The Bunny Doesn’t Come

This is the first year ever, in my entire marriage…that there will only be one child here…and it has me…just…kind of sad.

I remember the days of finding outfits for my kids to coordinate. I remember wondering what our Midwest weather would bring us. I remember Easter always smelling of..ham…and Cadbury eggs. I remember the yelling of whoever got the prized egg with $5 in it…and how they proclaimed to be king or queen for the day:

I remember how our children would adore ham and cheesy potatoes…how the eldest two would perfect deviled eggs with their dad…how we had to take Easter candy away.

How hard it was to get the perfect Easter picture. How exhausting it was to keep everyone clean on the way to church and the way home…and how everyone breathed a sigh of relief after pictures were taken.

I remember how snow fell last year and we had to have our egg hunt inside…how extra kids were here for the day…how the house was so loud…but it was so good!

I remember how my parents would complain about how rich my food was…and how I always got my dad a chocolate something or other.

I remember Easter egg dying…but this year my youngest isn’t interested because she doesn’t want to do it alone for the first time in her life…she doesn’t want to go on our yearly Easter egg hunt at home…because she will be by herself…and I can’t help but agree with her.

I don’t know why it went so fast…and even though I saw it coming…I really didn’t grasp it.

Sunday morning at church won’t be the same…because there will only be one girl standing with us…and even though there isn’t a thing I can do about it…I feel kind of …well I feel I got jipped.

Just when I remembered who liked peeps and who didn’t…it was all over. Just when I had figured out how to tell them they didn’t “match” just “coordinated”. Just when I found the perfect places to hide the eggs…the perfect way to dye the eggs…just when I remembered the vinegar. Just when I figured out Easter outfits that fit the Midwest spring…it’s over.

The Easter we knew…if officially over…and now I have to come up with new traditions for my youngest…to make her last seven Easter’s with us “old folks” fun, instead of lonely…and I’m up to the task…but right now…I won’t lie…this Easter hurts.

Your kids usually come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas…usually you see them around the 4th….but Easter…Easter is hurting very bad right now…and I’m about to lose it.

So, Dear Momma of four littles, your self worth is not in how great your kids look on Easter Sunday…or how great your pictures look…it doesn’t even matter if they coordinate or not. It doesn’t matter how eco friendly their Easter baskets are…or how many Easter eggs hunts you went on…it just matters…that no matter how old they get…that on Easter…they at least WANT to come home….

For all of you Mommas that are in the same boat with me…after I chase after my daughter for her last big girl Easter egg hunt…I’m taking the pictures with me in them…I’m soaking up the egg decorating…and I just might get a nap this year.

Enjoy your holiday friends’