easter in oxford!

so easter was absolutely fabulous here! probably one of my favorite days i have spent while i have been here!! friday night we went to st. aldates anglican church and participated in the seder meal which is a typical jewish meal. the next night we went to our favorite restaurant in oxford called smollenskys.. its delicious! but on sunday is when the real fun began.. the day started early for an easter sunrise service. we walked to port meadow and had a bible study/church/devotional that was led by our peer worship team for the week. we had an amazing lesson and it was just gorgeous sitting outside enjoying the amazingly beautiful sunrise and fabulous port meadow. we hung out there for a little after and janine made hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. it was an amazing morning but thankfully it was only the beginning.

my table at the seder meal

kate and i in front of the best tree in oxford on a gorgeous saturday afternoon

elise and kate at dinner saturday night

meiko and i at smollensky's!

the sunrise devo in port meadow!

after the sunrise devo we came back to the houses and the girls had an easter basket exchange, sort of like secret santa, and it was so much fun! i had brianna allen and mimi barnard had me. i got a mug, a huge cadburry chocolate egg, some tea, and more chocolates! it was so much fun..

exchanging gifts!

after that we had a cookout in the backyard! it felt like we were back home but it was such a beautiful day and it was fun being surrounded by my oxford family! we had hotdogs, hamburgers, crisps, fruit, ice cream and cake!

colin, me, elise, sarah, doug, and wayne in the back, at the cookout!

eating lunch in the backyard! (the people next to me and meiko are janines friends who came for the weekend) and janine is at the head of the table

another table of girls!

easter bunny kate with trevor and courtney

me, sarah, and laura

after the lunch cookout elise and meiko and i headed to university park to read and hangout outside.. we didn't get much reading done but we had a blast just hanging out and goofing off. everyone else came to the park a little bit later and we played outside for the afternoon. we played a game of football then ultimate frisbee, and some rugby. after we were exhausted some of the kids had set up easter eggs all over the park and we had a little easter egg hunt! it was so much fun and it was just a gorgeous day outside! after this, we were all dead tired so we came back showered up and then everyone watched a movie!

one of the only good pictures we got trying to balance the camera on a timer in the grass

playing football!

one intense game of football

elise and kate before the easter egg hunt

ready, set, go! the beginning of the hunt!

it was amazing being outside and enjoying all of God's creation all day and just loving life in oxford... i hope everyone else's easters were just as fantastic!