EASTER IN ARKANSAS

We loaded up our whole crew (two adults and seven kiddos) in our 15-passenger van and headed to Searcy, AR to see Harding's Spring Sing and celebrate Easter with Michael's parents.

To be honest, I was a wee bit stressed about the trip, thinking it would be SO MUCH work for me, and that I would have to start a new week at home 110% exhausted afterwards. What I wasn't counting on is how helpful our girls were throughout the trip (especially during the six hour drive there and back), and how thankful they were to be there and get to experience everything.

We split Bennett and Jasper up on different benches, which turned out to be a genius idea, because the girls ended up keeping them entertained and distracted, and since they weren't sitting next to each other, they couldn't bug each other at all :). Hats off to Kat and Jennifer especially, because they each spent six hours both ways reading books, handing out snacks, taking silly pictures on the iPad, singing songs, playing puppets, and watching movies with the boys. This Mama hardly had to lift a finger! Seriously. I read the entire last two Hunger Games books in those two trips. I can't remember the last time I got to read so much in one sitting!

While we were in Searcy, we toured the Harding campus, did a little shopping at the Harding Store, showed the girls around town and told them all of our goofy dating stories, played at a local park, went to a $1 jewelry store, attended Spring Sing for the Saturday matinee (which was FABULOUS this year!), visited with Nanna and Papa, ate at a yummy Chinese buffet, took the girls to see the $2 showing of The Vow, had a big breakfast and an Easter egg hunt on Sunday morning before church, and then ended our trip by attending the church Michael went to when he was growing up and where we went together while dating at Harding.

It was such a good trip and we made lots of fun memories together. Next time I'll know better than to worry so much, and I'll be better prepared to have a fantastic time :).

Here's our Easter Sunday picture. I have pics of the kids in the van and some random stuff from the trip, too, that I'll hopefully get around to posting once they are uploaded to our computer.