Some Easter Memories

When I think back on Easter as a little girl, the first thing that comes to mind is not an Easter Basket full of chocolate rabbits or marshmallow peeps…of course that is a memory, but first thing I think of is our new Easter outfits. Always a new dress, usually new shoes with white lace trimmed socks and sometimes little white gloves. Once in a while there was a cute little hat with matching purse too. I remember these cute little parasol purses we had one year but can not find a photo of them. One year, when we were getting ready for church, we found out that Cyndi had been given two right shoes! That was back in the days when stores were closed on Sundays so we could go return then for the left one. I still remember how bad I felt for her not getting to wear new shoes for Easter. I bet she does not even remember it. Mom and Dad would always make sure and go over with us that Easter was not about who had the best new dress for Easter service at church and getting those new clothes was not to flaunt our new stuff, but to show thanks to God by showing up in our best for Him in thanks for what Jesus did for us. I’m not sure how much of that really sunk in as a kid, but hey, I still remember what they told us, so it stuck, even if I really didn’t understand it all way back then.

Mom usually made us the new dresses, all matching of course.

Most of the time we had matching outfits for whatever occasion came along…Christmas, Easter, Christmas Eve pjs, first day of school, beach trips…she loved to match us up. Sometimes she would give it a twist with the same pattern, for example, all gingham check but a different color. One year as you can see, my cousins and us girls ALL matched!!!

As my own family began, I took on the trait of making sure my kids had matching outfits. What is it about seeing your little ones all blending as one? Well, for me it was a little bigger challenge, Mom had three girls, but I had to try to come up with colors that the boys would wear too but pretty enough to make my little girl look really cute. A few of them were a little iffy, but so far, they seem to have forgiven me.

This little collage of memories has one photo that always makes me….well, I am not sure what it makes me feel…here is my little family shot…WHY did I just have to have it I have no idea. It shows a totally ticked off father, a screaming baby girl, and two tired, over Easter candied little boys flipping out. And there I sit in the middle of it with a tiny smile…I think I must have thought they would magically look just fine when I got it developed. Even photoshop could not have fixed this photo if we had had photoshop back then.