Easter, Eggs, + Teenage Eli - Shannon Von Eschen Photography

† Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! -Luke 24:5-6 †

† HALLELUJAH! He is Risen Indeed! †

Thirteen. A decade plus three years you and I have dedicated an afternoon (or two) to spending time in our field taking photos, hunting Easter eggs, and laughing together. What started off and just a way to get some cute photos of your first Easter, turned into thirteen years of being together every Spring. And though this was the first year we didn’t actually “hide” any eggs, well, because you and I both had work we needed to get back to, we still had the best time frolicking in the green grass while it lasted. And I tried not to let how quickly we were able to get our usual photos pass by too hastily without pause. Time is fleeting, especially when I see you through my lens each year…

Knowing it was going to snow much of this weekend, we were lucky enough to sneak out the night before during the prettiest of light and weather. It wasn’t windy, and the grass seemed to glisten brand new for us. You were in the funniest mood, asking me to tell you a joke, or to guess the name of funny characters in a book (one of dozens!) you’re reading. Whenever I’d get it wrong, you’d give me the most genuine, true Eli, open-mouthed smile. Time stood still.

On Friday night, you and I read the Good Friday story in all four of the gospels. I was so proud of how vast your knowledge is of this story, even though it’s been our tradition your whole life to recount it. And though it is a story that evokes tremendous sorrow and sadness, it’s full of so much hope and life. We know how the story ends. And so we read it together with conviction and purpose, and we liken it to our own lives. There is no escaping this life unscathed. Unburdened. Un-pained. And yet, even in our sorrow and loss, we hold onto hope. Hope that God is up to something good on our behalf. Hope that this life is only the beginning: a temporary place holder in time to grow, learn, and experience all that life has to offer before we get to our final destination. To the final place where life is eternal and we are once again reunited with everyone who’s gone before us. They’re all waiting as patiently as we are and our reunion is going to consist of epic joy. Until then, we’ll keep up our hope. And our eyes peeled for all the vast signs of promise He keeps sending us!

He is RISEN! And because he lives, so too shall we. Forever.

I commented more than once on how absolutely tall you are getting. How giant your hands (and feet!) are! Your future height wholly yet unknown, but wildly amusing to me after all you’ve been through. And you are utterly handsome too. Inside and out. We posed you by one of our Spruce trees again. Aghast I was at how tall it too has become in just one more year. Though you are growing just as quickly these days, long gone is the chance at ever reaching the top now!