A new kind of Easter

As our kids are now adults reflections on how differently holidays feel and how many blessings there are to appreciate.

When my kids were little they would wake up to an Easter egg hunt in the backyard (or inside the house if our Idaho weather called for it).

After the plastic eggs were gathered there would be a finale basket then exchanges of hugs and thank you’s. As they got older and could read we transitioned to written clues on colorful 3×5 cards guiding them around the house and yard leading them to little eggs at each clue spot and an Easter finale.
When our oldest could drive, they received posted clues around town (risky that the clues would still be there, but I picked obscure places and it worked).
Then we adapted the scavenger hunt to a
text and respond with pic form of clues.
It was all a lot of work.
And I loved every minute of it.
All of it.

On today’s Easter my “kids” are 7 days shy of 21 and 65 days shy of 18. There are no plastic eggs in my yard. No clues for any hunt.

A (I hope) beautiful basket of high quality chocolate and yummies was sent via Amazon to V at college where she is staying through Easter holiday due to school work commitments. Another basket also delivered via Amazon was sent here for Georgia.

It all feels strange
but good.

My hubby and I were doing some errands yesterday, reflecting that there were so many various things we worried about with the kids from birth to now
that never happened.
Fears and potential risks related to school, education, teachers, friends, self-confidence, sex, drugs, illness, driving, safety, street smarts, courage, work ethic, values, morals, kindness, honesty, integrity.
We made it to here alive and more than in tact
with feelings of relief, joy and blessings. It isn’t over. Life is risky. But when reflecting on all the things we concerned ourselves about in raising two kids, we made it past so many risks so far. It feels good to let the 0-18 yr risks go and now be present, as back up, for the new types of risks and uncertainties adult children face.

We are at that unique part of parenting where the kids are very much their own people, which in many ways, they’ve always been (so glad I didn’t miss that part.)
So many blessings.

These two may get more scavenger hunts in their future. I like the adult version and creating the clues, path, sites and everything. But it doesn’t have to be for Easter and it doesn’t have to end with a fancy basket. It can just be for fun, smiles and enjoying an activity planned with so much love for both of them and the amazing beings they are.

Happy Easter and cheers to the parents who went the extra mile with all those eggs today.