I’ve always heard it said that “laughter is the best medicine”. I think that that is very true.

It is approaching 4 months of my family living without Pierce. Easter will be the first (major) holiday we have spent without him…and yet, I still sense him everywhere. I think of things he would say about things going on in our lives. I see him in pictures on my phone or at our parents’ house.

Some days are still very hard. The other day, I cried. I think it was partially from exhaustion, partially from watching the detached way news anchors talk about what’s going on with illegal immigration or our family’s situation, just missing Pierce…a combination of things. It’s hard for me, as a sister, to realize in different ways every day that my youngest brother is not here right now.

Tonight though, writing this, the night before Easter, something has tickled my funny bone. Maybe it’s because it’s late, maybe it’s because I know I need to smile and take it easy sometimes, or maybe, just because these old Easter pictures of my family are cracking me up.

Laughter is good. It’s healthy.

I think, when we are grieving, we can feel guilty for doing the most normal of things, like laughing. We don’t want to allow ourselves to be happy..because we think that that brief happiness reflects on the loss of the people we love. How can we possibly be happy and laugh when someone we love is gone from us?

I’m here to tell you, though–that laughter can be good. It’s nice to laugh at ourselves from time to time.

So, without further ado, we will delve into pictures of the Corcorans from Easters past!

Disclaimer: I am not at all responsible or liable for what you are about to see. The majority of these pictures are from the 1990’s. Yea, it was a different time back then. Many questionable fashion choices and hairstyles were made. Then again, the 90’s are making a come back, so they say. But I digress!

Going To Church In Style: I’ve started with one of the more tame photos first. Here, the three Corcoran siblings can be seen disembarking from the blue, shell of a van that we no doubt crumbled Cheeze Its in and otherwise destroyed, through no real fault of our own, on our journeys around town. We were kids, after all. You have Pierce in the middle, rocking the knee socks and floral tie that looks like it was a pillowcase in a former life. Honestly, he looks the best here. He has a hint of a smile, which you will see as we go through more pictures, was sometimes rare when he was a kid. Not because he was unhappy, per se, but more because he HATED taking pictures. Really hated it.😂 This started when he was around–probably 4 to 5. I am wearing a dress that my mom picked out for me. Connor didn’t get the memo that we were having our picture taken, so…he’s staring somewhere else.

Pierce With His Easter Basket: To be fair, Pierce probably just woke up here. He is probably still waking up and/or deciding which piece of Easter candy to eat for breakfast. In this writer’s humble opinion, that’s a serious decision to be making before noon. Also, Easter Candy > Halloween Candy.

Pierce and Bunny: Pierce always loved his stuffed animals and toys when he was this age. I think we all got bunnies in different colors that year and his was blue. He looks like he might have been teething a little bit when this was taken.

Easter Pictures At Mimi and Poppy’s: So, there’s a lot going on in this picture. We all look pretty happy though, so this must have been on an occasion where we got the pictures done and out of the way pretty easily. We probably had enjoyed some Easter candy too, so that could also explain our good moods. Pierce looks like he was in the middle of saying something, I’m wearing a long scarf around my neck in April like it’s a thing and Connor..well, Connor looks fairly normal. Also, Chi Chi, my grandparents’ old chihuahua is behind us.😂 Just casually photobombing.

The Whole Family: This is about when we probably started getting tired of taking pictures.😂 Pierce looks like he’s about to throw something at the cameraman, most likely our grandfather, Poppy. I’m in the middle, being dramatic. I was about 8 here, the age when I started going around and telling everyone I was going to be an actress. Connor is holding a purple egg and–showing how he feels about family pictures.😂 Our parents are probably thinking, “Well, at least we’re all in the picture!”

Mimi and Poppy: We were on our best behavior in this one.😂Probably because Mimi and Poppy gave us all kinds of snacks we liked whenever we came over.(Still do!) Pierce looks so much like Poppy in this one. I apparently wanted Alexander Hamilton to be in our picture? Or most likely, it’s a not so humble brag that I found some cash in an egg at the egg hunt.😂 Connor looks like, “I’m smiling, but can we be done now?”

Another Easter Morning: Pierce and all of us had just woken up when this was taken. This was taken at the then “new” house. Pierce always liked the Tennessee Vols.🧡 It looks like he got some fun stuff in his basket that year–some games, a Fantastic 4 toy and of course, candy! He looks 9 or 10 here.

Easter Baskets: This was taken at our old house. Connor is wearing two things I’ve never seen him in since: yellow and a suit jacket. I’m wearing a matching jacket and dress combo, which only seems to work for people under 10 and over 40, or perhaps politicians. Pierce looks like a little old man–he looks grown up in his Easter clothes.

Side Hug: Pierce and I look happy. I was trying to think the other day why we sometimes didn’t look happy in pictures when we were kids, and I think it was because we hated taking them.😂 Pierce hated it the most. Connor and I got to a certain age where we realized that, the sooner we smiled, the sooner it would all be over with, but Pierce never got to the point where he really liked taking them. Thus, sometimes, in certain progressions of pictures, we look as if we’re mad at each other.😂

And now, last, but certainly not least…

Easter Bunny?: My mom told me to preface this picture with an explanation.😂 She apparently was dressing up for an Easter thing at school for Connor’s class, but thought she would take pictures with Pierce too. After all, it’s not every day that you are dressed up like a rabbit. Pierce looks a little stunned. Probably thinking, “Where is my mom? What is this thing?!”

Well, I hope you all had a laugh at some of these like we have!😂 I may have to do a Christmas edition because there are even more pictures of us from Christmas.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter! Spend it with your family and don’t forget what the season is really about!

We love and miss you, Pierce.❤️