A true Halloween story...

A true story as relayed by a friend of mine at ATK:

For the last two months Matthew has been asking us if we are going to attend his music program October 25th at 7pm? And, if we are excited to see him perform? When I say that Matthew has asked us this everyday for the last two months I mean THE LAST TWO MONTHS - EVERY DAY.

It's important to note that he has called it his "Music Program" for 2 months also.

Of course costumes are involved and lucky us right around halloween. AND it has to be separate from his Halloween costume because he CAN'T be an animal for Halloween he's "8 Mom!"

So I asked him if he wanted to be a lion. "No" Adrian is a lion and then people wouldn't be able to tell us apart. So off we got to an actual costume shop an hour away 2 Saturdays before Halloween.

Once we arrived we had only 2 animal costumes to choose from -not a huge surprise. I mean really, how many kids want to be an animal in third or even second grade for Halloween? That's a whole other topic - but I thought there might at least be more than a penguin with a red bowtie and a Dalmation. The kid on the Dalamation package looked so nerdy I would have tripped him walking down the hall.

So, I said to Matthew "looks like your're going to be a penguin!"

"OK Mom" as he's trying to decapitate Rose with a sword and vise versa.

$40.00 and one foam Penguin costume later we're golden! WE'RE GONE!

Sunday evening when baths homework etc. needed to be wrapped up Matthew had to try the costume on one more time to make sure it fit AND that the dog was still freaked out when being chased by an 8 year old penguin.

This morning Matthew proudly brought his costume to school for dress rehersal.

When he got off the bus I asked him if his music teacher liked his costume and he said "yes" and that he is the only penguin in the program! Thank God! HOME RUN!

Then Matthew adds "You know why Mom? Because there are no penguins in the Rain Forest".

RAIN FOREST? WHAT RAIN FOREST?

"Yes that's what our program is about!"

You never said anything about a Rain Forest! I didn't get a memo on the god damn Rain Forest! You just said you had to be a *&#@&^* ANIMAL!!!

"Oh, yea. It's about the Rain Forest. Can I have some Halloween candy?"

So, the Merkel family will sat proudly in the audience taking pictures of the only known penguin to EVER live in the Rain Forest of Franklin Elementary Colorado.

And Matthew? He didn't feel out out of place or odd. No, not our Matthew.

He is not a man amongst men, but a penguin amongst the Rain Forest!