We packed the eggs and gifts for the day. We all dressed. No fancy Easter dresses here. We did good to find clothes that were not dark. I asked everyone wear something with spring colors. I shuddered as I put on my blue jeans. No girls dressed in new dresses for church this year.
We gathered on the bed and read about the last few days of Jesus' life. We ready about His resurrection and return. Jesus came back to talk with and encourage the disciples. I like that he especially asked for Peter, the one who denied Him 3 times. I find comfort in God's forgiving Peter. Our church this year was in the bedroom. God's Word is worth reading. I could not have Easter without hearing His Word.
Two taxi's and off to the egg hunt. When we arrived the children were cleaning the area outside. They stood on the porch and turned their backs while we hid the eggs. We had a few from the older group come help hide the eggs. It was done in no time at all. We gave the kids the boundaries. And they were off. They had a blast. I told my 4 to make sure they all found at least one. They would come up to us to ask where they were hidden or some every time they found an egg brought it to us to show it off. They were told, by workers, not to eat the eggs and to save them for lunch. We all walked around looking for lost eggs. We enjoyed being around their excitement and smiling faces. They emptied the plastic eggs and ate the candy. The 6 cleaning went back to their cleaning the grounds and the others went back inside.
We walked over to the next playground and hid eggs behind it. Now little Anna was getting into it. She hid the same egg five or six times while waiting on the kids to arrive. Troy, of course, climbed a tall tree to hide and egg up high. The group arrived. We gave them the boundaries. They were older and the eggs were hid better. It took them awhile to find all the eggs. I don't know if Troy told them where the egg was or if one of them spotted it. I did see a boy climb the tree to get the egg. We counted them. At least 10 missing. They hunted the missing eggs. I told them that was about all of them. I slipped Rachel and egg and she took the only boy not to find one yet to look for it. What joy he had when he found it. We thought they were hid to well, at first. I realized they were finding them and hiding them in their pockets. They all wanted to find more. It was fun to watch them.
We stayed at the playground for awhile. We love to be there and hang out with the kids. We saw most of the children we know. Some of the kids were vising with family. The older girls were playing a game with a soccer ball. The boys were on the stadium, playing soccer. Andrew, Troy and many others were on the court playing with balls. The younger girls played a kind of "your it" game. They were all having fun enjoying the sun.
We went to eat lunch. There is a restaurant by the park. We played outside waiting for the food to be ready. Anna spotted that the rides were running in the park. I told her several times, "after lunch". Four of us walked back to the internot to meet the group. The rest stayed in the park playing.
The worker went to get the younger children. They had been sleeping. We walked to the park. They played on the playground for awhile. Then the rode a mini roller coaster, swings, and bumper cars. Troy was aking for more. We decided to give them their gifts. Little Anna was upset she did not have anything. I explained none of my children had received a gift. She pouted a few minutes. The boys received plastic airplanes and flew them awhile. We went and ordered pizza and had them set up the tables. All the kids came, washed hands and sat at the tables. Everyone was smiling. Nat cut up And's pizza, just as Haley had the year before for Anna. I loved to see that. We had to order ice cream because we had done it for the older group. On the way back through the park we bought cotton candy. We had another great day in the park in Ukraine.
Haley had asked permission to go to her friend's house for the day. We saw her only for a few minutes in the morning. We did not see her that night.
Anna had been asking for her present, several times. Troy had disappeared to play with friends as soon as we returned. We took Anna to get her "Easter basket". All 7 of them had goody bags. Because 2 are leaving soon we let the 5 have theirs last night. Rachel's favorite is Hershey's peanut butter eggs. Yes, I surprised her by bringing them here. I had hidden them in my suitcase. Just a little something to dull the pain of missing our family Easter at home. My mom's sisters, my cousins, their kids and others were all together for the annual Easter egg hunt. My kids were missing their cousins.
Decisions: Andrew and Amy will return home with Ricky. Plane reservations are for Wednesday. They will probably take the train tomorrow. Ricky must get to Kiev before one to do paperwork before he leaves.
