Halloween 2016

Monday October 31st, 2016

Halloween

In all our years living here, this was actually our first time celebrating Halloween here! (First year we just moved and didn't participate minus Asher and Zeke running to the neighbors for candy, and the other two years we went out of town.) 

Macie was lady bug, Asher a ninja and Zeke was Harambe, the gorilla from the Ohio zoo. That kid has a sense of humor! 

We had a wonderful Halloween, but it was different. For the first time ever, I didn't have all my kids with me. Yes, Zeke went trick-or-treating with his friends. Zeke is a good and responsible young man, as are his close friends. I am truly impressed by them all. Bismarck is relatively small and safe. They all have phones. And I went over safety talks with Zeke. He had a good time!

Meanwhile, I took Ash and Mace and we went to Hebron to go trick-or-treating with our friends - Emily and her family. I was so tired I started to fall asleep on the drive so I pulled over to get some shut eye for 10 minutes (yes, I know, 28 years old and falling asleep at 5pm on a Monday). As I looked out my car windshield, I observed the beauty that is North Dakota, so I snapped some pictures. How crazy that I once found this state ugly. I had high expectations of what I expected North Dakota to be like, so many expectations of what I wanted to happen within my family once in this state, and not a single one of them came true. Not one! But it's all okay, I am not angry...

Aside from the drastic change in family dynamic, I have gone from hating the small town life to appreciating it's beauty and what makes it unique. I  can now look at an open plain and see it's beauty. My heart truly loves this state, and if the day comes we no longer call this place home, I will genuinely miss it.

...back to Halloween. I always have fun with Emily and our kiddos had a blast as well. :) We ate pizza and carrots, then went trick-or-treating for close to an hour. Oh, and we only saw one clown! As he was approaching the porch Macie was on, I ran over and grabbed her hand as I knew she would be scared. And she was; clinging to the door and reaching for Emily's son's hand, she was paralyzed with fear, I grabbed her and she spent the rest of her the night looking over her shoulder. Big brother Asher kept her posted on the clowns whereabouts the rest of the evening. He is such a good, protective brother.

All in all, it was a good Halloween. If the last few years have taught me anything, it's to be in the moment. Take it in. Treasure it all. You never know when your last day is going to be. Give thanks in all circumstances. Sounds deep for just a night of trick-or-treating, but I don't take sweet friendships or pretty sunsets for granted anymore. ;)

Happy Halloween, folks.