Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

When I was growing up in southern Indiana, Easter, like every other holiday, was the perfect excuse for getting the family together.  After church, my brother and his family, my sister and her family would all congregate at our house for dinner and family time.  Mom would have prepared a feast (I always said that she made enough food to feed the fifth army).  There would be baked ham (she would bake it in a brown paper bag with pineapple and brown sugar), green beans, mashed potatoes, corn and her famous wilted lettuce salad.  Add to that piping hot rolls – the kind that would melt butter at their very touch – and for dessert there would be cakes, pies and red Jello.  There was always red Jello – that was mom’s favorite kind to make.

The kids would have an Easter egg hunt – outside if the weather was nice and indoor – heaven forbid – if the weather was cold or rainy.  I said heaven forbid because we are talking about 9 little angels (including me) searching here and there for hard boiled eggs that were all the colors of the rainbow.  Not only were there eggs hidden around the yard (or house), but the bunny would leave eggs in everyone’s Easter baskets as well as a large bowl or basket of those hard boiled beauties adorning the coffee table.  Our family single-handedly kept chicken farmers in business for months. (Needless to say, we ate a lot of eggs in salads and for snacks for the next few weeks.)  After the festivities, all the kids would sit together with their baskets and eat as much chocolate as they could before their parents put a stop to our gluttony.

Of course, everyone was in their Sunday best, complete with hats and gloves for the girls and - say it isn’t so – ties and jackets for the boys.  I remember feeling so pretty, so much like a princess in my Easter dress.  (To this day, I am more comfortable in skirts and dresses than jeans and slacks.  I still like feeling like a princess.)

It seems like when I was growing up, it was a lot easier to get together for special occasions, like holidays and birthdays.  We all lived pretty close together, I think my sister lived the farthest away at 17 miles.  It was nothing to be watching TV or reading and have the door open and family walk in.  I’m lucky in that way.  Today, families and friends are spread all over the country – or the world.  Physically getting together for dinner or just an evening of coffee and Scrabble is unheard of.  I live in Ohio with my husband and son – my daughters and grand-daughter live in Texas.  My brother and sister live in Indiana.  My sister from another mister lives in Oregon and my brothers from another mother live in Indiana and New Orleans.  

I regret that my kids will never know what it is like to be

surrounded by family.  To experience aunts, uncles and cousins that know our home has an open door policy.  To have the memories that I do – spending time with those annoying family members that you would give anything to have back again, because you know that this time you would cherish those minutes and hours.  To hear the stories of their childhood and laugh and cry and know you are part of something very, very special.

So my wish to you is that you and your family have a joyous and special Easter.  If you can be around family, cherish it.  If you can’t, reach out and connect – whether it be by phone, or email, or social media.  Make your own memories and pass those down to the young ones in your life.

As Always,

     Happy Hunting!!