Yesterday was our neighborhood Easter event, and I spent most of the day running around making sure eggs were hidden, kids were happy, and nobody cried over a lost jellybean.

You know. Normal event planning.

But somewhere in the middle of the chaos, I paused long enough to look around.

And what I saw made me smile.

Kris was standing in the middle of the park dressed as the Easter Bunny, which is exactly as ridiculous and wonderful as it sounds. Kids were lining up for pictures, some excited, some suspicious, and a few staring at him like they were trying to decide if this was magic or a trap.

Meanwhile, Kayson was running right alongside Lynnlee and Harper like they had been a trio forever.

Todd was right behind them.

Helping them climb, making sure nobody wandered too far, snapping photos, and doing what parents do when little legs move faster than common sense.

And I realized something in that moment.

Our family might not look traditional.

But it works.

Todd has never once hesitated to show up for my kids the same way Kris and I show up for Kayson. He helps them, watches out for them, takes pictures of them, and treats them like they belong in his orbit of care.

Not because anyone asked him to.

Just because that’s the kind of person he is.

Justin and Todd handled the kids so I could help run the event, which meant Kris could fully commit to his very important role as a six-foot-tall bunny handing out eggs and high-fives.

And somehow… it all worked.

Hailey even made it over for a little while after driving school, which is the teenage version of showing up for family events. If you know, you know.

What struck me most yesterday wasn’t just the eggs or the candy or the happy kids.

It was the community.

Families came out with their little ones in pastel dresses and muddy sneakers. Parents carried toddlers, teenagers helped with younger siblings, and laughter bounced across the park like it had nowhere better to be.

For a couple of hours, the world felt simple again.

Just kids running in grass, parents chatting in the sunshine, and one slightly sweaty Easter Bunny trying to keep his head on straight.

It reminded me of something important.

Families don’t have to fit into a perfect box to work.

Sometimes they look a little blended.

Sometimes they look a little unconventional.

Sometimes they involve step-ins, bonus parents, and a lot of teamwork.

But when the kids are loved, protected, and surrounded by people who show up for them?

That’s what matters.

Yesterday wasn’t about Easter eggs.

It was about a village showing up.

And I’m grateful for every one of them.

Especially the Easter Bunny.