Happy Halloween Evening, Pumpkin People!
We just got home from Trick or Treating. Abby did great and was able to fill her 2 gallon home depot bucket with candy. She was able to trick or treat with her cousin for the first leg of the neighborhood, before we split off and Holly's sister showed up to surprise her in the bottom part as we made our way to our Pastor's house. We were pretty tired by the time we walked all the way back up the hill and back to the car.
Halloween here is "winding down", I'm going to finish out the evening by doing my last bit of "Halloween Grazing" of the 2025 Halloween Season. I've got the new thread ready to go and it will be going up probably in an hour or so. I will post the link in this thread to direct everyone to the shiny new 2026 Halloween Countdown.
And now for my "final thoughts" on Halloween / Halloween Season 2025:
All of the "regulars" on this thread know my story and why the 2025 Holiday Season has meant so much to me, but in case anyone is new to the thread this year, let me give a summary.
My wife and I had our first child, my daughter Abigale in 2022. Holly's pregnancy was uncomplicated, but she had complications with her C-section, lost about twice the amount of blood a normal person does, and nearly had to get a transfusion. Abby was born healthy and almost 9 pounds, but she had to spend 4 days in the NICU because of having low blood sugar from Holly having gestational diabetes.
Fast forward to September 2024, I find out that Holly was expecting #2. Severe anxiety gripped me again and put a major damper on most of my 2024 Holiday Season. I decided that the only way that I could "fight" the anxiety and to prepare myself for hospital trip #2 was to undergo intense physical training to try and keep my mind and body busy. I got in tremendous shape and was able to set PR's on several of my running events, but it seemed like the more I trained, the worse the anxiety got. We found out that we were going to get a May delivery date (C-section again), and it was not lost on me that somehow, if I could conquer the hospital just as "The Road" was opening up, I would have the richest and most rewarding holiday season ever, as I would just be so tremendously thankful that we all made it out on the other side.
Holly gave birth to my son, Jason, on May 22nd, and had an absolute BREEZE at the hospital. We were there almost 55 hours, with the last 6-8 hours or so waiting for the discharge paperwork. Every single thing that I worried about never showed up this second and final time. We left on May 24th just as the "100 days to the Bers" milestone was reached. I knew that this Holiday Season was going to be the best ever.
Halloween is nearly in the books now, and I am just so rich as a husband and as a father, I try and thank God every day for my wonderful wife and my healthy children. The Holidays are so much more fulfilling to me trying to see so much of it through the eyes of my children. I can't wait to make the first steps into Christmas Season tomorrow!
Thank you for the long read! There's never a day that goes by that I don't think of how fortunate I am. I just feel like all of the Holidays are really a time to be Thankful, which comes to the forefront even more as we head into November here in the next few hours.
Thank you for being a part of my journey with me!
