Dear Haters,
This has been the most exhausting and emotionally taxing season of life. I didn’t think it could get much worse — parenting two kids under 4, being married to a founder of a startup, trying to do my own job, being given a new job and trying to learn what it is and meet my new teammates all virtually, surviving a pandemic, showing up for my fellow Black Americans during the long overdue civil rights movement of 2020–2021, navigating and holding my breath during the also long overdue presidential election (go @joebiden, @potus, @vp), pulling myself out of an anxiety and depression black hole, protecting my fam from the smoky wildfire air, training for a made-up albeit ambitious running event, trying to write a book about my Dad’s epic life during my off-hours, and being Mom-in-Chief of a mostly, hanging-on-by-an-ever dwindling rope, semi-functional household.
But then enter Racism, stage left.
<Creepy, scary music, or Jaws soundtrack>.
Turns out, it can get worse! And. It. Did.
So this Easter, I endeavored to throw the biggest, baddest, absolute hands-down best party of my life. It was an act of joyful rebellion and defiance. RACISM CAN’T HOLD ME DOWN. JUST TRY ME. BRING ON THE HATERS… ALL OF THEM.
We invited our friends, when the idea was just a small thought bubble emanating from our brains.
We dyed and decorated eggs. I even allowed glitter in my house. On my dining room table (ugh, regrettably).
We got zillions of prizes, one type for each age group of kid attending. We let our kids strip naked and jump in the freezing water.
We also let those same kids eat as much candy as their hearts and tummies could bear.
We begged them to nap, and they didn’t (forever and consistently reminding us who the real Bosses are).
We all boycotted the nap (more defiance) and went to get popsicles from @icequeenpdx (rotting teeth, be damned).
Thank you everyone (near and far) for celebrating Easter with us. I did not want to say why we were partying, but the unspoken defiant vibe screamed. No surprise, @megancaldwellpdx’s super competitive and sweet kid found the jackpot “AAPI ❤” egg, that @rplitch decorated. He got the Grand Prize.
Who said you can’t bring 2-week old baby goats to the beach? Why not?
Who said you shouldn’t let said baby goats, eat your baby’s hair? Why not?
Who said you can’t invite 30+ people to a remote part of beautiful Oregon, during a pandemic? (I made everyone promise to be 6 feet apart and sign on the dotted line). Why not?
Who said every kid can’t win a prize, even after you swear there will be no participation ribbons and each will win on their own merit? Why not?
Who said you can’t fight racism in ways that are silent, and loud? Why not?
Happy Easter to ALL, and may we all continue to fight the racists, the violence, the hatred, and perhaps most importantly the “not-racists” who are not yet Anti-Racists. Who said we can’t end racism? Why not? All of this because #asianjoy and #everybodyversusracism.
Hoppity Hop,
Mrs. Easter Bunny
