Easter is coming on the 27th. I have been doing a lot of thinking about past Easter's. Growing up in Palm Springs, California the Easter's of my childhood were always hot and sunny. Here in the East, you may still see snow on the ground, melting, or it could actually snow.
I will never forget when my first-born, Amy was a toddler. My mother and I had taken her to this big park with rolling hills of green grass hiding our brightly colored eggs all around making them easily accessible for a small child to find.
Amy was looking for eggs at my mother's and I prompting where there was an egg that was nestled at the top of an empty pole hole. When she bent over to pick up her Easter egg it disappeared from sight. It had fallen straight down that hole! The look on Amy's face was priceless. I burst out laughing going over to see where the egg went. That memory is stuck in my mind.
When my son was born so did my love for all holidays only now I got to see them through my children's eyes. Since I was living in Maine by now most of the egg hunting were inside the house starting out easy to find then getting a little harder as my son got older.
I loved making the Easter baskets. I would find discount baskets, fill them with small toys, some chocolate, sprinkling jelly beans all through the grass. Then I would wrap up the whole basket with colored Suran Wrap, stand back to admire, then placed where my son could find it.
There is nothing like the excited gleam in your child's eyes as each treasure was found. I had also filled plastic eggs with small goodies maybe going a little overboard but I was filling in what I had always wanted to do, had the money at the time, so I took advantage of that curious, fun-loving inner-child of mine.
Four years later I had a daughter. The Little Mermaid was big when she was born and she was named Ariel. I just loved the movie watching it over and over again with my little son who was into all the cartoons and animated movies. Teenage Turtles was one of my favorites. Lion King was made just for me, I just knew it!
Then Easter turned into Easter for two which became a whole new ballgame balancing the 'first-timers' with an older sibling who wanted nothing more than to help his little sister. My son was a loving, bouncy, animated child while my daughter was very somber, mulling over a question, then answering it thoughtfully.
There were times at the park where I remember one-time big brother had to protect little sister from some of the most rambunctious children so she could find her own eggs. There were the egg toss and egg drop games. It was a lot of fun trying to figure out how to drop an egg and not break it from a very long height.
Another memory just flashed through my mind of when I had joined The Salvation Army church services where on Easter Sunday my kids were in a play. Thank goodness I have it all recorded on tape, making plans to convert them all to disks.
Now I have a grandson with another on the way and can watch them enjoy the holidays. Well, one this year anyways. I would never trade my kids successes and accomplishments or ask them to come nearer to me. Both are thriving adults and I thank God for that, but I don't think I will ever shake the sadness that is lodged deep in me for not being able to actually be there all the time.
My heart goes out to all the Grandparents and parents who are feeling the same thing. And you never know about the future do you. Here are some free printables I found with no copyright issues.
https://www.pinterest.com/readyteacher/
Thank you
www.readyteacher.com
What are your plans for Easter?
