One of those important "Big" events.....

Today Ellie was one happy little girl.  She lost her first tooth. At school.  So she got a cute little tooth holder necklace and she was dancing when she came off of the bus.  It was pretty obvious this morning that this event would happen soon.  Her tooth was facing the wrong direction, yet it was holding on by a small thread.  When you are 6 this is a really big deal!  And there will be many more lost teeth in the years ahead.  Of course Zeke wanted to know when he would get to lose a tooth! Sigh.  That comparison stuff once again.

As a special treat today, Gwen was actually on one of her "spring breaks" and did not have to work (unfortunately for Gwen, each of the schools where she works, took different spring breaks. Last week she was off on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and this week she is off on Tuesday and Thursday.  Certainly not ideal....).  So we took Zeke and Anna to an indoor tot swim at a local park district.

Zeke had a wonderful time.  The water was a bit cold for Anna but she really did seem to like it.  She splashed and played and we took both of the kids on the very small lazy river.  Zeke is turning into quite the swimmer.  He really does well and even went under water today!  So for sure it was a really nice change of pace and made this day feel a bit more like a "vacation".  Here is Zeke going under water!

And coming up!  

And a bonus picture of Anna having fun in the water!  Yes, it was a super fun day!  

This has always been one of my favorite weeks of the year.  It is a week of "big events" on the church calendar.  It is Holy Week.  I love Palm Sunday.....palm branches and singing Hosanna to the King!  And I love that this also signals a change in my spirit as I focus on the events of the coming week. Maundy Thursday has always been a special day for me.  I love thinking about that first "last supper" and remembering that we are blessed to participate in this amazing meal every time we celebrate Communion.  Good Friday is one of those days that it seems almost impossible to do anything but wonder at the sacrifice, at the unbelievable gift that we are given through the Crucifixion.  The week ends with the joyous and wondrous cry of "He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!".

One of the best things about this week of big events are all the memories that are made. I have many specific memories of each of these "big event" days and I will share those memories on each of those days this week.   Today Ellie is celebrating a lost tooth that also means that she has made one more step up that "growing up" ladder.  For her it is a big event.  I am feeling happy that I got to actually be a part of Ellie's special day today and I got to swim with Anna, Zeke and Gwen. It was a day of making memories.

Jesus, thank you for memories and special times of fun with family.  Holy Spirit, help us all to stop and remember during this special "Holy Week".  Thank you for traditions and rituals that reinforce those "big events".  Jesus keep our focus on you!  Amen