What will William be?

Prelude:
Have you ever read a book and wondered why the author wrote a prelude? Or why they exist in the first place? It isn’t really PART of the story, and when writing fiction why write something that isn’t part of the story? It’s not like it helps explain the story better…the entire story is fake! But, I realized today that to better understand the main “body” of this post it requires a prelude, so for any authors who have created characters in their heads maybe there is more to their personalities and lives than the book will unfold. And sometimes as a reader I feel like the prelude did nothing but take more reading time, and I have felt like I could have lived not having read it. But, as a writer (amateur as I may be) I just enjoy to put words on the paper and preludes are just one more way. SO, enter the prelude…

Do you have a least favorite holiday? It’s a funny thing to think about – a negative side to a holiday – but I do. It’s New Years Eve. I think there are multiple reasons for this, and I’ll try to explain. First, this was my parents’ anniversary and while I never consciously THINK of it as a day that we should be celebrating their would-have-been anniversary (this year would be 34 years I think!!!) I do think my mind is subconsciously focused on that. Second, I think it is the most highly anticipated and over rated night of the year. There are so many expectations on how to ring in the New Year, send the old year off with a bang, and for me…the expectations are never met. There’s planning and anticipation and wardrobe selections and funny hats and noise makers…and in the end, it’s always a letdown. Either the night wasn’t fun, something went wrong, I got tired of rubbing shoulders with strangers, or I sit in the couch at home at 10:30 trying my hardest to keep my eyes open another 90 minutes. It just seems to never live up to my dreams. Third, I find it a little odd that we celebrate the milestone in the way we do anyway. It may be odd for me to think this, seeing as I think birthdays and anniversaries are huge reasons to celebrate, but I just think we should greet each day with a positive outlook and a fresh perspective. Doesn’t always happen, yeah I know (ahem, me today!) but it should be attempted. Why do people think in October “oh, my new year’s resolution this year will be to quit smoking”? Why not quit now? What about a “new year” makes you think you should wait until then to do what you could or should do now? Why don’t we have new day resolutions? Or new day parties? Or new week parties? If Philip Wells were reading this, he’d be laughing out loud thinking “some things never change” because we had this debate countless times in high school. But I’m sorry, it’s true.

So, my least favorite holiday is new years. There, I said it. I’m a Grinch.

Halloween, to some people’s surprise, is not my least favorite. I just don’t have feelings about it one way or the other. If we never had Halloween again I wouldn’t shed a tear, and I may not even notice. But I don’t dislike it or have any personal or religious feelings against it. Growing up our family did not celebrate it which I think feeds my apathy, and I never felt deprived as a result. Our parents gave us bags of candy and really, that’s all that matters at the end of the day anyway. There just truly are no feelings inside of me for Halloween.

Body of Blog:
Long before William was a twinkle in my eye (let’s face it, he was always a twinkle in his dada’s eye) Austin and I discussed that I’d be great at homework and crafts and valentine’s cards and other important aspects of childhood but Austin would need to pick up the slack on Halloween. It just wouldn’t ever reach my radar. I’d help him get dressed up if he wanted, I’d talk up the excitement, and I’d be an excellent assistant, but I wouldn’t take the reins on this one. Look at me, letting go of control. Applause warranted.

Moving on.

Our agreement was he would do trick or treating, I would stay home and pass out candy and take pictures as they left. Deal.

Our agreement did not have an amendment for deployment, and clearly it should have. I’ve been mentally stressed over Halloween for months, only because I’m stressed that the day will come and I will have done nothing but think about it. So far, it rings true. I think he’s too young to trick or treat…we’d be fighting over walking on the sidewalk, we only know a few neighbors so it’d be short lived anyway, and he doesn’t need a bag of candy. Nor do I for that matter. His school is having a “fall festival” on the Friday before from 3-6 with a “trunk or treat” in the parking lot, some games and such inside, and a little parade around the fire station. I will not be offering up my truck for the trunk or treat…I’m not nearly crafty enough to decorate the truck for the kids’ enjoyment, but maybe I’ll go to the parade and walk him around to all the different trunks. Whew, there…we’ll celebrate Halloween.

In addition, a coworker is having a party at her house that Saturday for all the kids in our department (8 under age 4!) and she’s having a balloon artist, face painter, jump castle, and crafts. Wow, she’s ambitious. So we’ll do that too.

I feel awfully proud that I’ve piggy backed on other people’s plans so well here and that Halloween won’t go unnoticed.

Uurrrrch (that’s the sound of brakes squealing on a big truck)

He has no costume. I have no ambition to make one, I have no desire to shop for one, I don’t know what he should be…apathy rears its head again. I just don’t really care! He loves elmo, but elmo seems so overdone and he might have an elmo birthday and our house is overrun with elmo and…well…we don’t need an elmo filled life do we? He could be…ok, elmo is all I’ve got. That’s as far as my brain has thought.

And here enters my anti-deployment stubbornness. This is austin’s job. Period. He does Halloween. Granted we’ve only had one so far, and granted we bought the costume together and that was the extent of Halloween…but he does it. Not me. I don’t do costumes. I don’t do trick or treating. I don’t do it. I don’t.

Anyone want to pick out his costume? Now accepting applications. But be prepared for potential veto’s from the Wallis house manager, I hear she’s kind of picky.


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