Happy Halloween!

This Halloween was very different for us. We bought the candy to give out, but if we don't count Max's counselor and his wife and baby and don't count the people that live downstairs, we made only three trips to the door for trick-or-treaters. Too much candy leftover!



But the 31st also happened to be the birthday of the little girl downstairs. Her name is Danna. Her mother is Ilda and her four-year-old brother is Alejandro (Alex). Danna turned eight-years-old and will soon be baptized. They are an hispanic family from Mexico. They stayed in their apartment in Houston during the hurricane even though they were ordered to evacuate. They endured a month without electricity or water and the neighborhood pooled their food so that all could eat. Ilda is also expecting a baby.


Victor, the father, sent them to Utah where they knew many people, including our family. He will be coming in a couple of months when his job can transfer him. So for now, they are living with us. Not as renters, just as friends.
Ilda had never before made a cake. So on Thursday I taught her to bake a chocolate cake and decorate it as a jack-o-lantern. She learns quickly and did all the fancy decorating herself. We surprised Danna and had both cake and ice cream. Later, one of Ilda's missionaries that had served in Texas came by with a piñata. We strung it up on our tree with our dog's tie-out. We laughed and laughed as either Danna or Alex tried to hit it with the bat and the other one pulled the cord up and down. Finally Danna hit it and the candy went flying. It was good to see them all laugh. They have had much hardship and have suffered a great deal.

Our children and grandchildren were all far away on this holiday evening, but we enjoyed the children that are here, and thought fondly of those that were not.