A 24-hour, round-trip drive with a 3-year-old, a cold drizzle and lining up at 5:30 a.m. was the extent of Joe Roger’s big birthday celebration. And he was thrilled.

       “It was worth it,” said the grinning Rogers, who spent his last day as a 49-year-old living out a dream on the South Lawn of the White House. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

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       A portrait photographer in Huntsville, Ala., who’d seen coverage of the annual White House event for ages but had never been, Rogers dropped everything when he happened into tickets to the annual event from his congressman.

       “We drove 12 hours, me and Talea,” he said, looking at the adorable child whose purple-and-pink plaid dress matched her dad’s shirt. “We were first in line.”

       It was the first time in three years that the White House has been able to host its traditional Easter Egg Roll, and the dreary weather didn’t dampen the excitement for nearly 30,000 visitors, the youngest of whom were born into the pandemic lockdown and made their big-crowd debuts at the classic South Lawn event.

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       “We weren’t able to host this Easter Egg Roll last year because of the pandemic, but this year — this year — we’re finally getting together again, and it’s so special,” President Biden said, flanked by two of the giant Easter Bunnies who have special clearance to hop around the White House.

       “My job is to keep it from raining,” Biden said, pausing as a soaked crowd tried to laugh. “For another two minutes.”

       The cloudburst made the day feel, if anything, even closer to normal for the Washington folks used to seeing the beloved event bedeviled by showers. White House staff members and the press corps can remember year after year of puddle-jumping, drenched coats and running egg dye.

       But this year, after the pandemic shut down the event in 2020 and 2021, the egg crowd was undaunted. The frilly dresses, pastel ties and even the first lady’s sky-high espadrilles boldly Eastered on. For those thrilled to be back at a big social event after two years of pandemic uncertainty, it was all magical.

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       “It’s just great to be out here, to be back with people,” said Temperance Paulk, 33, who had entered the ticket lottery on a whim and quickly made plans to drive to D.C. from Richmond as soon as she learned she’d won. She was elated to finally be able to dress her daughters up — pandemic babies at 1 and 3 years old — in frothy Easter dresses and celebrate.

       “I try to dress them nice whenever we go out,” Paulk said. “But until now, it’s been, like, Target. This? This is great!”

       Never mind the rain wilting their grass-green tulle skirts. Their wide-brimmed, straw Easter bonnets were perfect guards against the drizzle.

       Kids have been rolling eggs on the South Lawn since 1878, when President Rutherford B. Hayes invited them over after Congress kicked them off the Capitol lawn. The event was paused for World War II, then for conservation after the war, and then because of construction around the White House. It returned after 11 years under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad weather shut it down five times since then.

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       “The president and I are so excited that you are here,” first lady Jill Biden said.

       “To all of you, have fun today!” President Biden added. “Welcome to the White House. Welcome to your house. Welcome to the South Lawn.”

       One of the U.S. military bands rolled Willy Wonka’s “Pure Imagination” over the sprawling, buzzing event and wide-eyed adults took a bazillion selfies in front of the iconic south portico.

       The kids rolled eggs — somehow, White House eggs are dyed in vibrant colors our home vinegar baths never achieve — with wooden spoons and posed with giant yellow Minions.

       The White House Easter Egg Roll's rich history

       Rogers and Talea took it all in, several times over. It was hard to tell which one of them was having more fun.

       “I had a pink egg!” said Talea, who was one of the 28 foster kids Rogers has housed, but the only one he adopted, he said. Long after they finished egg rolling, Rogers and Talea lingered on the South Lawn, after most of the early morning group had already left. Rogers was on a mission as they made their way up to the front of the crowd gathering around the Bidens and Vice President Harris.

       Within minutes, Talea was embraced by the first lady as dad took a photo.

       Then another one — this time Talea was in the vice president’s arms, photobombed by second gentleman Doug Emhoff.

       Rogers said his birthday present — he turns 50 on Tuesday — came from the president himself, who took Rogers’s mobile phone and snapped a selfie of the three of them.

       “This is the USA, for us to able to walk on to the White House grounds, to come here,” said an emotional Rogers, his Crimson Tide lilt becoming more pronounced. “That’s America right there.”

       It was almost perfect.

       “Well, he did get only half of Talea’s face in,” Rogers said. “But that’s okay. He’s not a photographer.”