Birthday Weekend & The Easter Bunny Gets Techy

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If you know me, you know I'm big into celebrating. You just got a job interview? Awesome, let me bake you cupcakes. Your hair looks great today? Awesome, let me write you a congratulatory award. You cleaned your whole apartment? Let's bake a cake. I truly just enjoy celebrating people and joyous moments, from the big to the small. So, naturally, when it comes to birthdays, I go big and I go meaningful.  

Friday was my fiance's birthday. He has a deep, burning love for Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I very rarely bake them, because I seriously dislike following actual recipes and cookies have to be done exactly right. But, on his birthday, I of course had to oblige his longstanding request and surprise him with delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because I was working from home all day, I was able to pop some delish cookies in the oven as I got my work done. I was totally out of butter, and my fiance had our car out in the burbs for a work meeting, so I did a little googling and ended up using this recipe for chocolate chip cookies using coconut oil.

I randomly put together a few birthday decorations using some bottles hanging around, some straws, paper, and streamers. While I'm a "go big" person, my fiance tends to appreciate simple and understated, so I had to keep his preferences in mind.

That said, he did not escape without streamers. I hung these over the doorway from the back door, where I knew he'd come in since he had the car (we have a garage out back - yes, in the city - we lucked out).

When he got home, I lit candles in the cookies and a few extra candles that I scattered around the table and sang him a little birthday song. He probably felt like a 5 year old. To be honest, I think we all deserve to feel like that. :)

After some cookie munching, we hopped in the car to head to his office, which is just a few minutes away, where his birthday gifts had been delivered to. He opened a new watch and pair of shoes.

On our way home, we were just sinking in the beautiful city views, as the gentle early evening sun lit the buildings up. Suddenly, we both really wanted to be outside. So, we dropped off the car and headed over to dinner in Wicker Park a bit early. Instead of taking a cab, we walked. It took us about 30 minutes to get there, and the temperature was perfect.

We had dinner at Justin's favorite pub, Mac's American Pub. This place is really special to us, because it was where we went on our first impromptu date, and we always thoroughly enjoy our time there. My fiance had a burger and I ordered one of Mac's Chicken Salads.

As dinner was wrapping up, I asked him where else he wanted to go on his birthday. Anything you want to try? I was kind of hinting at FroYo at first... but then he had a much better idea. We'd been to The Violet Hour many times, but only with other couples or groups. We'd never been just us. So, we walked over and got in line outside. After just a few minutes, the "bouncer," so to speak, came out and grabbed us from the back of the line. I have no idea why he did this - it was almost as though he just knew it was Justin's birthday - but whatever, we'll take it! Inside, we were seated by the fireplace. I started with the "Hunter Gatherer," and my fiance had an Old Fashioned.



The next morning, my fiance woke up with a hankering for The Breakfast Club. You thought birthdays were only one day? Hah. Not when you're in my family. You get the whole freaking weekend. So, off to The Breakfast Club we walked.

We were completely unadventurous and got our normal grub. My fiance ordered the Meat Lover's Skillet, and I ordered an Egg White Omelet with Spinach, Onion, Bacon, Feta, and Tomato Slices on the side.

Back at home, we relaxed for a while and got ready for a bike ride. I was in the mood for a Spin class, but my fiance was on a "roll," and suggested we just hit the road. Pun intended.

We biked over to the Lake Shore Path and headed north along the lake. At first, we thought it might be a bit cold near the lake, but it ended up being pretty much perfect.

Once we turned around, instead of taking the lake path south, we headed into the city and made our way back home from there. It's both exciting and somewhat terrifying to bike through the city, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it. Obviously, I survived. (No, I didn't. I'm writing this from the grave. April fools!)

At home, I quickly showered and got ready, because we had some exciting plans. I actually got fancy and blew my hair dry, which happens about once a month, so it's always a momentous occasion. Holy smokes, my hurr is long.



I popped some Kashi pizzas in the oven and whipped together some serious guacamole. Our neighbors came over so we could all stuff our faces and then we hopped in a cab and headed to Union Station for Beer Fest. Yep, that food was all for a good cause: lining our stomachs.

Once inside, we began the long and delicious process of sampling beers. There were probably 50 breweries (at least, it felt that way) from all around the Midwest.

We were in search of the next greatest Midwest brew, and ya know what? We found it. My favorite, by far, was by a brewery called Anderson's, and it was an Amber Ale, which is not usually my thing. It was just so smooth and delicious, I couldn't not go back for more.

Eventually, we all decided we'd had enough beer, so we headed to Grandview Tavern for some food. Everyone had burgers, but I was still so full from the combination of pizza/guac/tons of beer that I opted for a side salad and a cup of the soup of the day. Both were... just okay.

On Sunday morning, we decided to head up to the suburbs to spend Easter with my family. It takes about 45-60 minutes to get there, so we always have an enjoyable mini road trip en route. It tends to involve me taking more than a few selfies. #oops

After an amazing church service at The Chapel, we headed home for some Easter grub. My mother had put together a delicious but still fairly light (I mean that in a good way) meal of pineapple ham, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and strawberries.

