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Like millions of other Christians around the world, Kris Axtell received a cross of ashes on her forehead this week on Ash Wednesday. In her case, it was in Johnson City from Pastor Sid Spiller of First United Methodist Church. The ashes, which give Ash Wednesday its name, are from the burned palm fronds used on previous years’ Palm Sundays. Spiller uses ashes from his first Palm Sunday, more than 30 years ago ("One batch of palm fronds makes a lot of ashes," he explained.). The tradition begins the 40 days of Lent with a reminder of the Christian’s mortality — as in "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" — but also carries the Easter promise of Resurrection and eternal life at the end of Lent. The Easter bundle in her arms is Daniel, experiencing Lent for the first time. Of course, at one month of age, almost everything is a first for Daniel.