tab on the left. Liz is just a month and a half older than Lindsay. I was also reminded of how close we came to losing our oldest daughter after Haley suffered severe head trauma/ skull fracture in three places, how hard that recovery was and how much help and prayers had been offered in our behalf. Liz and Lindsay were friends and in fact shared a tent at Girl’s Camp just last summer as First Years. They were busy raising money for this year’s camp and were planning on many more experiences like this over the next several years. The first time Liz came to our house it was to sing Christmas Carols just a couple nights before Christmas in 2010 with her whole family a few months after they moved here. I briefly taught Liz and her sisters in Activity Days and Rick has taught some of the younger children in Primary. Liz’s parents have worked with our children in Scouts and Young Women’s. Each of our children are the same age, or close to it, to one of the Wagner children. We’ve gone to their house for dinner on several occasions, our kids have attended each other’s birthday parties, we’ve driven each other’s kids to activities or meetings, been to Christmas parties together, and just one month ago Julia dropped off a basket of chocolate on my front porch to surprise me when I was having an exceptionally awful week. Now we cry with them at the passing of their very sweet daughter and what can I do for them to ease such an awful pain when a box of chocolates is nothing by comparison? I was so happy to have such a nice young lady close in age to Lindsay for Lindsay to be friends with. And Haley was Liz’s “Big Sister” this month. She was busy putting together lists of good, safe popular music for Lizy to put on her new i-pod and she took a picture of Elizabeth Street in NYC for Elizabeth when she was there just last week. Haley got a chance to show that picture to her last Tuesday night on her camera. Haley has said that Elizabeth reminds her of herself a few years ago in many ways and I think she felt a connection with her because of that. Elizabeth will be sorely missed.
Lindsay is seen here on the far right in the back sitting next to Elizabeth in the middle at Elizabeth’s 12th Birthday Party last April. It was a backwards party and I remember that Lindsay had been so excited to attend and they all had a blast together. The Wagners are one fun family.
Picture on the left is of Haley and Liz at the New Years Party on January 6th, 2012.
The picture on the right was taken on March 27th, just two weeks ago. The girls had a “P” party and wore as many things starting with the letter P as possible; Plaid, Pajamas, Pink, Peace symbols, etc. and Haley and Liz are seen hitting the “P”innata. Liz won the contest that night by wearing something like 23 things that started with the letter P. I don’t have a picture but on March 31st, just a week and a half ago, Lindsay was over at Liz’s house helping with yard work and getting a fire pit ready to help with camp certification, having a pizza party afterwards and watching Conference in the afternoon down in their basement. Just last Tuesday the girls were together drinking root beer floats planning movies to watch together when they turn 13 and talking about dances when they turn 14. But sometimes we’re reminded that we’re not in control.
Lindsay (left) and Haley (right) painted 8 of their fingers and 8 of their toes the 8 different colors representing the 8 Young Women Values which are Faith, Knowledge, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Choice & Accountability, Good Works, Integrity and Virtue in honor of Elizabeth. They painted Liz’s toes for her in the hospital on Friday but Liz needed one toe on each foot unpainted for the pulse ox and so the 8 colors went perfectly. Since then everyone, Women, girls and even young men and grown men including our motor cycle riding Bishop have painted their toes in this fashion. Lindsay and Haley got a lot of comments and questions about their crazy nails in school on Monday. It gave them a chance to talk and share not only why and what happened but also they have gotten to talk about how each color stands for a YW value and what those values are. Everyone they’ve talked to has been really interested in this and very supportive. It was very good for my girls and for all of us to be at church together with everyone on Sunday. It helped with the healing process. There were lots of tears in all of the meetings. There were lots of hugs given too. It was hard for me to see Julia (Liz’s Mom) trying to comfort MY girls. I am amazed at Julia.
After church we got changed and did dye some Easter Eggs that had been boiled on Saturday. It was actually much more relaxing to do this Sunday afternoon while we were waiting for dinner to bake and cook. Saturdays are already so filled and busy.
Lindsay, Haley and Tristan all made Eggs with Elizabeth’s name written on them. Kaitlyn had a good time getting her fingers colored as well.
Dying eggs is an art form with these girls.
Nathan carefully checked on his Eggs.
Tristan made our only purple egg by mixing a couple of colors. And Nathan said “Oooooo” each time he looked at his colored egg.
Pretty eggs, this one took the longest. And then it was time to go for a walk. The big sisters took the younger children out for a walk to see if they could find the Easter Bunny who was definitely taking his time getting to our house this year. Nathan and I had seen an Easter Bunny on one of our walks a few days earlier and so he went to see if the bunny was there again. When the kids came back Rick said that he’d gone down to the basement to put the jug of vinegar away and when he got back upstairs all the eggs had been taken and he found the baskets had been filled. Kaitlyn’s response? “That’s amazing”!
And then the hunting began upon the children’s return. I love the picture of Kaitlyn in mid air leaping off the love seat on the right.
There was great excitement as the kids found 22 out of the 24 eggs.
The last two eggs were hard to find… Tristan found #23 and Lindsay FINALLY found #24. Haley was happy to find her basket of candy.
Some trading went on between baskets but like Tristan, everyone was very happy about having a chocolate bunny.
Nathan’s chicky basket is so cute.
Kaitlyn found her Easter Basket as well. YUM!
Spooky thought I’d dressed the table up just for him and Kaitlyn came rushing in to wisk her kitty away from trouble. They love each other and his large size doesn’t bother her or slow her down one bit. And she doesn’t seem to bother him ever in the slightest.
For some reason Kaitlyn and Tristan decided to be little babies and Haley played along with it. The kids must have been getting desperate for food or something by this point; they were being pretty goofy.
We had ham, cheesy potato bake, Irish Soda bread, green beans and Strawberry Delight.
On Monday an Easter card arrived from cousin Porter, a cute little ducky that serves as a finger puppet. The stickered envelope was fun to receive and open and fun for little fingers.
Life is miraculous but it has no guarantees. Remember to love each other and to be kind to each other. You never know when the end for yourself or someone you love will arrive so take advantage of each day or each opportunity. But we have hope because of Christ and the light and knowledge his life and sacrifice bring for us. I have no idea how people live without knowledge of and belief in this. Knowledge of Jesus Christ can be our greatest comfort and hope… and strength. Surely that is what Easter is all about.
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