Bleary eyed, but bushy tailed I rose from bed to the excited voice of Maya “Mummy, the Easter Bunny has been!”. Any thoughts of telling her to go back to sleep, remained just that, my thoughts, as I woke up with the sunrise. Elle was still sound asleep as Maya inspected her Easter basket by the light of her toad-stool lamp. “Wow” I said, mustering some enthusiasm for her Easter basket. Something I was very enthusiastic about but clouded with due to lack of sleep. One of the things about young Children, and Easter or Christmas, the day begins early and is sure to be long!

Elle soon woke to the sound of Maya’s chocolate mutterings. Rather than going to her Easter basket, which she had little or no idea about, Elle discovered the hand dyed boiled eggs hidden about the room. The first of which she picked up and hurled. It landed with a pleasing crack, so pleasing in fact she tried it again with the next one she found!

Before we knew it, Daddy joined in on Easter morning. He helped Elle find the hidden Easter eggs while I joined Maya in devouring chocolate. We only give the girls a small amount of chocolate in their baskets, which Maya ate before 7am. Chocolate for breakfast!!!! After all the hidden eggs had been found, we read books and played with our new toys. I made a scrumptious Easter breakfast of scrambled eggs, veggie links, sauteed spinach and hot cross buns. My favorite part being when we sat down to eat, Maya said “Lets hold hands”, then proceeded to say on her own accord, a blessing,

“Blessings on the blossoms,

Blessings on the roots,

Blessings on the leaves and stems,

Blessings on the fruit.”

After breakfast we walked to Ditmas Park to look at our new house and explore the neighbourhood. We walked through Prospect park and out the other side. It took us about 40 minutes to walk there. Maya walked, skipped and ran the whole way (a VERY good little walker!) while Elle slept in her stroller. Ditmas Park was a world of plush green grass and blooming blossom trees. Maya enjoyed looking at the colorful flower beds growing at the base of the Victorian houses like frilly petticoats. I became excited for the world of possibilities, for the change, and for the newness of it all.

It was a glorious day to walk over to Ditmas Park and have a glimpse at our new beginning, our new life…..perfectly fitting for Easter Day.