On the fourth of July, 2007 Caleb Potter was involved in a skateboarding accident.
He suffered serious injuries and continues to need all of our positive thoughts and prayers.
This blog is to serve as a space for updates on Caleb's journey of recovery.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Easter

When the boys were little we always celebrated Easter ( by far my favorite holiday) by building little nests outside made of twigs and moss or stones, or anything that captured their fancy. The boys spent at least an hour on the building part and the nests would usually be tucked into my perennial beds... each nest displaying certain aspects pertaining to that boy's personality . Just before dawn on Easter morn the dog would eye me suspiciously as I dragged him outside to keep me company. I filled those nests with chocolate rabbits, onion dyed eggs and jelly beans....perhaps a toy car or two.
The morning brought so much delight...pudgy feet running outside on the dewy cold grass to see what the bunny might have brought them. ..... all three of them carrying their baskets which were left empty on the table the night before, and now too were filled by the Easter bunny. I loved those moments of Grace!

If I could go back in time and I could choose to do one more thing as a young mother...... I would decide to build on the times that memories are made of.


The onion eggs are on the table, the rabbits are tucked into the bags ready to go into the baskets--(which we still do
religiously) and the Easter bunny wishes you more years filled with light, love and laughter..... and most importantly...eachother
these are the only memories worth making...

Happy Easter!

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sharyn,

Whether you know it or not...You have filled those three little nests with more than words will probably ever describe. None of us can go back in time to change the past, but go forward knowing you have left a wonderful mark.

Happy Easter,

Kevin

Anonymous said...

It sounds like you gave those boys a sweet and blessed childhood, Sharyn. They are so lucky to have you for a mother.

Would you prefer not to have company on Easter, or are the visiting hours still open tomorrow?

love,
Mia

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter to you!! While at times I long to go back when my guys were little little (they aren't even that old..14 and 11)...the traditions keep those memories alive and it is good to share them young and older :) from their perspective as well as us adults ...a peaceful dewy easter morning to you and your boys!

Lisa in Annapolis

Anonymous said...

I LOVE your Easter tradition Sharyn. I'm taking my youngest outside right now to build his own nest. Thank you and have a wonderful Easter with your boys.

Deb

blackbird said...

Happy Easter!

Anonymous said...

Love you guys..
Have an enjoyable day tomorrow,
Xoxo..Miss Clance & familia.

moonmolly3 said...

So, will Tim find an egg in his shoe again? I REALLY hope so.
We love you guys!!

susan in portsmouth said...

Hope your Easter is filled with joy.
We wish you big endless love, treasured memories shared and new ones created & countless yummy jelly beans.

Susan, Hannah and Liam

Nora :) said...

Happy Easter, Sharyn, to you and your boys.

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter Sharyn & The Potter Boys - Wellfleet is glorious during any season, but especially in spring when things awaken from their winter sleep, new buds and blossoms... and it is burning season on Long Pond! Enjoy the day, and know that you have built the greatest nest of all; it is where all the love and healing happens.
With much from the von Bauer family way up north!

Anonymous said...

Happy eASTER potter von lindsey family, i will never forget that. May youe=r treasure hunt be o' so joyous. i love you all from the bottom of my heart. Xo. Love gracie

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter Sharyn and family. Also Easter wishes to all in our cyber family. Have a beautiful day everyone

Veganmama said...

Sharyn,
I am a young mother of 2 and I appreciate your reminder of how important it is to cherish these very special quiet times. My daughter just woke me up with the words, "he was here, mom!!!", holding a single chocolate bunny in her hands. We're trying to keep things simple, and your words are a reminder of how important the little private family moments are. Thank you and Here's to Spring...
Nicole

Anonymous said...

Just got back from a glorious two days down in Wellfleet and Provincetown. It was very windy, but the sky was a gorgeous blue, and the water wth the white caps and dark blues and greens was just amazing. It renewed my spirits just getting to breathe the air for 48 hours. We had never been down in March before, and walking the quiet streets and seeing a few crocuses blooming and other plants starting to bud was uplifting. You who live down there are so smart!!

Though Easter is not my holiday, I can see why hiding eggs and candy in a garden is a wonderful way to welcome spring. Happy holiday to all of you.