Post-lunch, we followed another tradition in my family: Hippity Hop. Ever since we were kids, my dad would hide our Easter baskets and then write a poem or riddle for us to use as a guide to find the baskets. This year, the Easter Bunny went techie and wrote our poems on an iPad. Wow, Easter Bunny. Santa's really got to catch up and ditch his paper lists.

Above is a picture of my sister and her "Hippity Hop" poem. When it was my turn, the Easter Bunny had written a poem for my fiance and I to share. We found our Easter basket in one of the fireplaces in the house. See it down there?

Once Easter festivities wound down and I was far too full on candy, we headed home to good old Chicago for some errands and R&R. We grocery shopped, cleaned, and did laundry... and I made a pretty darn delicious quiche for breakfasts this week. Let's file that one under #winning and #reaganing.

We went on a long walk around the city before bed. We were gone for a little over an hour, and I got a few sprints in there with the pup (every time there was a long stretch of sidewalk or a bridge to run up and over, I sprinted it with the dog and then turned around and sprinted back to my fiance, who wasn't wearing proper running shoes).



Toward the end of our walk, when we were headed back, we ran into this really precious message written in graffiti. It says, "ONE DAY YOU'LL LIVE FOREVER." Especially on Easter Sunday, it was such a poignant reminder that Christ died and rose again to GIVE US that gift, that we can live forever because of exactly what Easter is meant to honor. Just another special moment in which God stepped in and showed us something awesome.

QUESTIONS:

• How does your family do "birthdays?" Any special traditions?
  My family has always made a big deal by decorating and hanging streamers, etc. We're dorks.
• Does your family do any special things for Easter?
  Hippity Hop! And too much candy, as usual...

GRATITUDE:

Dear God,

Thanks for showing your face in such surprising ways. Like graffiti in front of a dumpster. Just like Jesus hung out with riff raff, you're willing to show your face among it too.

Love,

Carly

"Because The Tomb Was Empty"

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Today is a day of sharing. I have two awesome and inspiring things to share with you...

First, an excerpt from a Girlfriends in God newsletter I received almost a year ago that has never really left my mind:

"It was Easter Sunday. Mrs. Stephens wanted to help her students understand that there is so much more to the Easter holiday than new clothes, chocolate bunnies and egg hunts... Easter is about life. Easter celebrates the certainty of Jesus’ death on the cross, the fact that He was buried, and the reality that He came out of that burial tomb to conquer death – so that we can have life - eternal life with Jesus in Heaven and abundant life with Him here and now. 

Mrs. Stephens came up with a plan. After sharing the Bible story of Jesus’ resurrection, she gave each one of her students an empty plastic egg and said, “We are going to take a walk outside and I want each one of you to find one sign of life and put it in your plastic egg.” 

As the children filed out of the room, Mrs. Stephens noticed Danny, a little Down syndrome boy who had been coming to her class for some time. His bright smile and sunny disposition had immediately won her heart. In fact, when it came to Danny, she often thought he had taught her so much more about the unconditional love of God and the joy of simply being a child of God than she could ever teach him. When she heard the other children make fun of him, it broke her heart. She always corrected the children and tried to help them see just how special Danny was, but Danny seemed oblivious to their hurtful words and thought of each child as his “buddy.”

The children soon returned from their walk, depositing their eggs on the teacher’s desk as they made their way to their seats. Inside one student's egg was a butterfly. In another was an ant. Others had collected flowers, twigs, blades of grass and leaves to fill their eggs. But one egg had nothing in it. Everyone knew whose egg it was. Mrs. Stephens silenced the giggles with a look of warning. When she asked Danny why he had not put anything inside his egg to show signs of life, his face broke into a huge grin as he responded, "Because the tomb was empty.""

Every time I read that story, I find myself being touched in a really significant way. It's hard for me to read out loud without taking a moment here and there to collect myself. Why? It is not out of sadness. It is out of pure joy. I delight in the beauty of a story of a little boy who truly understood the depth of Easter -- that an empty tomb is the perfect sign of life; the perfect proof that Jesus Christ really had risen from the dead!

As you enter into Easter weekend, perhaps you'll be spending time with family. Perhaps you'll be attending church services tonight or on Sunday or perhaps both. Perhaps you have Easter Egg hunts for children and relatives. Perhaps you plan to have a relaxing weekend at home. In private, in groups; in the background or as a main event; try to find some time thanking God for the sign of life -- for the empty tomb -- and for the day that Jesus Christ laid death in its grave, forever beating death for our sake, so that we may live forever with our God.

My second moment of sharing:
If you've made it this far and are still reading, perhaps you're like Danny. Perhaps you are taking in the depth and significance of Easter weekend. Take a moment to listen to the following video and read the lyrics below. John Mark McMillan describes the miraculous events that changed the world forever... and Jesus' transformation from a worldly condemned "thief" on Friday to a heavenly and promising King on Sunday. 

Take a moment to listen. Close your eyes and let it sink in. Our God came down and walked among us... he was condemned as a thief. Crucified in grief. For three days, he slept in the darkness of death... until he arose and paid for our sins in full.



Though the Earth Cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave
He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all