Happy Halloween

Another Halloween gone by---much, much better this year. I didn't get sad at the daycare party or trick or treat street. Tonight when I was taking Annie around begging for candy I even dressed up (vampire)...it was fun. I did feel a little nostalgic when I saw families going around---you know all the sibling groups--Annie was great though (Evil Princess). I think next year I'll make sure we group up with friends to go......I was thinking it is probably a good thing we decided on cremation--I'm not sure I could stand all the skeleton and rotting corpse decorations otherwise.

I hope to get to the cemetary tomorrow--I like the idea of Dia de los Muertos the Mexican holiday where they celebrate the life of loved ones who have died. I am going to see if I can find a sugar skull at a mexican grocery...you are also supposed to bring the foods the person loved as a gift. I'm not sure it is allowed--leaving food at the cemetary...but really, what are they going to do--kick us out?

Suprise visits

This is such a cool story---the other morning, Sunday, Annie crawled into bed with us and told us that she had seen Sophie the previous night. I said "You dreamt about her?" and she said, nope, she saw her...which of course begged the question, "Where?" Annie says "In my bed, she was snuggled up next to me, then I said "night night" and she said "night night" and she flew away" Apparently her wings are gray and white. The next morning--same thing..."Sophie visited me again, she stayed longer this time, but then she said she needed to go help some other kids" I don't know if it is a dream or her imagination or for real, but I know that she believes it is real...and that is so inspiring.

Last Monday (the day before my birthday) we had another vistor in the form of a criminal who broke into our house and stole a bunch of stuff...including my digital camera that still had Annie's 1st day of Kindergarten pictures on it (that'll teach me to procrastinate....). It was pretty disturbing, we don't have much crime in the neighborhood and everyone of our immediate neighbors is retired.....but I decided not to give into the fear and give those assholes the power to make me scared. Mike, of course, was hoping they would come back so he could show them exactly what he thought. It did get me thinking though--I remember being younger and meeting people who had bad event after bad event in their life and thinking that somehow, it must be partially of their doing or related to who they are as a person some how...but now I know that shit just happens and you get what you get.....On the bright side, said criminal is in jail, we will get some stuff back, but not the camera or the sapphire necklace from Mike, which apparently, according to the perp, not worth keeping so he tossed it somewhere along with a bunch of my neighbors jewelery---now, I think it is only fair to ask, if it wasn't worth keeping, why the flying *^(&$@ take it in the first place????? The cop told me this kid, who is only 19, will be a criminal for the rest of his life.....

On occasion I feel like the world is punishing me for having been so happy and it won't let up until I give up and become miserable...which I won't do, so it just keeps getting worse. But then I pull myself up out of hole and remember all the wonderful things I have in life---all you guys, my friends, my family, my kids...and I don't let it get me down (maybe I let it get me down, but I don't let it keep me there)

The 3rd suprise visit came in the form of an email from my very best friend from high schook, Jill Travers (Sunde) found me yesterday . We have been out of touch for years. I am looking forward to reconnecting and now have one more thing to be thankful for.