Halloween 2009

1 Nov

On the surface, this Halloween looked like any other in the Smith family record books. We showed up at my mom’s house to meet with my sister, her kids and wrangle kids into costumes, pass out candy collecting bags (in Peanut’s case, a Frankenstein head/bucket), count heads to make sure everyone was present and accounted for and then begin the long journey that was an hour and 30 minutes of “trick or treat”, “thank you”, “wait for your mother!” and “will you carry me/my bag please?”

It was a great night.

Now, underneath the surface, a handful of people know that this Halloween was much different than last year. It was full of careful optimism, silently said prayers, glances exchanged that said everything and nothing at all.

It was, one year from the day that Zoe went to the hospital where she stayed until her new heart came and she was well enough to come back home. Of course we look on the day that she got her new heart as her actual anniversary. However, to me, yesterday marked a milestone as well because we wondered, hoped, and prayed that she would be here, be well enough and healthy enough to continue a tradition that started when Bug was a baby; our family had always trick or treated together. I don’t know of a year where my sister and I didn’t take the kids together to trick or treat.

Even before Chrissy had children of her own, she has come with me to take my own kids trick or treating and when my brothers were still young enough to trick or treat, they went with us.

It’s a tradition that started in part because hubby would stay behind at our house and pass out candy and I would travel to my mom’s house to trick or treat and have someone to walk with. Once hubby started working nights, it just continued as I definitely wanted someone to walk with me and by that time my nephew was born. Kid after kid, year after year, we have trick or treated together.

Last year was the first time we ever faced or even let it enter our heads that future years would be different.

As my dad would say, we are a Motley Crew but at least we are Motley together.

I know the rest of this year is going to be full of celebrations, excitement and joy. I hope you are all experiencing the same.

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