This year was the year of beast mode during Easter and that didn’t quite equal out to the calm celebrations of years past.
See this year started with my husband having shoulder surgery on Good Friday.
Yeah.
That.
If I had a dollar for every time a nurse, Doctor, or anesthesiologist mentioned how painful this surgery would be. Well, I’d have a big stack of bills to smack them with. Fear Mongering does not make for a Good Friday people.
But it happened.
We got to the hospital early in the morning. Waiting in the waiting room until they called him back.
They got him all prettied up in his cap and matching gown (don’t you know he just loved me taking photos of the event). Soon after our mini photo shoot, they kicked me out of pre-op to put a nerve block catheter in his neck. Ick! Then prep him for the big show.
I watched via a color-coded monitor from the waiting room which stated by number and color where he was at all times….first pre-op (yellow), then surgery (green), and then recovery (blue). All in all we were in and out of the hospital in about seven hours…still….the after part? Not pretty. Not pretty at all.
Ouch. Painful could not even describe it. It was painful to even look at his arm, his tube, his bandages, or his face straining for comfort, his nauseousness from the medicines, and his listlessness from his body going through heck.
I had to watch him non-stop to make sure he didn’t need to go back to the hospital that first day and night. I texted my sister, the nurse, a zillion times describing symptoms or behaviors.
The next day we had the girls (our weekend). Luckily, Grandma and Papa Doug kept them until about three in the afternoon. That helped greatly because by then, he didn’t look near as scary (at least he was out of the hospital gown and in regularish clothes).
But it was Easter weekend and, of course, we had to color eggs….because….well I want to color eggs and that makes me make them color eggs. Heh. I don’t think they minded.
I didn’t do egg coloring last year. Nope. I didn’t. Do you want to know why? I hate boiling eggs. Me, boiling water, and break-able food? Well, we don’t get along so well, but luckily, I heard about this thing on Pinterest of baking your eggs hard-boiled in the OVEN. Oh yeah. I rocked that.
I managed the Easter baskets for the girls, Averey, and little goodie bags for my big kids, Brandon and Sydney. I didn’t get the girls too much because, frankly, we are in a massive clean-up and get rid of stuff mode. They have too much stuff crammed in their room and Sydney has too much stuff crammed in her room (that she doesn’t live in anymore). And I have way too much stuff crammed in the garage from my old house four years ago. So, we did a LOT of organizing in Sydney’s old room Easter Eve (making way for Bridget’s stuff) while Daddy slept to get better. The youngest claimed the previous Teen Occupant’s room by moving baskets of her clothes and toys into the already stuffed room and closet weeks ago. It’s a mess. And obviously, it is even more stuffed. We have a lot of work to do. But for now, all the teenage(y) jewelry, some clothes, CDs, stereos, and games have all been divvied up among the two little claimers (who were absolutely ecstatic over every little thing).
The next morning, we had to get ready for Church with Grandma. They wore their Easter dresses that Grandma bought them and they picked out. I will say that Molly could have picked a different style dress and she didn’t. She picked the same style but different size and color as her younger sister. Oh yes, she did! She twinned – totally on purpose – and I think it’s adorable.
And of course, they are just gorgeous and magical in their Easter dresses. To look at them made me forgot about all the hospital recovery gunk, all the bedroom sorting box gunk, and all the mile-high garage gunk. In that one blissful moment, our celebration was their growing up and being these beautiful girls who love their Church and getting all dressed up on this special day.
I am not sure how much of this Easter my husband will remember so I did try to take lots of photos for him. I have a new camera. I am still learning it. You’d be amazed how different a new camera and all its settings and tweaks can be.
Lastly came the littlest of the bunch. Miss Averey on her first Easter. I had grand plans to set up the portrait backdrop and/or have her in the bluebonnets. But none of that happened. I just set her on the table-cloth and got down on the floor. Poor thing was wiped out by her first Easter, I could not get a single smile. Mom, Dad, and I all squeaked, gaggled, and clapped, but alas, Cute Baby just didn’t have it in her.
She was super happy just worn out as it was late by then.
And ya know? I was pretty worn out too. Easter will do that, especially an Easter operated in Beast mode.
But I did it. I pulled off Easter with two girls, a new granddaughter, and a sick Poppy.
It was the first time in many years, we didn’t get to Church, but our hearts celebrated the Risen Christ with praise and prayers for Jason’s recovery.
Maybe next year, it will be more of our best mode, and less of our beast mode.
Hope you all had a very Happy Easter. Thank-you for being here. Thank-you for reading.
Living, Loving, Laughing.... 
Sorry to hear about your husband. My son had front an back dislocations. He had surgery and had to be in a brace that stuck straight out for a month. No showers. He was in college and had to go to the salon on campus to wash his hair!
Your Easter babies are so cute!
