easter in montana...

When we moved out here in January, we left everything we had ever known, and everything we were confortable with. The greatest challenge for us has been the distance from our family. We have liked the church we've been going to from the very beginning, but it wasn't until yesterday, Easter, that we truly felt like we belonged. There is one family in particular who adopted us from day one. There are several smaller families in this one large family (kind of like the Friesemas in WPCC) and we were invited to spend Easter with all 30 of them. What a blast! Amazing food, wonderful company, great activities, warm weather. Here's how our day went:

It is tradition at our new church that the men make a big breakfast at the church on Easter morning, so Nathan and I went to church at 8:00 and I sat in the sanctuary and read as the men prepared breakfast. The food was really good, and the fellowship was unbeatable (except maybe by the fellowship of the afternoon!) The Easter service was wonderful, and Nathan and I even sang in the small ensemble that did special music! After church, another tradition is that a "family picture" is taken of those who attended church that day, and then we headed to the Nelson Ranch to join the whole Nelson clan for their Easter festivities! Everyone brought a little food, so in the end it turned out to be a feast! After the meal we took a break and had an Easter egg hunt! This is not just for the kids...there were several hundred eggs hidden...enough for 9 for each person there!

I don't think I've hunted for Easter eggs in a really long time...so it was pretty fun! Then, I wish I had taken pictures, but we had an egg toss. With this crowd, it was pretty intense, and hilarious! (Nathan caught one over his head and it broke!)

Then we went inside for dessert and most people headed home. We stayed along with about 10 others, put on our "muck boots", walked though deep mud and cowpies to the pond, and went fishing! It was so beautiful there!

We have decided that Easter 2009 has been our best day in Montana!!

If it's this beautiful now, I can't wait until the snow is gone and everything is GREEN!!!