Well, it’s almost Easter.  This will be my first Easter away from home and without my family. Most of our family traditions I can’t do by myself, and I don’t really have any money to anything else fun.  I can still keep my favorite Eater tradition though.  Every Easter, my dad would get us up just before sunrise, and then we would all go outside, perfectly quiet, and wait. In a large family, there are very few silent moments when we are all together, but this was one every year that I loved. We would just sit and wait. Most of us were half asleep, and we would be wrapped up in blankets and sleeping bags out on the grass. Then the sky would lighten and start to change colors. Then my dad would start to tell us about the Easter story. About Christ’s death, and resurrection. About the Atonement. About grace. It’s a great experience every year. This year I won’t be with my family for that, but I still plan to do that on my own. Just before sunrise, I will wrench myself out of bed, go outside in the snow and read my scriptures. It won’t quite be the same, but I’ll make it work. I’ll have Easter this year without our big family meal or Easter candy. It won’t be the same, but that’s not the important part of Easter anyways. Maybe I’ll splurge and actually have three meals that day. J