The first Halloween I can sorta of remember, and that's only because of the pictures, was the first Halloween we lived in Brookfield, the year my brother was born. We have pictures of my Dad and I carving pumpkins on the back porch, and then sitting there with smiles on our face. I miss my Dad's smile soo much.
I remember as we got older, Halloween afternoon cutting pumpkins on the porch with our "homemade" pumpkin carving knives - a scroll saw blade stuck into a block of wood, after my Dad got home from work. My Dad always made the best Jack-o-Lanterns. Back in the days when he cooked dinner, I remember him starting dinner, and making something quick and easy so that he could take my brother and I trick-or-treating around the village. While he cooked dinner, he'd answer the door to the early trick-or-treaters and hand out candy, while my brother and I bounced around the downstairs of the house with excitement for the evening in our almost always homemade costumes my Mom had spent hours making.
We'd always beg for him to take us other places other than just the village, but he always held firm. I can understand why now! We got a manageable amount of candy, not too much, but still more than we really needed!
I remember the Halloween we were in New Jersey, and my Dad had been in the hostpital, so I had flown up to Vermont to spend a little time with him and my Mom. They didn't have any pumpkins yet, and I asked my Mom if she was going to get some, and she said probably not. I told her that was the wrong answer, that we needed to get some pumpkins. I sat out on the porch just as I had as a kid, and carved a pumpkin, while my Dad layed in side just trying not to feel terrible. I'm not sure he ever truely new how much all the "ordinary" things he did for us on Halloween would stick with me, and mean so much to me.
I've been in a grumpy mood all week, and I came to the conclusion this morning that I'm just missing my Dad a lot. So this afternoon, after Brian comes back from Atlanta, Emma and I leaving work to go home and carve pumpkins, and this year in honor of my Dad, I'm going to attempt the best Jack-o-latern ever (haha!)!
For all you parents, I ask you to remember that someday all the family traditions you have, that seem like your kids don't take notice of, or feel are important, will someday have a strong meaning for them, and they will appreciate them. Even at 26 years old.
Daddy Thank You!
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