Amy from western MA

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Sharyn,
We are still thinking of you, Caleb and all daily.... Holiday traditions are soooooo wonderful even as our little ones grow into adults!
We wish you all a Happy Easter,
Patty, Fred Jeremy and Heather

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter & Happy Spring.

NY/Wellfleet Mom

Anonymous said...

Sharon

You gave your son's such a wonderful childhood with magical moments to remember into their adult years.
What a creative woman you are! What a great mother those boys have.
Happy Easter and God bless you and your family.

Patty

Anonymous said...

Dear Sharyn and all who have written comments about Maria. I am her other sister Laura and I too have been touched and brought to tears, and laughter reading this blogg from the day we found out about it. I just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful words and prayers that have been said for Maria and for our family. Maria was buried yesterday and this on my first day of my changed life I was able to sit down and read the comments and it helped. So once again thank you and I truly hope to see you on the Cape this summer.

Jeff- in the Berkshires said...

This too is one of my favorite weeks of the year.

I can almost picture those little nests, weaved with unfailing imagination of little hands.

Memories and traditions are built in so many ways that we don't even think of at the time and this sounds like something that you got as much out of as the kids. I was reminded of that this week when my teen wanted to confirm that the message had been relayed to the "bunny" that hidden eggs were anticipated and when I spoke with someone this morning who remembered egg hunts well into college and adult hood. I had thought it was primarily me who loved doing these things.

Happy easter and happy spring.

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter to the ~ Sharon ~ Caleb ~ Kai ~ Max ~ family... Thinking of you all on this beautiful Easter day.
Enjoy the chocolate...
Melinda

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter to you to. We have been surprised by snow today, but have followed your lead and made some good sledging memories! Now the snow is gone and thats all they are. Ali Manchester UK

Anonymous said...

OMG Sharyn, your post was amazing...once again....hope the "boys " enjoyed their Easter baskets..love the memories.....mine are 26 and 24 Love and prayers
Lisa in Pa

becky said...

Thank you Sharyn and Happy Easter! I think it is my favority holiday as well. I had to "fight" this year to have all of my kids with me for Easter and I "fought" back with determination and was the victor. I think I would have given up a year ago, but through you and I have managed to muster the gumption and courage to fight for what is right. I don't know you but feel that I do and will share out on this huge blog that following your journey has filled me with enough courage to wage a battle I would not have done in the past in fear and intimidation, but I realize that my relationship with my son's far ourweighs some of the pain I must indure to secure my maternal role in their lives. I believe in it and I am truely beginning to believe in ME! Thank you Sharyn, and Happy Easter / Happy Spring....Happy Happy EVERYTHING!

Anonymous said...

happy easter a little late...

what a wonderful tradition to keep
thank you for sharing
amy in ct

Anonymous said...

Dear Sharyn,
What a beautiful post. You evoke such warm and creative images. I wonder if you realize how much you touch so many people. And I'm sure your boys are filled with memories of their youth and always being so well loved. In this season of rebirth and growth, I wish all of your family and especially Caleb joy and continued healing as he ventures out from your cozy nest that is your home. Happy spring!
Jackie

Unknown said...

I too have lovely childhood memories of Easter mornings made special by my Mom. She always went overboard to create a warm and happy day filled with surprises....a day we would always cherish. It was amazing how the Easter Bunny always remembered that I was the only one of the four of us who liked a white chocolate rabbit....Now I spend Easter Sunday tidying up her grave site after the long winter and planting pansies ( for remembrance) for my beloved Ma. I talk with her and thank her for the many blessings she gave me in my life. Easter is the holiday when I feel the pinch of her absence most keenly, although I think of her every day, still, after 15 years. You have given your boys a wonderful gift, Sharon, one that they will carry with them forever.
Such love is a rare thing in this world of ours....My best to you and yours...
As always, with hope,
peg from PA

Anonymous said...

Pronounced dead, man takes 'miraculous' turn
Zack Dunlap doesn't remember much from the day he died, but he does remember hearing a doctor declare him brain-dead. And he remembers being incredibly ticked off.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23775873/from/ET/

Anonymous said...

hippity hoppity easter was here yesterday!! Hope all is well...

Anonymous said...

Wonderful descriptive blog of little nests nestled among new tender growth. A very Happy Easter to you all, 'tho a day late. Sorry!

Penny on St.John

Anonymous said...

