Laid Back

"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." Satchel Paige

The morning after Halloween....can't believe it's November. Can't believe I have this much candy left. I read a friend's blog this morning that touched on some of what I have been feeling regarding the passages of time and how our kids grow up.

Last night it was just Andy and I for most of the evening. How many times have we wished for a night to ourselves??? Ironically, we were both missing our kids last night. Casie has been away from us on Halloween for 3 years now, so we're somewhat adjusted. As a junior in college, she'd probably laugh if I told her I still missed not being a part of her festivities. Lindsey, who is in 6th grade, had announced earlier this year that she was too old to trick or treat, and the plan was for her to pass out candy at our door. A last minute party thrown by one of her friends helped her decide that trick or treating wasn't too passe for her just yet, as this girl's father was loading up several girls in a hay filled trailerand pulling them behind his four wheeler through the neighborhood for trick or treating.

I made the usual pot of chili (our traditional meal has always been chili or chili dogs on Halloween...easy meal, which has always been necessary before the festivities of the night). Andy had the yard ghoulishly decorated with a cemetery and some awesome cobwebs, we hooked up the XM and left it on the "Halloween station" for the eerie effect. We had pumpkins, a scarecrow and various other decorations all on the porch. Andy was quite sad when his beloved fog machine wouldn't work. If you've ever seen a grown man with slumped shoulders and a look of defeat, then you know what he looked like last night. He can fix almost anything...but this fog machine wasn't cooperating at all.

We were both happy knowing that our girls were with friends and having a good time. Casie was dressed as a flapper and going to a costume party with some of her friends. She had filled over 60 goody bags for her fellow sorority sisters, and had her apartment all decorated with Halloween things she had borrowed from home. I'm proud of her for her good choices in friends, for never being too "big" for fun, and for her generosity in making the goody bags for her sisters. But it still tugs on my heartstrings that I am not helping her get into her costume, or around to take pictures of her and her friends. She did call me for advice on how much candy to buy, and where I thought she could pick up another boa, as she left hers that went with her costume at home. So, I'm still needed! And that makes me smile. And with digital pictures, texting, facebooking, etc...I will be able to look at her pictures sometime today.

We were a tad disappointed that Linds wasn't hanging with us...but we were so glad that she was out having a wonderful time. Her group of girlfriends are awesome, and I really mean that. They have wonderful parents too. I knew she'd be with a great group of people, and having a wholesome and fun time. We had hosted this same group of girls a couple of weekends ago for our own Halloween party, and then they had all been at a different Halloween party last Saturday. So they've enjoyed the festivities almost the entire month. But it was a tad bittersweet that all the girls left school together and got ready at the host house. I missed the craziness of "Where's my gloves?", "Mom...my costume ripped", "Mom...I can't get the zipper to work"....you know, all those frantic moments when your help is necessary.

We answered the door to 56 trick or treaters in all. We usually have more, but most churches in the area were hosting carnivals, which is great. All in all, it was a quiet night, and I wasn't sure that I enjoyed Halloween being quiet. One of the highlights of the evening was the 2 trick or treaters who are grandchildren of one of my dearest friends. Mom and Dad brought them by, and they were adorable. We loaded them up on extra candy and thanked them for coming over to our neighborhood. Hmmmm...some of my friends are grandparents. I'm realizing more and more each day that time passes so quickly, and I'd better adjust to these changes in life or I'll be left behind.

I called my friend who lives out of town to report on how precious her two grandchildren were in their costumes, and there was a little sadness in her voice as well. She was proud and happy that I had been able to see them, but sad that she was missing out.

I guess we're all having to adjust to life's changes.

This morning I think I'll bag up the extra candy to send to youth group tomorrow night. Or I'll be adjusting to the change of 10 extra pounds.