Trick or Treat

Halloween this year started out with a Young Life party for Casey on Thursday night. Hopefully soon his costume will become reality! He certainly looks the part, don't you think?

My friend Shauna had organized a Halloween carnival for the kiddos at work, complete with a cake walk, pin the spider on the web, and trick or treating. I decided to resort back to my youth, and dress up as a ballerina. Some things never change... I still love the color pink, and I still lack the gifts of rhythm & grace.

I left the hospital and headed home to remove the scores of bobby pins out of my make-shift bun, wash out the hair spray, and change into warmer clothes to prepare for an evening of sitting on metal bleachers at an outdoor stadium. I grabbed dinner on they way... Nasai Teriyaki, and headed to meet Casey at Redmond High School.

The Mustangs were victorious and beat their opponents, the Kangaroos. As always, it was fun to watch Casey interact with his kids... both his Junior High players that he coaches, and the older boys in his Young Life group. The Lord is certainly using his eager and willing heart for His glory.

Although I did not know of this until the following morning, our Halloween evening ended with the greatest blessing of all... My dear friend Amber gave birth to her baby girl, Avery. Congratulations, Amber and Chris, on your beautiful little one. Oh, how I cannot wait to meet her, hold her, and of course, babysit her! Seeing as I do not have a photo of the sweet babe yet, I have added a photo of the new momma, Amber. How cute is she?!?!

To all, I hope that your Halloween was enjoyable and safe. As I was flipping through radio stations yesterday in the car, I came across Christmas music... on October 31st! It was a reminder of the fast-paced society that we reside in, and a challenge to not succumb to this way of living. My prayer for Casey and myself is also my prayer for you... that we may recognize each day as a gift, a blessing, and not anything less. That we may enjoy and live out each day as such, and not simply exist as consumers of space and oxygen. I pray that in the present, we might not wish for the future or long after the past, but rather dwell in "the now." Now that we have reached November, I hope that you all will enjoy the last of this beautiful autumn season. Bake pumpkin bread, serve apple cider with dinner, enjoy outdoor walks with crunchy leaves beneath your feet, and approach the upcoming holiday with the attitude it is named after...thanks. And then, after all of this is thoroughly enjoyed, we will be able to accept and listen to Christmas music on the radio, but not a day before.