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Oh gosh! That is super duper extra miserable for a college kid to have to endure. Thank you! I think I’ll keep those Easter babies. 🙂 Congrats on being freshly pressed again!
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Thanks so much!:)
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I hope Jason’s recovery is going as it should. The girls are lovely, and I like the pretty, colorful dresses they picked out. Miss Averey was very patient with the photographer. 🙂
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Thanks! He seems a little better these last few days. I think because he doesn’t have a choice, right? The girls did real good! And that Miss Averey is a doll. She normally smiles at the photographer all the time. She must have been super worn out! (her mom did the same thing when she was a baby – didn’t want to miss anything and stayed awake at all costs)
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Hope your husband is doing well…I am sure I saw a hint of a smile with Miss Averey in one of those
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Thank-you! He is better. Yes, poor baby was cracking up on the inside. I just know it. 🙂
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Hope Jason has a quick recovery! Hubby had shoulder surgery a few years ago, the first week is the worst then it gets better.
The girls look adorable. Even without a smile, Avery rocked those Easter pics!
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Oh youch! I feel for you then. Those surgeries are NO FUN. It is getting better so I am hoping we are on the mend. They did two things and one involved the shoulder socket and the other was to re-attach a bicep muscle to to his chest with a plastic anchor. Apparently two different kind of recoveries. UGH. But he is working again (says he can type) so it is going good! That baby never shed a tear and I am sure she was entertained by us. Lol!
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Angelia, sending ‘good vibes’ that Jason’s recovery is quick and easy.
“(don’t you know he just loved me taking photos of the event)”
HA! Isn’t it funny how we bloggers are always thinking “blog post?” and have our cameras handy?
“And of course, they are just gorgeous and magical in their Easter dresses.”
WOW…those dresses are soooooooo beautiful! Love the colors.
And that last collage of Miss Avery is so precious! I especially love the one of her cute, little pink socks.
Have a super week, my friend!
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Thanks Ron! I got newborn socks at Payless and put them on her when she came over. Her feet are so tiny, she can’t wear shoes. I bought her 2 month size sandals and they did not fit. She has the tiniest feet! I can’t believe she will be walking on those tiny feet soon.
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Thank you for this , The pictures are great! I sure hope Jason is feeling better. I want to call to hear his voice, but I don’t fo fear he is asleep. Give hima kiss for me! Love you.
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 02:59:37 +0000 To: suelrussell@hotmail.com
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Hi Momma Sue,
He is doing much, much better! He is working as well. Call anytime, I know he would love to hear from you. 🙂 I got some amazing flower photos on Easter at your house. I will post about them and get you more pics for your photo frame. You will love them!
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Praying for a quick and as-comfortable-as-possible recovery for Jason – and you! You get lots of gold stars for managing a happy and fun Easter! Great photos of your beautiful family. Also – thank you for the baking eggs hint.
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Thank-you, Carol! I appreciate that. I tried real hard to stay busy and keep from being too worried. 😀 The girls had fun.
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I hope Jason is feeling better. The fear and the pain of surgery couldn’t have been easy to face.
The girls look so cute in their Easter dresses! Pearl tried on that same dress in pink. 🙂
Your granddaughter is so beautiful! I just adore her expressive, big, blue eyes!
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Ohhhh surgery is the worst and I hate to say this.. but especially the FIRST time. I think the body knows what to expect after that first one and it is not as shocking, but that is going by my experience (and four surgeries!). Your girls were adorable in the dresses they did pick. I saw one of their dresses (maybe not an Easter one) and knew girls had one like it. I thought…they must have went to Kohls! I really do hope Averey’s eyes stay blue. 🙂
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Wishes for a speedy recovery and pain, pain, go away!!! The photos are unbelievable! 🙂
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Thank-you! I need to pick up my camera every day to keep practicing with it. But that darn work thing gets in the way! lol.
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I took about 50 very quick shots of baby J and only got some 4 that I like. Meh for not getting the relaxed photo session that I dreamed of.
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That’s okay! You just have to try again. I hope to try again this week for her 8 month shoot. Hopefully we will find a nice patch of flowers. 😉
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I need to get into the redo spirit, I get so frustrated I don’t want anything to do with the camera after a failure like the one in easter.
Hope your husband is getting better!!!
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Oh man!! Surgery on Good Friday. What terrible timing. Well at least he was surrounded by family to lift his spirits up. I hope that he is doing much better today.
No boiling eggs eh? I don’t judge. I can’t do them either. They always break and they end up oozing out and apparently colouring the actually egg white part isn’t attractive to eat.
Massive cleanups are fabulous. We are in deep with kitchen renos so I was able to purge a lot of stuff.
you’re pictures always bring a smile to my face 🙂
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I need to purge so many rooms! So many! You bring me smiles too. 🙂 See..
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