I have always enjoyed Easter. It is a holiday that is simplistic in nature and yet has some surprises too! It is time to get together with family and share stories. It is a time I know that warmer weather is around the corner. Except for this year. It looks more like Christmas than Easter around here. And it is a time when my meadowlarks will be arriving soon.

As I child I have fond memories of Easter. My mom and I would go out to buy a new Easter outfit. Waking up Easter morning and seeing a stream of jelly beans leading from our bedroom door, down the steps, and ending at our Easter baskets. There was even a carrot at the front door from a frightened Easter bunny.

I always loved hiding the eggs for my brothers to find. One time I was hiding the Easter eggs (real not the plastic ones) and I didn’t keep track of where I hid them. My brothers scoured the house inside and out and came up short one egg. After about an hour of looking, we decided that I must have miscounted and ended our game. A couple of weeks later we found the “missing egg” by smell under the china cabinet. Ewww! Since then, I have only done the plastic eggs when I hide them for my nieces and nephews.

Since my brothers and I are adults now, the Easter egg hunt has changed to a mini liquor bottle hunt. I did this a couple of years ago and it was a big hit. I hid the bottles outside in trees, downspouts, tailpipes, windshields, everywhere. After I said, “Go!” my brothers, their wives, Micky, and even my parents scattered to find as many of the bottles as they could. Once they were all found (I kept track this time), we went inside and my dad was sitting in the porch by the bar not even breaking a sweat. We asked him if he even went looking for any bottles. He said, “Sure I did! I found my bottle of Crown and that’s all I needed.”

Easter is going to be different for thousands of families in our country this year. I pray that they each have comfort knowing that the risen Christ conquering the cross will give them hope that they will see their loved ones again.

Easter is different this year for all of us. Empty churches, extended families apart, healthcare workers not being home with their families, and services online or on television are what we will have as memories of Easter 2020. We have to try to make different memories this year and focus on the joy of this holiday. And once we are able to leave our homes and are able to be with our families, friends, and neighbors, just like Jesus leaving the tomb, it is going to be one sweet, joyous day! Happy Easter to all my friends and family!!