SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

i got a call from my son, halloween morning, at around 7:30am

naturally, i was quite worried, because my son never calls me this early unless

a) he's really sick b) he's i~didn't~finish~my~homework sick

"hi tiger -good morning" i said with concern

"mommy... " (no cough)

"yes. whatz up?"

"well, i was just wonderin'"

"yes"

"can you for sure pick me up at 6 tonight, because i heard that the first 30 kids to john madden's house might get a video game"

i have the sweetest child on earth. just listen to that voice.. that excitement.. that anticipation

"honey.. i think that might just be a rumor.. but i will pick you up at 6, and we will for sure go to john madden's house, -k-"

and with my most reassuring mommy voice, we chatted some more, said our goodbyes and went on about our days

some part of me knew it was a rumor.

but optimistic visions passed through my head.. of autographed Wii games getting dropped into giant pillow cases

and if there was any truth to it

i was gonna have my son, and nephew there as early as necessary. why i would camp out on his lawn if i had too

i would.. accidentally trip any ghosts n' goblins that stood in our way..

and i have to leave for work write now, so i'll have to finish this later

or

-it was just a rumor.
-but we did all go

a whole great big bunch of us,
friends, family, more friends of friends

and the madden family house was not only decorated to the nines with spooky things.. it was decorated to the nines with spooky people

awesome fun!

and when we got to the door

or rather the steps that lead to the door

on the patio were a couple of darling costumed young ladies passing out the biggest candybars our kids have ever seen

GIANT hersheys

and we listened in, as mommy's do, to make sure our little trick or treators said, "thank you!"

and ~surprise~ i took a couple pictures

and we were off to hit some more of the general neighborhood



but before, during and after, and write now, i remind people

how john madden is my hero too. but not for the same reason he is my son's hero

not for the same reason he is a hero in the sports world

he is my hero because he lives with his fear

he lives around his fear

he did not spend his life trying to conquer his fear

he got a bus.

you cannot imagine how much i love this about him. i mean, i just, love, love, love this about john madden

and i get jealous sometimes

because i think if i was a strong, big, tall, sportsman, football player type

people would not bother me about conquering my fears. they might just leave me alone. let me be.

and i wonder how many people have said to john madden

"you'll fly again in time...

"you can't let this fear of flying get the best of you...

"you are a conqueror


blah blah blah


in my imagination.. most people just left (just leave) john madden alone.

if he wants to travel by bus.. then by God, he travels by bus.

and this adjustment hasn't adversely affected john madden's career or success one bit

look at his life!

so let that be a lesson

that you don't have to conquer every single f'in fear or thing that bothers you

find your bus. live a great life.