Every year I pull off Easter like a pro. I hide their baskets and all the fillings like a pirate hiding their booty. I sneak into the living room in the wee hours and lay out baskets, goodies and a new Easter outfit for church. I'm awesome. Maybe I'm more excited than the offspring. Who knows. They sleepily drag themselves in to see their baskets, they play, they compare what each as gotten. Then, of course, they model their outfits and we head out for church for some worship and a great big egg hunt. It's great fun.
Typically I get the kids up to the mall for pictures with the Easter Bunny.
This year was no different. I have had their baskets picked out and hidden away since they were first put out in stores which was December 26th. I kiiiiiiiid! It was February 15th. Serious. But hey, if you don't grab 'em early all the good ones get snatched up. And I can't have that. I picked great big huge buckets this year so we can take them to the beach this summer. So they have aren't just for Easter, I'm thrifty like that, folks.
Anyway, onto the intervention.
I'm sitting in the living room minding my own business when all three kids stroll in and plop down in front of me. I'm in the middle of a wicked game of the Bubble Witch Saga, but they were demanding my attention. So I grudgingly put down my computer and screamed "WHAT???? WHAT NOW???? FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT'S HOLY WHAT?"
Okay, that didn't happen; they came in and plopped down in front of me and typically if they are all together and they aren't screaming bloody murder at each other then something is broken or possibly a cat's dead. So I was a tad bit nervous, "What's up, chicken butts?"
Jon: You don't have to hide the Easter stuff.
Me: Huh?
Hannah: *huge sigh* The Easter stuff, Mom.
Me: Huh?
Jon: You don't have to hide any of the stuff you put in our baskets.
Me: Huh? (can you see a pattern here?)
KK: Mom, we know there isn't an Easter bunny, it's okay.
Me: Whuuuuuhhh? (yea, I'm just speechless)
Jon: Mom, we know that you are the one that fills our baskets.
Me: But, but, yea, but....
Hannah: We know the real reason for Easter, mama.
Me: Oh.
KK: On Good Friday Jesus was crucified on the cross, he died for our sins.
Jon: On Easter Sunday he arose from the dead.
Hannah: Just like he said he would, just like it was promised.
Me: *blank stare, mouth agape*
Jon: The Easter bunny is just for fun. But you can still fill our Easter baskets.
KK: Yea!
Jon: You just don't have to try so hard to keep the stuff hidden from us.
Hannah: *leaning in to kiss my cheek* Love you mama!
And with that they ran out of the room to go play (or to go torture each other, which is actually more accurate).
I was shocked, and proud, at the same time.
