Soul Searching

     Halloween is in a few days. Think about this for a moment. Because, it means that exactly 12 hours after your porch light is off for the night, and your little monsters are tucked into bed, and all parents have thoughtfully consumed all the "Poisoned" chocolate in their kids' treat bags: The holiday season will have officially started.

     This year, I am so not ready. Usually I have a layaway started and odds n ends tucked away already. Nada. The other day, I DID leave work a few hours early, so I could drive for 2 hours and pick up a large box of Legos that someone was selling on an online garage sale site for a ridiculously small amount. So. We have Lego's for Christmas so far. I figure I have a few more weeks before the panic needs to officially set in. Honestly: I have not had the time. Every weekend seems so jam packed full of something or other. Once hunting season begins, I will have even less time to get it all done and figure out all the Sunday school schedules, as well. It'll  happen somehow. It always does. Mostly, this just means I will probably get not a little snappy with anyone who announces they are pretty much done with their shopping for now.

     Last week was Spirit Week at my children's school. My kids seemed to throw themselves into it more wholeheartedly than usual. Ending with this conversation:

     "Mom. I have a problem."

     "What's up, Joe?"

     "I traded spirits with Seth."

     "WHAT? Can  you repeat that, please?"

     "Seth and I traded spirits. It's not good."

Honestly. At this point, I began laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

     "I don't understand why you're laughing, Mom. I miss my spirit."

HOWLING at this point.

     "I think it is making me sad, to have to deal with someone Else's spirit."

Tears.

     "I don't think we are trading our spirits back for at least another week."

      "STOP!!!" I begged, laughing so hard I could barely talk.

     "I wonder  how my spirit is doing? If it LIKES Seth, or if I should try to get it back early."

This conversation went on for another few minutes. It came out of nowhere, and my immediate reaction of laughter harder than I have laughed in months, was probably inappropriate.  I mentally wondered if I should look into an exorcist for my poor spirit-less kid. It was determined  during an assembly sometime during Spirit Week, by Joe and Seth, that Joe had more school spirit than Seth, which is highly unusual for both of them, so, somehow their spirits must have gotten switched around.
 
     Even now, as I type this, I am laughing so hard. Joe was planning to go to school and request from Seth that they switch back their spirits today.

     I never know what is going to come out of that child's mouth. Recently, Kaila saw me putting my shoes on, and asked if we were going somewhere. I said we were, and Joe proceeded to growl: "She knows too much. Now she must be eliminated."

     The other day, when leaving the store, one of the kids asked if we were going home now. I said we were. Only to hear Joe announce "The mission has been completed."

     I just never know. I hope all the time, that he never ever changes. Ever.

     I had a flash back to Joe at the age of 4 the other day, when George mussed softly that the clouds must probably be soft to the touch. At the same age, Joe was demanding to know everything I knew about clouds, and everything I DIDN'T know about clouds. At no point did he ever look at them dreamily and think they were soft. It's amazing, how different every single kid can be.

     I think I'm going to leave it at this today. Mostly because I am completely out of time to write much more. Also because, I needed a smile today, and just writing about Joe gave me one, and I don't want to mess with it. Happy Halloween!