It’s hard remembering what day of the week it is. For Easter, I was prepared. I knew it was coming and knew I needed to order and get everything I needed in the middle of March. I couldn’t wait to do an Easter column for the Webb. The one and only holiday I hadn’t gotten to write about yet. I knew what I was going to write about and looked forward to it! Then, last week I realized Easter was coming this Sunday, which meant my Easter column should have been written the first week of April! Not the second week. (Head smack.) We are always a week ahead when we write. I was so mad I did that. I felt so prepared and think that’s why I never thought about what the actual date of Easter was, I just knew it was coming and came way faster than I thought. I was so adamant about getting an Easter ham before they were picked over, and the day my husband found one at the store was such a happy day for me. Knowing at least I can make an Easter meal for my family was so important to me.

We can’t go to church. This is a tough one.

Finding our Easter baskets in the morning when I was younger was tradition.

Then I’d put on a brand-new beautiful Easter dress and as a family we would go to the very special Easter service at church to celebrate that Christ has risen! We would then sing “He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way! He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart. You ask me how I know he lives? He lives, within, MY HEART.” This is Easter. Celebrating that Jesus is Alive! What a celebration that is.

We then would go celebrate with my Liddick family the rest of the day. We always have a ham dinner and our annual Easter Egg hunt that we do now for our kids. We have fun making them wait like our uncles and my dad did for us. We would be at the door holding our grocery bags full of anticipation while all the men hid the candy in Pap and Gram’s yard. Thirty-five years of this tradition, and this is the first year it won’t happen. I got online and ordered candy for an egg hunt. It may not be the same, but having that Easter dinner and egg hunt for my kids is just so special to me. I’m really trying to make life feel as normal as possible for them.

Easter still isn’t here yet, but by the time you are reading this it will be over.

Saturday night I’ll be prepping our ham, making filling, baked corn, and stuffing my kids Easter baskets for the Easter Bunny to arrive. I planned an egg hunt and a scavenger hunt, too. Of course, there will be pie. Mylanta, my Aunt Sylv makes, I swear, ten different pies for Easter. She makes sure everyone has their favorites. (Isn’t she dear?) Another one of my favorite Easter traditions is her pies. I have a hard time choosing between her butterscotch, coconut cream and peanut butter! Little slices here and there throughout the day is how us Liddick family does it!

So, Easter morning we will still get up, and dang it all, we are going to be wearing our church Easter clothes. My husband said “Seriously!? Who the heck is gonna see us?”

My reply, “Me and Jesus!!” We will watch an Easter service, look for baskets from the bunny, still have an Easter meal, egg hunt with scavenger hunt, and I’ll make sure this will be the Easter of Coronavirus that my kids will never forget! This virus can’t cancel Easter. Christ has still risen — the tombstone was rolled away! A celebration is in order!

Praise the Lord!

Orange Slice Jello Jigglers

Cut 6 oranges in half and hollow out. I squeezed all the juice out first and made homemade orange juice!

I then filled each of the orange halves with water just to make sure they didn’t leak. I did use some electrical tape for some tiny holes.

Boil as much water as you need. I used 4 different Jello flavors, so I boiled 4 cups of water. NOTE: One 3oz box of Jello to 1 cup of boiling hot water.

Place all the orange halves on something flat like a large plate or cookies sheet. Then fill the oranges with all kinds of flavored Jello. Place in the refrigerator 4-6 hours, or until firm. Then cut in half and serve. I made these for Easter years ago and they were a big hit! Not only did the kids love them, but so did the adults!