Over The Rainbow (COMPLETED)

Easter

A/N:

Medyo late but since R&M are boths Catholics, I felt it necessary to add this chapter to show how they teach their kids their Faith.

For those who don't share this belief, please feel free to skip this chapter.

Thank you.

xoxo,
Deng

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Charm stood with her eyes closed, palms clasped together over her chest and head bowed down. Pigtails and fluffy yellow dress on, she tried her best to keep still and stay attentive as much as her 4-year old attention span can. A few more seconds later and, alas, her patience finally ran out.

She opened her eyes just a little to peek to her left, where R stood with his eyes closed and Seb in his arms, and to her right where M read an Easter prayer aloud from a pamphlet in her hand. She could hear her Kuya Thirdy behind her mumble as he repeated what M said while they all gathered in front of the statue of The Risen Christ.

They had just heard mass and were on their way to an Egg-hunting event with their cousins in Bulacan and all the standing around and praying instead of playing with their Kuya Matti and the others has started to wear down the preschooler's understanding.

Charm huffed a huge sigh and slumped her shoulders, obviously bored and uninterested. Her action did not escape her parent's observation as M read the last few sentences of the prayer.

They made the sign of the cross and started to walk out of the church with Charm and Thirdy holding each of M's hand. Once they were all in the van, with the driver and MT up front and the Faulkersons comfortably settled in the back, R lead another short prayer for their safety on the road for their two-hour drive to M's hometown.

After a couple of minutes, they were finally on their way but the usually spirited Charm was quiet and just kept looking from R to M and then back. It was a tell-tale sign that she wanted to ask something but was scared or ashamed to ask.

"Yes, Charm? Do you need anything?" M smiled.

The little girl looked down and wrung her hands together. "No, Mama." She whispered.

"You want to ask us something?" R asked.

Their daughter slowly lifted her eyes and nodded her head.

"What is it, sweetheart? Go ahead." M said.

"It's just... I know we pway to Papa God and Papa Jesus and Mama Mary to say thank you fow all the bwessings and ask fow them to guide us but why do we have to pway soooooo much today? We pwayed when we woke up then we pwayed when we went to church and pwayed after mass and pwayed again after."

"Because today is a very special day, Charm. It's Easter." R answered.

"I know. We will go to Nanay and Tatay's with Popsie and go Easter egg-hunting but still why do we have to pway so much?"

M chuckled and shook her head as she took one of their daughter's hands between her palms.

"Sweetheart, Easter is not about the eggs and bunnies and chocolates and parties. We only do those things because we were used to celebrate by doing them but those are not the real reasons for the celebration. Easter will still be Easter without all those things because it is actually about Jesus and the miracle of His resurrection." M explained.

"We-we-su-we-su-wec... Mama, what's that?" Charm asked, failing to finish the big word which to her had way to many R's.

"Resurrection, sweetie." R said. "Remember the story we told you the other day when we went for a roadtrip and a hike to the Holy mountain?"

"When we stopped at evewy... uhm... Kuwa, what's that called again?"

"Station, Charm. Their called stations, each telling the story of Papa Jesus' way to the cross where he died." Thirdy answered, barely lifting his eyes from the game he's been playing on his iPad.

"Yes. That's right, Honey." M smiled.

"Popsie said Jesus died on the cwoss to save us fwom sin. He's a superhewo wike Iyonman." Charm beamed finally getting where the story was going.

"Wow. Very good, Charm but Jesus is more than our superhero. He is our Savior. He suffered and died so we can all have the gift of repentance and forgiveness. Easter is the day when He rose from the dead and went to heaven." R elaborated.

"That is why before anything else, we need to pray and thank God for this day." M added.

Charm nodded her head and smiled. "That is awesome."

"God is awesome." Thirdy said.

"Mama?" Charm asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can we pway one more time?"

"Sure, sweetheart. We can pray anytime and how many times we want. What are we praying about?"

"I want to thank God for giving me gweat family who loves me and teaches me evewything." Charm said.

"Ofcourse. Ofcourse, we can. With all the goodness and blessings He give us, we can never thank God enough."

And so, the Faulkersons say one more prayer in the van and later join their families in celebrating a great miracle.

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