Our Party

Every Halloween, we have a big party for all our friends. This year was our 4th annual party, and it may have been our best one yet. What's really special is that lots of the kids have been to the party each year, so it's so wonderful to see how big they are now, and all the little brothers and sisters that have joined them. It seems like each year I go through the same emotional stages before the party. First, I'm really excited to begin planning new fun games and to get all the cute decorations organized. Then, I get a little worried as the cost of all the food and supplies starts adding up. Then, I begin to get discouraged that it won't come together. I feel like the Captain of the fantastically inefficient and mind-numbingly slow ship the USS Molasses. Have you ever attempted to herd cats? That's how it can feel trying to reign in a two-year-old, a four-year-old, and sometimes even a daddy, to get everyone helping out and on board with the Captain's vision. Oh, and I guess I'll have to admit I can be a bit bossy and controlling about party planning sometimes;) But then, as it always does, the haze begins to clear and it all starts coming together. Every year, as we start to cut, and paint, and glue all our games and decorations, the magic starts to happen. I love feeling our shared excitement, and marvelling at all we've created. And when it's the day of the party, and everything is set out, I love seeing all the little imperfections in our work, the marks that this was all created by children and our family, and that we wanted to share this with all our special friends and family. I love that we have this tradition, and that right now, while Halloween is still sweet and simple, and kids still want to be with their parents and dress up like princesses and pirates, we can all join together in one wonderfully fun night. It's always worth it in the end.