This Halloween Night

(I've been trying to write this post for several days now. Make that almost a week. But, as you will hear later, I don't have a whole lotta time these days. So even though most of you have put away your costumes and pulled out your turkey decorations, I'm still remembering Halloween tonight. For good reason. :)

The first set of trick-or-treaters knocked on our door while Caleb was in the bathroom with me, goin' potty. He got his pull-up on and careened to the top of the stairs just in time to see Jason drop candy into waiting bags.

"Hey, what's 'at???" he asked excitedly.

"It's Halloween," Jason explained.

"Ha-ween?"

"Yes. We give out candy on Halloween."

"Candy? Ha-ween?"

"People dress up for Halloween, too."

"Dress up?"

"They dress up and go trick-or-treating. Can you say trick-or-treat?"

"Trick-treat!!"

"So, when people knock on our door tonight, we will give them candy."

"Candy!!!"

Just about then, someone else rang the doorbell. Caleb crowded around Jason's legs, gaping at the kids in bright costumes as his daddy gave each of them a piece of candy. Well, Caleb though this was just about the bestest, craziest thing he'd ever seen. He danced around the living room singing "Ha-ween pah-ty! Ha-ween pah-ty! Dress up! Dress up!"

Every five minutes he'd run out the front door, hang on the porch railing, and search our dark street for signs of more trick-or-treaters.

This went on for over an hour. I finally convinced him that he didn't need to open our front door every other second, that the people would knock when they came. Instead, we watched from the living room window and when another set of kids came by, I let Caleb pass out the candy.

Let me tell you, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! He was so darn cute about the whole thing! His enthusiasm for this new discovery of Halloween was so sweet and so fun to watch!

Having kids really changes your perspective, dontcha know? Something as simple as dressing up and getting candy becomes magical and amazing to a little one just learning about the world, when we grown ups take it for granted, if we even bother to celebrate at all. But watching Caleb's joy and excitement sparks a new thrill inside me. Some people call it a second childhood. A second chance at being a kid again.

I think of it as an excuse to be silly and have some good, old-fashioned fun. :)

So next year, we definitely plan to buy Caleb a costume. We will carve pumpkins with Jason's family, and probably attend our church's harvest festival. Maybe I will dress up, too. And take lots of pictures. And simply enjoy my son as he enjoys the holiday. :)

~~~

Sunday night was precious and while I wanted to share it with you, I also wanted to write it down for me, so I wouldn't forget. Precious memories like these are all too easy to lose, and these days, I need all the sweet moments I can get. We've been going through a rough spot of training with our son these past few weeks. It's led to long days, and even longer nights; it's responsible in part for why I've been absent on The Inkwell lately. We've laughed, we've cried, we've cleaned up broken coffee pots, poop painting sessions, and sugar jars spilled all over the bed. We've talked and we've disciplined, but more than anything else, I think we've prayed.

Nothing like coming to the end of yourself to bring you to your knees. I have never felt more out of control, more helpless and ineffective as a parent, than I have these last few weeks. And that is exactly where God wants me to be right now. He's bringing some of my not-so-great qualities to the surface and working through them with me. I know He's behind all these issues and problems, using them to shape and teach me as much as He's shaping and teaching Caleb at the same time.

So if there are fewer blog posts to read in the coming days and weeks, it's not because I have nothing to say or because I don't love you guys anymore. :) I'm probably just trying to not pull my hair out or catching up on sleep.

I love you guys! If you get a chance, please comment and tell me what y'all did for Halloween? If you did nothing at all, tell me about a dream costume you would love to dress up in one day (mine is a renaissance dress with full sleeves and a medieval hat to match!).