Costumes and Candy

Here we go. The first round of trick-or-treating begins at 6pm tonight, at Dan's "hospital Halloween party". The girls have been talking about this event for weeks now, and I think they actually enjoy it more than the candy-fest that will be celebrated next week on the 31st. Who wouldn't love trotting around in a warm building, where people dump endless amounts of candy in your bucket, especially when it's followed by a celebration complete with pizza and cupcakes!

What the girls especially love about this event, though, is "going to Daddy's work". They delight in viewing where he spends his days, and seeing his office decorated with their photos and drawings. Whenever we visit there we have treats of some sort, so consequently they think that Daddy spends all his time at a wonderful place full of cakes, candy and good conversation. Beth can't wait to grow up and "go work at Daddy's great hospital", where she anticipates fun-filled days of "helping sick people" and "buying fun lunches at the cafeteria".

Obviously our ideas mature a bit as we grow and age, but I think that when I entered nursing school I had basically the same thoughts as Beth when I envisioned my future career in the medical field. But somehow the drudgery of the day-to-day responsibilities changed my perception of working in a hospital. It would be nice to bring back some of that child-like enthusiasm when I head off to work on the weekends. After all, I am helping sick people to feel better, and the food is pretty good. It's easy to focus on the negatives, when in actuality there are bright spots in most working days.

Hopefully all the children, decked out in their Halloween costumes and masks, can bring some joy to the staff and the patients at the hospital tonight. And let's also pray that Dan and I can survive the inevitable sugar-high that we are expecting this evening. Happy Halloween. Let the games begin.