Does your Mother Love You?

When I was in the fourth grade my family moved from Berlin, Germany to Colonial Heights, Virginia.  In Berlin we lived on base and went to school only with other Army brats.  In Virginia we lived a little ways off base with almost all civilian kids.  We moved in about the middle of October and Halloween was quickly coming upon us.  If I remember correctly, we were staying in guest housing, which is the Army's hotel until you get your permanent housing.  We didn't have all of our belonging yet and my siblings and I had to make do with whatever we could find to come up with Halloween costumes.  I guess I wasn't very original because I was a "racquetball player".  I wore a pink sweat suit, my dad's sweat bands and carried his racquet. 
Lame.
But there was this girl in my class named Amanda.  Her mother made her this amazing rag doll / Raggedy Ann costume.  Of course she won some "best costume" award.  I was more than a little jealous. 

That wasn't the only year I came up with something lame for a costume.  One year I dressed as a cleaning lady.  I actually wore an apron of sorts and carried feather dusters and rags and maybe wore my hair in curlers.  What was I thinking?
In junior high I wore my younger brother's football uniform, full tackle pad and all. I think the boys were scared of me.

When we kids were younger my mom did make (as in SEW) for us cute costumes.  I was a pumpkin one year, a pioneer another.  I remember her sewing my youngest brother a darling little devil costume with glow in the dark horns (wish I had that for Cannon this year).  But I think she got tired or something and eventually let us fend for ourselves in the costume department.  I can understand that-- I'm feeling a little tired myself.

A couple of nights ago Abe and I saw a Target commercial on TV.  A boy, about age 6, has a very depressed look on his face as his mother puts the finishing touches on a homemade Iron Man costume.  The basic idea was there, but the costume was rather plain and unimpressive.  Then the screen flashes to a wowser-dowser Iron Man costume this mother could have bought at Target for only $20 and made her son truly happy.   How sad for this young man.  His mother didn't love him enough to spend $20 on a costume. 
Side note:  This mother didn't have 6 children to outfit for Halloween at $20 a pop.

When I was in the fourth grade and Amanda's mother MADE her costume and when my mom MADE us costumes when we were younger-- it meant that our mothers loved us.  If your mother really loved you, she made you a Halloween costume.  Nowadays, your mother only makes you a costume if she doesn't love you enough to buy you one. 
Twisted.