After a Short Break

I realized that I have missed blogging. My last blog entry was September of last year and I remember having the best intentions. As a matter of fact, I have at least half a dozen posts started but sitting as drafts. I think taking a break made me realize I miss being able to scan back over entries. Since I stay constantly behind on scrapbooking, blogging had become my "mini-scrapbook" for memories.

So without much fanfare, I am back. I think the event that pushed me over the edge was the annual preparation of our lamb cake. We have lamb cake every Easter for obvious reasons. Jesus is called the Lamb of God and was our sacrifice so long ago I purchased a cake pan in the shape of a lamb.

The lamb cake has provided its own set of special memories, including one of my favorite memories. When Christopher was just 2 or 3, I walked into the kitchen after having baked the cake to find him pulling off the poor lamb's ears and nose. It was a classic mommy moment where I knew I could either stop him or take a picture. Of course, I chose the picture.

Over the years, there have been beautiful lamb cakes complete with green coconut grass surrounding it to cakes that have been less than stellar. This year Christopher wanted to make and decorate the cake. We decided to try a strawberry cake mix and off we went mixing it up. He did a marvelous job mixing up the cake. I poured up the batter and put it in the oven. One problem with an annual tradition is that sometimes the memory gets a little rusty. I couldn't remember exactly how long to cook the cake. With the lamb pan, there's not really a way to test it or to even see the cake until it's out of the oven and cooled.

I took my best guess and took it out after about 35 minutes. After letting it cool, I took it out. Oops. His insides weren't quite done. When you stand a lamb cake upright when his insides aren't totally done, cake tends to go everywhere. I was concerned about what Christopher was going to say when he saw his very well-mixed cake in, well, lots of pieces.

True to form and priceless, he asked if the lamb cake was supposed to represent Jesus or us. He said either way, he thought a really messed up cake worked. Now, there's an object lesson. We had just watched The Passion of the Christ so the sacrifice of the Lamb was fresh on our minds. Seeing that really messed up cake did seem quite appropriate for my ability to fall short in so many ways.

Christopher made the most of the cake (enough icing fixes anything) and he taught me an unexpected lesson. I hope you all had a blessed Easter.