Saturday, April 19, 2014

Holidays away

I LOVE holidays. They are just so fun. So much energy. So many smiles. So much tasty food. And PLENTY of excuses for family time.

This weekend is Easter. Right now my mother, father, brother, sisters, and all the grandkiddos are running around having the Easter egg hunt to beat all egg hunts. Last year my mom had 500 eggs! 500! They are eating a marvelous breakfast together and opening their baskets. I know my mom is eating Peeps, my sister and brother Reese's eggs, my dad whatever chocolate might be found. I can see how excited all the 4 grandkids there are with their baskets and as they race to grab as many eggs as they can. Who will get the most eggs this year? It is always an epic battle between my brother, my sister, and her rugby-playing husband. Last night they celebrated the Passover as my mother taught them the symbolism between Christ and the sacrificial lamb. Tonight they'll have their big Easter feast, starting with the pear bunny salad appetizer that my mom has made my entire life. Tomorrow is devoted to worship of our Savior and rejoicing in his resurrection.

And I am not there.

And it is hard.

If it were up to me, all my family would live on the same street, just like in Elder Perry's talk from conference (it made me cry. I missed my family so much!). I'd bake cookies every day for all grandkids. My older sister would teach us all about gardening to keep our yards looking beautiful. My little sister would be in charge of all things cute, like decorating and scrapbooking. Gramma's house would have the awesome toys, the tramp, the swing set, the pond. My big brother has the video and computer games, my little brother the amazing fantasy library collection. It would be perfect. We'd get together for Sunday dinners and holidays. We'd all be around for birthdays, blessings, and baptisms. I know all these fun little details about the nieces and nephews. We'd all be in each other's business and have little squabbles and it would be awesome : )

As I was moping this morning, my husband lovingly reminded me that what we get to celebrate out here is pretty awesome too. It is our first Easter celebrating as OUR little family. We have a son that is old enough now to understand what is going on get excited. He asks me to tell him about Jesus and the cross and the tomb multiple times every day. He is so excited that the Easter bunny is coming and he gets to have treats in his basket and find eggs. He is old enough to dye eggs and help me make birds nest cookies. We have a little girl who can crawl around and shake eggs and clap her hands and try to climb over her brother to get his candy. We have a big yard to hide eggs in. We have a YARD!

And because we don't have family to celebrate with, that means we get to invite friends over to be our honorary family for the festivities. Friends that maybe are missing their family too. If family were in town, we'd be tempted to forget to reach out, but instead, now we get to make memories a different, but still good, way.

And everything is still going to be awesome.

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