what a night! matt and i donned our "costumes" (cat ears for me - mouse mask for him) and passed out candy to the beggars. i'm simply amazed that today's teenagers don't have any shame in waltzing up to a door - without any costume at all - and asking for candy. i would've rejected them, but i'm always afraid some scorned teen would retaliate and the weeping cherry in my front yard is just too pretty to be desecrated with TP.

we were pretty sure that our plans to go trick-or-treating with the girls had fallen through and i had just recovered from my disappointment, finished handing out candy and turned off my porch light when there was a knock at the door... i assumed it was someone who didn't understand the universal rule that you don't knock on doors with no porch light. after some insistent knocking, i realized it was probably marisa and the girls, so i pried myself off the couch and answered, to find the cutest little cinderella and bumblebee combination i've ever seen! marisa had sensed the dissappointment in my voice when i found out they weren't coming and decided to come after all. they couldn't stay long, and it was well after dark and getting colder by the minute, but we managed to hit 5 houses on our block. becca is old enough to get the idea - but wasn't too keen on the phrase "trick-or-treat" - so she greeted every opening door with "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!" in the loudest, most gleeful 3-year-old voice she could muster. beth didn't get it at all, and was less than thrilled about having to be carried but her little eyebrows perked up when we got back to the house to sort through our stash. alas, i didn't get any good photos of them in their costume - my flash batteries had died, but i may have gotten a few of them going door-to-door... maybe. so i'll share those tomorrow. (maybe!)

thanks to those of you, friends and family, who have expressed support for matt's family. this is a rough time for them, and matt's handling it well, wisely and patiently - far better than i could if i were in his position.

over & out.