Halloween 2

I am running on something close to empty this morning. My engine is not revving even though I have poured a few sips of coffee into it. The problem is that at the last minute yesterday, I was planning a meal for my girls and their friends and trying to make my house look a bit festive since it was Halloween. I had done no real decorating or planning for the first time in years. At first I thought it was just because I had been recovering from my surgery, but then it hit me…my kids are growing up.

The first sign I had was when Aly came to me and announced that her and her boyfriend were planning to hand out the candy. I responded to her news by asking "You're not going to trick or treat?" I said this of course in a sad almost whining way. The second sign was that Avery who normally begins planning her next year's Halloween costumes after she has sorted her Halloween candy, had not said a peep about what she was going to be until the night before Halloween. At that point she was planning to borrow some purple Spanx and use an old Dracula cape to be some sort of super hero. When the owner of the purple Spanx failed to bring them to school yesterday Avery's plan changed and at 3:30 PM yesterday afternoon (Halloween day), the costume design became a "Fifties girl" and off we went in various directions to gather the parts.

There was a time when weeks ahead of Halloween I was designing and making costumes for the endless stream of parties and activities. I would decorate my house with pumpkin designs and witches brooms. I would be party planning for classrooms and volunteering my help on party day too. Now, I find that the saying is true "be careful what you wish for". All those years of rushing and hurrying and griping about how stressful and busy Halloween is are over. Other than my rush to the store yesterday to buy the needed Halloween candy to pass out, my day was pretty stress free and the sad truth is that as I watched my children enjoy the evening in their own way, a little piece of me longed for a school parade or party.

Time marches on, and with time everything changes. The one thing I am learning that although the changes are hard and sometimes even reminders of what we should be grateful for, most often change is for the best. I will admit that my slow morning and groggy temperament are more due to the one too many glasses of wine I consumed trying to recognize that these changes are for the good. I think in the attempt to convince myself I may have lost track and enjoyed more wine then I should have. I can say that last night in an attempt to treat myself I played a trick instead!