The True Vyne

The Vyne Easter was fantastic.

My children glimpsed at the treasures in their Easter baskets on the kitchen table as usual, but we quickly made our way outside to dig up from the garden our jar of Alleluias and Hallelujahs written on strips of white paper which we buried weeks before. The late cold snap caused us to slap on coats before we headed out the door. As a family, we fast from these two words during Lent. Once Buck reads the Easter story, we open the dirt crusted jar shout, "Alleluia, Hallelujah!" till it resounds across the meadow. Through the nearby fence, the goats inquired with their "ah,ah,ah,ah"s as to what we doing at the crack of dawn beside not feeding them. Tator had to chase stalker rooster Mohawk away for Pooh Bear and I to feel at ease for our family sunrise service.

I hurried off and away to spend the first hour of church with my buddy, Tom, who is autistic. My family arrived to worship with me the second hour. The presentations of song, dance, plays, and Word celebrated the Risen Jesus in a fresh and beautiful way.

We spent the rest of the pleasant day into the evening with the most hospitable Sky family. I didn't see hide nor hair of my boys except for at mealtimes due to the six entertaining boys the Sky home endeavors to contain. Carrie and I split the menu and laid out a splendid table. Of course, with that many boys, the meal was devoured soon after serving. Our families also both filled 300 eggs with candy for the traditional hunt. Buck and Bert took about half an hour to hide the eggs, and it took approximately four minutes for all eggs to be found.

I truly don't understand why Pooh Bear always fusses about going to the Sky's home, because she always has a grand time. "There are just too many boys there", she complains the week before our visit. She says she needs a girl to play with which the Sky's are just about to provide- they leave to pick up their five year old daughter through Chinese adoption in just a few weeks! Her Chinese names mean "Thinking of you forever". Pooh Bear plays with Thinking's dolls which wait patiently in Thinking's new room for her much anticipated arrival. The Sky's youngest boy, Eli, joined Pooh Bear and together they played non-stop house and mommy and daddy. Buck went out on the deck to harass them at one point and began talking in his old man voice, "I don't even remember your wedding. Two babies! How is it that you already have two babies?" Bert helped Eli and Pooh Bear dye eggs in the afternoon.

Other friends of the Sky's joined us for dessert of carrot cake and cupcakes. Carrie made a very Southern Living like Easter basket out of cupcakes. It was adorable. Pooh Bear and Eli put the finishing touches of brightly colored covered chocolate chips in all the right and wrong places. The conversation was light and pleasant, and sometimes deep as usual. I feel incredibly blessed to be part of the Sky Easter tradition.