The Many Firsts......

There are many firsts when it comes to moving.  The first friend, the first time you get lost (of many I am sure), and the first holiday that you miss, just to name a few.   Tonight,  is one of them.....Beggars Night.  This is an insane crazy concept that some lunatic person came up with to keep the kids from actually Trick-or-treating on the actual night.  So it is usually 2 or so days before Halloween, and never is it on a Friday or Saturday.

Our neighborhood has always done this event very well.  One of the neighbors organizes it all and all of the families come and have dinner before. Then the bullhorn is blown promptly at 6pm and all of the kids dash to make sure they hit every house before it is time to go home.  He who scores the most candy wins!

 It is a great time for the parents as well and it gives us a chance to say hello, have an adult beverage and catch up.  All day I have been thinking about this and wishing that we could be there too. So many memories come from that night.  The mad dash to get the perfect costume finished.  The year that I finally let the kids go out on their own, with me following somewhere behind chatting with neighbors and replenishing our beverages along the way.   All of these are the things that I missed out on today.  And I admit I was sad.  Especially when a friend left a post saying it wasn't the same without us.  I am trying to cut down on the tear production here people!

But, I am trying to also remember that Saturday we will be starting new memories when we gather with our new neighbors and get to know them a little more.  There will be dinner, and drinks and a mad dash for the best candy.  And everyone will be a stranger at first.   But hopefully, some will be new friends by the end of the night.

Maybe even this guy.

So, maybe all firsts are not such a bad thing.  And maybe the hardest part is just getting through them so that they are no longer "The First".