Cherry Blossoms

Although I didn't know this before I moved here, D.C. is famous for it's "Cherry Blossom Festival."

This year, we found out why. We decided to go to D.C. early Easter morning, when the blossoms would be at their peak. They only blossom for two weeks, so we hoped to catch them at their best.

I figured everyone would be at church in the morning (we didn't have services until the afternoon), and we could enjoy a peaceful walk, admiring God's magnificent creations.

Approximately 2 million people had the same idea.

I realize that most people don't go to church every Sunday, but I thought Easter was the one time you could count on a full house.

Apparently Not.

But despite having to push our way through crowds, and fight for parking spaces, we had a lovely walk around the tidal basin and were in awe of the beauty of the blossoms.

We thought of our family members in Japan, as the cherry trees were a gift to D.C. from Japan in the early 20th century.

The girls played under the blossoms and Audrey made a vase out of a hollow log she found on the grounds.

The trees soon shed their skin, in a flurry of falling blossoms.

Now they don lovely, though somewhat ordinary, green apparel.

But for two weeks every year, Heavenly Father daubs the trees with cotton candy pink!