All Hallows Eve

No carved pumpkins. No costumes. No trick or treaters. Halloween is a thing of the past for me. I smiled in the grocery store yesterday at the clerks dressed in Mario Brothers outfits. I am happy for the children's sermon this morning where the kids got some candy. And I was given bags to bring home to the boys. I take delight in the Library decorations of carved open pumpkins stuffed with mums of beautiful fall colors.

I miss taking the kids around to the neighbors for candy, miss coming home with a sack of treasured sweets when I was a kid. I miss the fun of painting your face and scuffling through piles of leaves and smelling popcorn balls. Last year we had a lot of candy corn, but this year we don't. I am feeling a bit left out of the festivities.

Then - a miracle. My daughter in law texts me a video of my beautiful grand daughters dressed in their Halloween costumes. Katie is a princess all pink and frilly with a tiara and magic star wand. Kelly is a ladybug all red and black with wings and antennae. They giggle and dance around and hold out their candy buckets. I love it. They end with a unison chorus of "I love you Grandma!"

I cry. I am not left out. I am part of it all. I want to laugh and hug them both and tell them that I love them to pieces. And a big big thank you to Shannon for remembering to include me on the fun. Yahoo! Happy Halloween. I wish them tons of goodies.