November, Already?!

I realize I have been M.I.A. for about 12 days now. I have been wanting to update, and Lord knows I have plenty to say, but I have had very little time.

Update on The Burn: Henry is so much better, and his leg is reaching the Almost Fully Healed stage. A majority of his burn is just pink and scabby now, with about a half an inch being deep. The deep part will take a few more weeks to heal completely but we're pretty much safe and infection free at this point. I am assuming Henry is still fine since the boy didn't even really notice his big burn starting the day after it happened. Go figure.

Henry: He's very well. Yesterday he had a book in his hand and said, "Buuuhk!" And then we gasped and said, "BOOK!" and he said, "OOK." So, we're getting places.

My finger: Like anybody cares anymore, "Sara, that was soooooo last month!". I know, I know, but I connect Henry's burn with my finger since they happened within a week from each other. I'm good, thanks for asking. LOL. Yesterday was the first day I didn't put a band aid on it and I have actually began to use the finger again. I still think that if I ever had to choose a finger to amputate, it would be my index finger. SOOOO not needed, but I digress. Oh, let me clarify quickly--I don't MIND having one but ya know, if I HAD to choose....

Life: Mom and Dad came into town on my birthday and we had a great time! It was cold and rainy the entire time they were here, with one day that was just gorgeous. I can barely remember what we did, it seems so long ago, but a lot of it involved talking, shopping, eating, and playing with Henry.

John's Mom came into town to surprise John and Henry yesterday evening. She came alone, without my father-in-law because he couldn't get away from work. She's been spending lots of time with Henry and I even got away for an hour to grocery shop. I took advantage of that hour at Walmart and bought some new skirts, tights and a blouse! As much as I'd rather shop at Target, there is NO denying how ridiculously cheap Walmart is. I got two substantial, corduroy skirts for $10 a piece! And this uber-cozy organic cotton blouse for $8!! I KNOW! Anyway, his mom leaves tomorrow morning and we won't be having family over again until Thanksgiving. Which, as we all know, is just 24 days away!

HALLOWEEEEEEEN: Ok, most of you know by now (because I could not help but call a few of you right after it happened) that my Halloween is going down in history as THE Halloween of Halloweens. To steal a phrase from Monk, "Here's what happened." John and I were planning on going to our Church's Trunk or Treat for a little while and then mosey on over to this cute little neighborhood I have been stalking-er, I mean taking note of for the past month or so. I had noticed it when fall had rolled around and people started decorating for Halloween. You could just tell the whole street was in love with the holiday. Anyway, we planned on taking Henry trick- or-treating there for the real neighborhood experience. I had to admit, I had no idea how the people who lived there would react. I mean, could I park there? Would any kids be trick-or-treating as early as I wanted us to be out? Were we, as outsiders, even ALLOWED to ToT there? There were just a lot of "Ifs" about my Halloween. Er, I mean OUR Halloween. I do get a bit selfish when it comes to this particular holiday. So, John and I donned our costumes. He as Dracula, and myself as a Harry Potter Gryffindor and Henry as a Vampire Bat. We headed out around 6pm and went to Church. Church was dead. I mean, there were 10 cars if that and just a big disappointment. The youth program was running it, and it seemed to not be very successful. John and I noticed not a lot of adults were dressed up. We drove by and kept on driving. I had decided that we would go to that neighborhood instead and see if any Trick or Treaters were out yet. I figured not because it was only 6 and the sun hadn't even set yet.

HA. Yes, a few HUNDRED were out ToT'ing. I turned onto the street and held my breath. My eyes got wide and I teared up. I TEARED UP, people. Leaves of every color were everywhere on the floor. Children of every age, especially under 10 were running to and fro going from house to house with their parents following behind. Children in amazing hand-made costumes, and superhero capes and monster masks dragging bags of candy behind them. The sun setting on the fall trees and piles of leaves on the sidewalks. Bonfires being lit and house parties happening from inside the homes of these people. Homeowners standing on their porches handing out candy, a steady stream at each doorstep. EVERY house for a mile stretch was decorated, with almost every house having very detailed, ornate Halloween displays or even yard haunts to walk through. As I type this I shake my head and I want to tell all of you who are in love with Halloween but who have lost a little faith in it, YES! Yes, Halloween still exists. I thought it was disappearing like the memories of my youth. I thought Trunk or Treats and Mall ToT'ing was where this beautiful holiday was headed....but I was wrong. On Saturday I was transported back to a simpler time on Pickwick Street in Springfield, Missouri. John, Henry and I waded through the leaves and I made sure to take extra heavy steps, crunching those leave under foot for every fall-loving friend of mine. You were all there with me on Saturday evening. You really were. I thought of each of you and how I wished just for that time I was there, I could transport you back in time with me and have you experience just a tidbit of it all. I am still revelling in it.

I talked to a few parents and they said they had discovered the street a year before and that it is always packed. I talked to a homeowner and they said even high schoolers get into the fun as the night wears on. I must have met 50 homeowners on that long street. I met a family whose house was lit up from within, bearing vintage Halloween decorations from ceiling to floor as far as I could tell. They all loved Halloween, they said. They all lived there and all collected vintage Halloween stuff together. I laugh at the thought of possibly not being able to park on the street. EVERYBODY was parking and walking. There must have been over a thousand people or more ,if I had to guess, that were enjoying the night. As we went from house to house, I had a silly grin on my face the whole evening. I actually, at one point, had forgotten about Henry and was just really enjoying myself. I thought of future costumes for us as a family, I thought about my nieces and nephew enjoying their Halloweens and building memories on a street like this and I thought about how I had, up to that day, thought Halloween was becoming a holiday of the past.

We stayed an hour and as it was getting cold, and our feet were hurting, we walked back in the dark, pausing to enjoy a strobe effect shining on a hanging man in a tree. God, I love this holiday!
We got back into the car and went home. We talked joyously of what had just happened and how we couldn't believe it. I was kind of sad that Henry wasn't able to really, truly, know what was going on. It was one of those experiences where you feel as though all you have to do for it to be gone is blink. I was holding my breath a good deal of the time and just hoping it wouldn't end.

We got two trick-or-treaters at our house that night and for the first time in several years, I wasn't depressed about it. I know now that Halloween is not showing signs of stopping in Middle America, if you just know where to look....Oh, and by the way, they TOTALLY gave out full size bags of M&M's! I KNOW!

*Didn't get any pics of the houses, as there were way too many people, and the sun setting didn't help. I will be posting a few Halloween pics soon!*