Traditional observation or celebration of holidays varies tremendously from family to family.  I don’t think anyone knows they are starting a tradition it just happens or evolves.

There are three that our family always comes to our house and about the only real questions are; what time and do I bring the usual?  Easter is one of those; the other two are Thanksgiving and Christmas. We enjoy and observe the other holidays, but the way we celebrate them varies from year to year and on most years because of our varied interest we aren’t all together.

I can’t remember the last time we were not at our house on Easter eating baked ham and the normal trimmings followed by a session of egg coloring and hunting.  I think it was a goal of my girls and then of the grandkids to get big enough to help hide the eggs instead of hunting them.

Today we observed the first one of those since we lost Sharyl and Conner.  There really was no discussion of if we would or what the menu would consist of. The girls and I teamed up and fixed baked ham and the normal trimmings.  The food was very good, even the stuff I fixed.  No one said anything but we were all very aware two chairs were missing.  There were probably a few more hugs and at times the napkin would be used to wipe a tear instead of the mouth.

After lunch we moved to the patio and backyard for a round of egg coloring and other activities.  We didn’t have an egg hunt; I think Luke is now big enough to hide them, but if he hid them we don’t have anyone to hunt them.  Maybe some great grandkids in a few years and we can resume the egg hunts.

Throughout the day we managed to smile a lot and laugh a little, as I said earlier we probably hugged more, and that was because we needed to instead of just to be nice.  I think we all slipped away from time to time for a private moment and to regain some composure; I know I did.  The important thing; the tradition continues.

After my guests had gone home I went to spend a little time with Sharyl and Conner. Conner I hope you were OK with Buddy Holly singing in the background while I was there.  I know that is not your kind of music but your Maw Maw and I enjoyed that beginning many years ago when two chairs would seat the entire family.

They say the first one is the toughest and that it will get easier.  I have no who is included in “they” but I hope to god they are right. Today has been very difficult.

Please keep me in your prayers.

Good Night and God Bless.

Dave

I almost forgot. A pic of most of the group.