After a fruitful Lent that culminated in full liturgical participation in Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the sacred Easter Vigil, our family was ready for Easter Sunday 2024! What a beautiful day it was…

Sloan holds a candle during the Easter Vigil at St. Mary Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley on March 30, 2024.

The early morning started with Beau and Sloan racing downstairs to find their Easter baskets. I am pretty sure both kids ran as fast as the “other” disciple when he dashed to the tomb. Anyway, the Easter Bunny definitely visited the Reser household.

Sloan and Beau pose with their Easter baskets.

The most important part of our day took place at St. Mary Catholic Church as we attended 9 a.m. Easter Sunday mass. The four of us were joined by my brother and sister-in-law as we worshiped in a full house surrounded by our dearest friends. During a mass with enthusiastic singing and powerful optimism, Fr. Jeff Lewis delivered a homily about the 8 effects of the Resurrection.

Beau and Sloan hang in the vestibule at St. Mary Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley prior to Easter Sunday mass.

We returned home and ate some brunch and relaxed. The kids took the opportunity to take a closer look at their Easter baskets and probably eat a little more candy than they should have. Sidney and I? We continued to watch “Jonathan and Jesus,” a documentary on The Chosen star Jonathan Roumie. It is an incredibly inspirational doc and Roumie, a devout Catholic, proves again and again that there is no Jesus actor better than him. It was the perfect Easter Sunday show to watch.

Taking a moment post-church to take a photo with the kids.

The four of us then piled into the car and headed north to my parents’ house for our Easter celebration. My parents, my siblings, their spouses, and our nieces/nephew were all in a joyous mood. After we all caught up and the kids expelled some energy, we staged the annual “Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt” in the front yard. So much fun!

Glen and the kids after the “Aunt Carrie and Uncle Glen Easter Egg Hunt.”

After the egg hunt concluded, it was time for the Easter meal. Now don’t be too surprised but we ate something a little exotic…it was called ham 😂. Everything tasted delicious but as always, the conversation around the table was even better than the food.

Easter meal at the Reser household.

Once dinner concluded, the kids went outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather and the adults gathered in the living room to play a rousing game of Chameleon. I honestly don’t know who had more fun—the young people or the old people.

The adults playing “Chameleon.”

We then gathered back around the dinner table for dessert. But before we dug into the pies, puddings, and cookies, we sang “Happy Birthday” to my sister who celebrated her 40th birthday earlier in the week! After we stuffed ourselves even more, we continued to talk with each other and enjoy the day. Eventually, it was time for everyone to head one. When my family returned to the house, we were all ready for the bed. The preceding Holy Week masses/activities and the busy Easter Sunday had us humbly exhausted.

Miranda prepares to blow out the candles while holding her son, John.

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Although Easter Sunday was yesterday, it is important to know that the Easter season extends for the next 50 days. And, although Lent is now over, I must revert back to Fr. Jeff’s homily from Ash Wednesday. Lent should not be viewed as a 40-day sprint to Easter Sunday whereupon we throw out all the holy practices we developed. Rather, we must treat Lent as a boot camp that whips us into shape for the long haul—well past Easter. Rejoice my friends, He is risen! Don’t Blink.

Easter 2023
Easter 2022
Easter 2021
Easter 2020
Easter 2019
Easter 2018