The Final Egg

Last night, while Becci read a book, I boiled two dozen eggs in preparation for Easter festivities. LaRee is out of town. She is in Lake Point celebrating her Dad's 80th birthday. As I boiled the eggs, I thought about all the years I have been coloring them with my children. LaRee normally boils the eggs and I help with everyone else to apply the dye. As a family, we have enjoyed this tradition for many years. It dawned on me that this is the last year to spend with the last of my daughters in this tradition. The thought saddened me. I will continue to have many experiences with them, but this is really the last Easter with Becci. She leaves in 10 weeks to begin college at BYU in Provo, Utah. So, today, while it rained (a rarity in the Phoenix area), Becci and I worked on the eggs. I read an article with ideas on how to decorate hard boiled eggs. We used finger nail polish. Becci pulled out her box of nail polish. I actually bought her some of them a few years ago. She had a pair of cats--the colors were orange and black to commemorate Halloween. We had a blast applying the nail polish. I made a few people complete with eyes, nose, lips and hair. Becci had one egg with a lots of names of Twilight characters. She dropped it just before dipping the egg into the dye. After the nail polish dried, we sunk the eggs into the six colors of dye. What a blast. Becci had to leave before we were done. She is spending the night out with some of her friends. I finished applying the dye to all the eggs. I used her hairdryer to blow dry them so I could put them back into the egg carton for tomorrow. Wouldn't you know it, the very last egg I dropped and cracked the shell. I dyed it anyway. Wow. The final egg. And I smashed it a bit. The final time with my youngest daughter. I have sweet memories of this activity with all of my girls. Traditions done together strengthen families. When all is said and done, only the family will remain. The family will remain because Jesus Christ paid the debt for us and rose on the third day. In our day, He came to His House (the Temple) to teach and instruct. He sent Elijah with the sealing powers. Because of the sealing powers, the family will extend beyond the grave. So, the last egg is really meaningless in the scheme of things. All that matters is that we will be together forever if we do our part. We are trying hard as a family. Now, late at night, by myself, I wish I had more eggs to color. Please, just one more time. I can't stop time. I will reflect upon my memories. So, next year, LaRee and I will be empty nesters--no more eggs to do as they have all hatched and gone away. The last egg. The final egg. I guess since it broke when I dropped it, I better use salt and pepper on it. Becci, Melissa, Rachel and Jenny--continue the tradition with your children. Each of you too will someday have a final egg. A word of advice--don't drop it. The dye gets underneath the shell.