The light is lovely even as the flowers fade and petals fall.

Yes, it was a happy Easter, I told my friend. But I’m not gonna lie — it wasn’t Facebook perfect…

The truth is, I used to think I spent too much time with my kids when there were 4 at home most of the day every day, but it is increasingly rare to be together.Now I eagerly anticipate family time, and visions of sugary togetherness dance in my head.

On Saturday afternoon, there was the family photo to be taken. My husband and I ruined last year’s by looking languid and lemonish after a seven-day hospital battle to save his gut.

The boys had finally agreed to wear navy and white, and the girls looked fresh in Free People shirts that weren’t too matchy.

On the 30-minute drive out to the beach, one of the boys was bugging the other and my sarcastic tone singed the mood…“Really? We still have this?”

The girls did yoga poses and cartwheels; their synchronicity wowed us and made us giggle.

Oh, and that crazy-gorgeous sunset after the photo shoot — I ran around imploring everyone to be awed: “Would you look at this? That color! Oh my gosh, this is amazing!”

My husband was awed indeed, but he had to wait wait wait for the precise time to take a one minute exposure — but we were also hungry — and getting “hangry” — as my friend calls it, so four of us left for dinner. (And yes, the photo was worth it in the end, though I can’t share it with you yet, because it is still in artistic production:-).

On the ride back, there was my mild anxiety coupled with some mumbled grumbling about restaurant choices — two don’t like seafood, so those places are out; others think the food is only so-so at such-and-such restaurant. All I want is to make everyone happy.

Resentment began to creep in —it always does for us people-pleasers. I mean, we’re paying —where’s the gratitude?

My unfiltered phone photos give you a glimpse of the fun.

The artist abandoned on the beach by a hungry family:-)

Finally, the six of us settled in a comfortable booth, feasting and talking and laughing, anxiety, resentment, and grumbling left behind. Oh, and the kids so kindly and sincerely thanked us.

Sunday, well…someone had forgotten to make reservations for brunch, and I had managed (I think) not to lay a heavy guilt trip on this unnamed person whom I love and have been married to for 32 years:-)! (Honestly, it could have been me if I had been in charge). Thankfully, one restaurant told us we should be seated quickly if we arrived by 10:30. But getting everyone together after church took a little longer, so when we wandered in around 10:45, the wait was over an hour.

Two needed to head back to school and work soon, two didn’t really like the food choices here, so we called plan C restaurant. The hostess assured us we’d be seated in 30 minutes if we came now.

But we weren’t. For over an hour, we stood huddled in our small allotment of floor space, swaying to avoid the busy wait staff passing with overloaded trays. (Have I mentioned how terrible I am at waiting — especially when I’m “hangry”?)

It was surprisingly — not miserable. We ran into friends. The kids let me take two pictures. Two got into an orthopedic hashtag war, which their sister said to stop because they were being annoying. My hip hurt standing for so long…and somehow I managed to pretend I had invisible duct tape on my mouth and I only complained once or twice (I think — they’d probably tell me more:-).

Finally we joined around the table, feasting on stories and biscuit beignets, lingering over last bites before we parted again.

Yes, it was a happy Easter, broken parts and all. I would have posted a pic on Facebook, but I’m still waiting for my husband’s finished product — and besides — it would never tell the whole story!

One more unedited phone photo of Easter shalom!

Stay tuned for a how-to write your own story of beauty in a fallen world on Monday. Meanwhile, please comment!