I did not grow up in a family that observed the rituals of Easter -- clearly the holiest day of the Christian calendar. What did come my way during the season, by way of teachers and friends who shared, was lots of chocolate bunnies and colorful jelly beans!

In the absence of Easter baskets, and often in the same week of Easter, we did enjoy fine matzo ball soup and fantasies of the prophet Elijah coming to our home thrpugh the open front door, and drinking from his cup of wine set on the beautiful holiday table.

Perhaps borrowing from your traditions, I did create a wonderful fantasy world for my children on the eve of the summer solstice. Shortly before sunset, we went to the garden to build a "fairy village". The village contained little teepee-like structures made of twigs and moss, a fire-circle surrounded by small pebbles and baby leaves, with miniature foliage surrounding all. After the children went to bed, I visited the site (no dog in tow) to leave chocolate kisses, little candies and a dusting of glitter -- all to suggest that the fairies had come to OUR yard to celebrate the solstice. To this day, we do, on rare occasion -- when hiking some mountain forest or another -- pause long enough to crouch down and build a fairy village. The children are now 21 and 23, and I turned 60 yesterday!

So, here's to sweet rituals that bind families together and carry one generation into the next.

Best wishes to all...
RCL in DC

haley.jane said...

Sharyn!
I also love Easter (though I would have to say it's second to Halloween for me, I love the crisp air, the dark connotations, the autumn leaves, and ofcourse, the COSTUMES!).

Mmm do you have Cadbury Minieggs in the States?? The chocolate eggs with the candy shell? They are sooo delicious and chocolatey and definitely my favourite Easter treat! (I am actually hoping they stop selling them soon, it's almost bikini season! EEK!).

My family has always made Easter eggs in the Ukrainian style, with wax pens and dyes. It's a little confusing to explain... but as I wrote to someone else.....

My family has been doing it since the 50s, I guess they had some Ukrainian friends who taught them because we are German/French/Irish/Welsh/Scottish (not exactly up to date on Ukrainian traditions). We poke holes in eggs and blow them, then you seal up the two holes with wax. We have these special pens that have a little well on the end. You heat the pen over a flame and scoop bees wax into the well. The wax melts and you use it to draw on the eggs, and then dip the eggs in highly pigmented dyes. Whatever you want to stay white you draw on first, because the wax seals out the dye where ever it is drawn. You have to sortof work backwards colour-wise, which is a little confusing but they always turn out pretty anyway. And then when you are done you put them in the oven at a low heat (about 200 F) to melt all the wax off, you wipe the remaining wax off (which makes them shiny) and that's that! Good times. My family still has eggs we made in 1957, it's pretty wild that they have never broken, we date them so we know how old they are. :D

But yes. Good fun! Our dyes this year are pretty lousy but I am still dedicated (and seemingly, with most of my siblings in their teens or beyond, the only one that is super hardcore about making hoards of eggs).

This is one of my favourite traditions, but I love the idea of yours too!!! I can just picture what those boys would use to make their nests, I have a feeling a discarded GI JOE leg would make the perfect addition.... hehehe.

So good to see you writing again.
PS I HAVE BOOKED OFF THE 4TH OF JULY WEEK!!! It's official!! EEEEEEEEE!!!! SO EXCITED!!!

Love you Love you Love you.
Haley xo

Anonymous said...

Does this Kevin Scalley want to marry Sharyn?

Anonymous said...

Does this Kevin Scalley want to marry Sharyn?

If Kevin could dress the part of Johnny Depp he may have a chance!

Anonymous said...

um...who doesn't want to marry sharyn?

Anonymous said...

I know she's a hotty!

Anonymous said...

Sharyn,

Have you fallen off your chair yet???

;-))

Kevin

Anonymous said...

Your remembrances are so real, I can see you all, and imagine the scene with all the trimmings, sounds and smells. I too have those glorious memories to keep me warm...chocolate..SEE's Chocolate. The things that we remember, that warm our hearts, and make us grateful for those who have touched our lives and brought us joy, love and light.

Though belated (due to the flu and "out of sink" computer)Mari and I are wishing you all health,love and light, in anticipation of a bountiful spring, full of promise and new beginings....

Thinking of you Caleb, Sharyn, Max, Kai, Jennie, AND Jan too...Blessings all around,

Con CARINO,

Melinda