Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! I never cease to be amazed at how moved I am in church as I sing about Jesus dying on the cross for me. ME. Little old pain in the rear me. He lived to die, and for me. And you. Unbelievable.

Ever since John and I have been married, we try to take a 'family' photo every Easter. Some years it works out, others it doesn't. This year--sorta. Our family pictures of course include whatever furry babies are living with us, and as anyone who calls a dog a pet knows, they sometimes cooperate and sometimes act like the could care less. Today was one of those days. It is also Dixie's 3rd birthday, so maybe she felt like she could really just do what she wanted to do, being birthday girl and all.

As I am totally on the Blurb Book Ball (remember how I love alliteration!) I thought I'd see what I could dig up as far as Easter pictures of years past...many were taken with (gasp) regular film, and doubtfully scanned in for their digital effect, so not sure what I have and what I don't. I also thought I'd throw in a birthday picture or two of our little Miss Dixie Belle. She sure is a spunky gal, and I'll admit it, I love her even more for it. Just don't tell John I said that!

Easter, 1999--TEN YEARS AGO! This was in our wonderful Pensacola with our sweet boy Random...where has time gone?

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Easter 2000--one of my favorite pictures, even though we are missing several key family members...our princess niece, Ellie; our old Raleigh Bear and our PITA Dixie Belle.

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This is John's mom and dad Easter of 2002, on their back deck. I've always loved this picture of them.

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This is John, me and our beloved Random Easter 2004. MAN do we look young!

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Easter 2005--on our deck in North Carolina. Neither Raleigh nor Random wanted to cooperate!

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Easter 2008--Raleigh and Dixie mostly cooperating. This was also one of the pictures we took for our adoption portfolio.

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Easter, 2009--one of my new favorite pictures! Raleigh being his goofy self, Dixie with a pained, "I hate this look" and baby included, though you can't see him very well because he's hiding in my tummy!

Some birthday girl pictures:

The first day I met her...she was so sweet.

May 25, 2006--the day my kids "surprised me" with her. Don't be fooled by how cute she was. That's just a decoy. Really.

Right before she was one. Doesn't she *look* angelic? Yeah. She's not.

I'm 1! I'm 1! Can I eat my cookies now?

2 looks yummilicous too!!!

What? I turn 3 and no cookies? 3 STINKS! (Note Raleigh laughing hysterically in the background!)