A "Spooktacular" Revelation

We have been in MA now for a little over a week and all I can say is .... I'm loving it thus far!

The boys first day of school went well.... we lost Armando for a time being, but found him in the cafeteria surrounded by a table full of girls eating breakfast..... by the time I found him I was sooo outraged and scared that all I could do was start laughing (outloud I might add) at the relief of finding him and looking at the situation from an outside point of view. I mean ...this was raw comedy at it's best.... "picture this"..here he is.. the only boy, at a table full of girls, his faced smeared with cream cheese and what looks like a drop of chocolate milk on his shirt and saying.."I'm eating breakfast with my friends"... this was his FIRST day of school!!!! Well, that's my Armando... the social butterfly.

Giovanni's first day of school was his 6th birthday and the teacher had a special treat for him.. all the children in his class made him a birthday folder... it really is something cute. All the children drew pictures of what they would like to wish Giovanni for his birthday. It was a great night time read! I also took in cupcakes to share with all of his classmates.

Emilia.... this little lady... well there isn't any stopping her! She is crawling, pulling herself up to a standing position and taking a few steps. She is teething her 3rd tooth, trust me.. this poor angel is really feeling it.. and is just leaving drool around the house like a snail leaves an ooze trail! Everything she touches goes into her mouth.. she is even trying to eat the dog's nose.. and NINI just stands there and lets her....

To get to my "Spooktacular" Revelation. The reason the post is called this is because of the revelation I had on Halloween. It isn't scary, twisted or even Spooky... I just liked the sound of it. Here's the story and my revelation:

Trick or treating began at 5:30. Armando wanted to wear his old Karate uniform, Giovanni was a lion and Emmi was a ladybug. We shuffled the kids out of the house.. down the street and found the first house decorated and with the outside lights on. First house... we proceed to ring the bell... trick or treat?... treat...yippee! It started out that it was just the 5 of us... then we heard what sounded like a whole village behind us... sure enough.. the approaching children started yelling to the boys and now we are engulfed in the "swarm"... the sounds of little footsteps ..."trick or treat" and giggles are all that is heard in the still air. The Moon is 3/4 full and the sky is slightly cloudy. Parents approach my husband and I and they introduce themselves and welcome us to the community. The parents are already familiar with my boys... "the new kids". We apparently are already famous!. One of the mothers asked.. "Have you been to the Dr and Mrs Whitman's house yet?" I replied no...she said you have to go..I replied, "we will, thanks"..so... as we continue to walk.. the parents swarmed.... walking slowly..all of the while the kids are running ahead..from house to house...it was then..that I had the complete feeling of "exhale-ing"..I turned to my husband..and put my arm around his shoulder while he is pushing our "ladybug" in the stroller.. and said "this is what people dream about"..."this is the american dream".. short of the white picket fence... this was the dream! Older looking colonial homes on a tree lined street, with neighbors and children outside playing... laughter in the air.... we caught it... it is in our grasp.... the vision that so many seek, so many long for, it is here for us now! vAt that moment.. sheer and utter peace! I haven't felt that content, (well not since March 17th anyway), that soulfull, that blessed, that at ease in quite a long time. The weeks of packing, of possibly being jobless, the moving, the traveling from state to state.. it really was taking a toll on my emotional and mental state w/o my real knowledge. But it was there.. at that moment.. on Halloween that I realized...Yes.. this is what life SHOULD be... this is what my life IS... this is what I will SAVOR..this is what I will remember......

And for one splitting moment.. I thought... But could this really be perfection? am I still in the honeymoon phase?... well maybe... but I am being skeptical and even though I know that every silver lining has a touch of grey.. I am going to keep my belief that this is a little slice of heaven.... one which I will devour slowly and enjoy every little morsel of. I will continue to live in my bubble.. b/c who knows when I will ever find this kind of exhale-ing moment...

oh and after trick or treating: we went the the good Doctor's and Mrs' house.... and here it was... a garage decorated to the hilt while the Dr. and Ms. Betty were serving apple cider and sweets.. neighbors talking about the football season, how each child was doing in school, the who of who's are there, it was like one big family! .. this is small town living at it's best.... this was nothing short of a Norman Rockwell painting.. a Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale... and....If this was only Halloween then I know that without a doubt.. I'm sure that Charles Dickens will be around for Christmas!