This was just the beginning of a stress filled Halloween
that took a very surprising turn later on.
So, Kurt and a few of our girls carved into the pumpkins.
So, on to dinner... our girls really wanted to get out more
on time for trick or treating, but as much as we tried to start dinner on time,
to no avail. 6 pm rolls around and we're still all at the table.
I'm starting to feel the squeeze.
Then everyone is off to put on their
costumes. But we forget about small details like wearing layers, so
everyone is warm enough. So, making sure every girl is well dressed,
matching with their costumes....yikes! I felt that stress creeping
up. And all we're trying to do is to simply get out the door!
Then, as I try to get myself quickly ready, I feel this
headache coming on. Seriously?! Ok, take two Advil for
the road, let's do this....and I prayed I wouldn't be grumpy!
Ok, attitude check!
So, we finally get out the door, then there's the
picture! Group picture! Everyone huddles up as Kurt
quickly puts the finished carved pumpkins out with the candles!
Quick admiration for the pumpkins and then
off! That Halloween rush always seems to be ghoulishly present. I say to myself, “next year, this will be
different!” (We'll see! lol!)
Finally, we are off and here's where we are TOTALLY caught
off guard!
First of all, it was so much fun (and so helpful!) to have our friend Alecia along for the fun.
And then came our neighbors.
Our neighbors lavishly give candy and sweet gifts to our
girls. I don't just mean handfuls of candy, but Chris actually sewed
these cute little Halloween bags for the girls and filled them with all kinds
of fun treats. Michelle, another neighbor, also got them each a bag filled
with glow sticks and super-fun and spooky Halloween stuff.
Seriously?!
Then another family had these fun Halloween cups and filled
them up with special girly treats like lip-gloss and nail polish all
wrapped up in a cute bag. And…yes, another family made cute candy
bags for our kids and the let us see their fish and hold their hamsters while
we all chatted.
And last, but not least, there was Sandy and Marlene's
house. Sandy is 49 years old with developmental disabilities and
every year she dresses up and has a "Haunted Bedroom". We
stand in line and she gives us a ticket, after which we enter into the spooky
bedroom with scary music, lights and all.
At each of these neighbors’ houses we lingered and
chatted. Some of them invited us in, and we just hung out, sitting on
the floor, eating candy and doing the Halloween thing.
What’s the point of all this? Well, see our neighbors didn’t do this for
every kid on the street. They did it
just for our kids. All of this reminded
us of the blessing of community. We don’t
live in an age that encourages this. We’re
all so stuck on our devices to talk to neighbors, right?!
But here we saw the sweetness of mutual enjoyment of the
simple pleasures of friendship. It takes
effort on both sides, but this is one of the great pleasures of life.
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