HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!

   Before I begin I would like to wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter season! I hope you had a nice day yesterday with family and friends and ate lots of good food and lots of chocolate! This past week and the week before we spent painting our living room and redecorating for Easter. It was quite the process so we decided to reward ourselves with a few days off this week so we can gear up for the craziness that will be TARZAN!
  While on the topic of Easter though I'd like to touch on the Octave of Easter. It began yesterday and will continue for the next 7 days. It is the 8 day long celebration of the resurrection of Jesus beginning on Easter and ending the following Sunday. The idea of an octave comes from the Old Testament. Many Jewish holidays are celebrated in octaves. In different parts of the world people have parades and parties and huge events this week to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and to celebrate the most important virtue that comes from Jesus' rising from the dead... Hope! Continuing through this Easter season and meditating on and thinking about the sacrifice that was made for us and the miracle that happened on the third day we are reminded that Life will always conquer death and we must always have hope. No matter what we encounter in this life whether its physical pain, frustration that we aren't where we want to be in life, emotional pain, etc. it is important to remember that one day we will be resurrected. This is not the end. One day we'll be happier than we can ever be here on earth. We have something to look forward to! 

   Hope is such a comforting feeling. When everything is going wrong and you feel like you can't win there is always hope! Never give up on anything! Reminding yourself of the miracle of Easter is a great way to give yourself the boost you need when you feel hopeless.