blooming where i'm planted: Holding OTHER People's Babies...

Beautiful church in our town with a fascinating cemetery around it!

Since John and I married...we have lived in Augusta, Georgia - Darmstadt, Germany - Augusta, Georgia (again) - Charlottesville, Virginia - West Point, New York - Mannheim, Germany...and now..."Little Bity Town", Maryland. Here's the funny part....very time we move, I resist....and resist...and cry and stomp and turn my head, close my eyes and hold my breath. It's true, ask my neighbors. I really HATE learning to love a new place because I am realistic and a dreamer at the same time - REALISM tells me that I will learn to love the place, people, customs, little quirks....and then we will have to break up and I will move to another town. The DREAMER in me says, "Go ahead...love it ALL...snuggle in and hug the locals - They will love you...embrace you and your military brood and cry like babies in a nursery when your moving van pulls up - packs you out and speeds away...it will be in slow motion...like a movie...with sad, sweet music and hugs....LOTS of hugs."

But, this morning while I was working off those darn little chick-o-sticks that my kids collected yesterday from our neighbors..it occurred to me....I am just like the lady who walks into a church social and asks to hold your baby...because mine are all grown up and I really need my "baby fix". I can hold your baby, snuggle your baby, change it and give it a bottle....but THAT does not make me "BELOVED AUNTIE CHRISTY"....it makes me a baby holder. It would take YEARS for me to become "Auntie Christy"....and folks, let's face it...military family don't HAVE years...we only have months.

Here is something funny I am learning about my sweet little new town. Yesterday I walked into a neighbor's house for "dinner before Trick-or-Treating"...to a HOUSE FULL of people I didn't know. SO, I said, "Hi, I'm Christy Harris....and...we're new!" then I waved...like I was 6 years old. AND, from the corner a sweet lady said, "HI! We're new too!" and I was instantly drawn to her! Then without any warning she said, "How long have YOU been here?" and I said, "We've been here since June!" and she said, "Oh, you ARE new...we've been here 2 years!".....WHAT??? AND YOU ARE NEW??? I'm doomed to be a baby holder from here on out...

This sweet town is going to let me hug it, hold it, rock it, change it's diaper and give it a bottle...it may even let me sing to it and put it down for it's nap - but to ever be anything other than a baby holder...I am going to have to be here longer than I KNOW we are going to be. Our only hope is 4 years...I bet you it would take 20 years of cuddling to be be "Auntie Christy"...and that's the truth!

HOWEVER - what my new found "BABY HOLDER" title firmly stuck to my back with duct tape we embraced Halloween here with everything we had. We asked around about the "usual" and planned to try and fit in.

Here's the routine: Dinner at a friend'd house from 4pm-5pm

Trick-or-Treating in the DAYLIGHT from 5pm until 6:15pm

Leave out a bowl of candy and head into town for a small town parade from 6:45-

7:15

THEN...walk to the local Fire Department for ckae, cider and games from 7:30-8pm

But, word on the ONE STREET WE HAVE today was that something was UP with the Fire Hall because they forgot the cake and cider. People were in a TIZZY and I bet you someone is already getting to the bottom of the missing cake and cider. Dang it - it's just isn't Halloween without gingerbread and spiced apple juice in a mug!

It's funny...after everything...after realizing we were going to always be "baby holders" and after realizing we would never be "from here"....we found ourselves in the middle of SMALL TOWN USA and for a moment... we were a part of their fabric. We were in their fibers. We got to snuggle the baby and it was good...just a sweet little baby...in a sleeper and blanket and we got to hold it!

I want to show you what all of this sweetness looked like.....enjoy...

And for the record...I AM "Auntie Christy" you just don't know it. I'm going to snuggle you until you realize it! Now who's the cutest little town? You are...yes you are! Goo goo ga ga....PEEK A BOO! AUNTIE CHRISTY LOVES YOU!