Happy Easter from the Allison clan!  It was an early, rainy Easter morning for us, so jelly beans and chocolate were offered as bribery for smiles.  It worked.  Ya know, per usual.

You know you’re a pastor’s kid when you find yourself eating your gourmet Easter breakfast of Dunkin’ Donuts at church at the crack of dawn.

And as we have come to expect by now, Mary Grace fell ill yesterday afternoon.  It seems as though my otherwise super healthy child somehow manages to get sick on any and every holy holiday.  It’s truly impressive.  She waited until an hour after church to spike a fever and has been quiet ever since.  Yes, quiet.

Oh and the Easter Bunny.  Y’all.  It’s happening.  Yesterday, Carson looked at me square in the eyes and said, “Mama.  Is the Easter Bunny real?  I don’t think he is.  But I need you to tell me the truth right now.”  Uhhh.  In a moment of panic, I looked at Matt (who was completely wrapped up in the Duke game at the time.  but let’s not even go there.) and he told me to go for it.  So, I took a deep breath and laid it all on the table for Carson.  And believe it or not, the child could have cared less that there really is no oversized, slightly-creepy rabbit that breaks into homes across the world to deliver jelly beans.  Go figure.

In other news, I have become a baptism-crier.  One hundred and seventy-four (yes, 174!) people were baptized at our church this weekend.  It’s pretty astounding and ultra exciting to be part of what God is doing here in Raleigh-Durham.  And somehow, over the past few years, I have become 100% unable to hold back the tears as sons and daughters, wives and husbands, religious and former-atheists publicly display their faith in Christ and the amazing grace that has saved them.  I’m pretty sure it comes down to this: the older I get, the more I realize my depravity as a human (i.e. I am a hot mess in need of a Savior).  And when I see others declare that they, too, are hot messes who have been saved by a gracious, loving, just, and merciful God, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  (Plus, watch this.  Now, that’s how a baptism is DONE.  A number of people have been praying for and fasting over Keijuane.  Yesterday, his father- one of our pastors- had the chance to baptize him.  The Gospel on display.  And tell me again how I wasn’t supposed to cry again?!)

Hope you all had a fabulous Easter, guys!

He is risen indeed!