Easter and birthday ramblings

So we're just coming off a four day weekend-five for Samantha since she was home sick on Thursday. We got to go to the walk-in clinic and she had an ear infection. I think I could have sent her to school in the afternoon, but it reminded me of old times having her following me around the house talking all the time and having me spell things for her.

I cleaned a lot on Thursday. It was nice not to sub. It was one of only three days in April I didn't sub. I got a lot done. I also got a lot of laundry done.

Friday we took a mini vacation to Grand Forks. We had told the kids we were going to Fargo to stay at a hotel with a waterpark, but we surprised them by going to an even better waterpark at the Canad Inn in Grand Forks. The kids had never been to that part of the state. I actually hadn't been to Grand Forks for over 14 years-pre flood. I was pregnant with Gerrit the last time I went to visit my brother who was a college student. We had a good time. I recommend the waterpark if you enjoy them and if you're up in Grand Forks. We also took a tour of UND-Bruce's Alma Mater. I think Donovan had thought that UND was in Fargo. Aleah didn't know why anyone would want to go to college in Grand Forks when Fargo had a better mall. I hope she takes a few other things into consideration before she enrolls in college.

Saturday we did go to Fargo to do a little shopping. I29 was open all the way but we were still surprised at the amount of water north of Fargo. We had also meant to go to the zoo but forgot they closed at 4:00 and we didn't get there until 4:30. We pulled into Bismarck before nine and stopped at Cold Stone Creamery to pick up Aleah's birthday cake.

It was not only Easter for us on Sunday, it was also Aleah's 12th birthday! It is rare for Easter to fall so late and it won't happen again until 2095 which would make Aleah 96! The last time it happened was 1859 so it is called a once in a lifetime event. Aleah may live to be 96, but we told her this would be the only Easter birthday we would be around to help her celebrate.

We went to church and mom came over after. We had a ham dinner with the ice cream cake for dessert. Aleah is not a ham person so we compromised by going to McDonald's that night. She will have a birthday sleepover on Friday night.

It was hard for me not to remember last Easter and compare it with this year. My parents were here the whole weekend. Dad had his shunt surgery on Good Friday and he looked rather goofy on Easter with half his head shaved. I took him to the barber on Easter Monday. I miss him so much more than I ever imagined I would. It's hard to believe he's been gone almost 10 months. He always knew what day Easter fell on and would have enjoyed celebrating Aleah's Easter birthday.