Mo Pumpkins

Ah the Pumpkin Patch. Abra had been asking for a year when we were going to go back.

So many good memories from last year. We had planned to go on a Sunday night in October - about a week after we moved to Marietta. I had been feeling that something wasn't quite right for several days so that Sunday in the afternoon, I went to Wally world to pick up some house things, along with the good ole pregnancy test (without telling Alan of course - no need to alarm anyone). I was so worked up about it that I almost passed out walking around in the store. I thought that might be a bad sign. I got home, waited for Alan to get distracted with something, and went to take the test. It read positive within 30 seconds, of course. I walked out of the bedroom, threw the test at him, and burst into tears.

So after a good cry (and a good laugh on Alan's part - not sure how he takes these things so well), we headed to the pumpkin patch with the girls as planned. It was actually an encouraging experience as we encountered several other families who looked to be in the same situation as we suddenly found ourselves in. They looked tired but not out of control. Apparently 3 kids under 4 was not the end of the world.

And where would we be today if little Oliver had not come into our lives at the exact moment he did? Life would be much less challenging, I could not have conned Alan into getting me a 4 bedroom house so soon, we would be getting WAY too much sleep, Abra would already know how to read, Neiv would be potty-trained, we would be attending "biblical counseling" seminars at our church, I would be crafting and couponing left and right, we would be downright prideful of our mad family-planning skills, I would be a much better cook, we'd keep a clean house, every day would be "predictable," and Alan would be ready to run that marathon he always talks about.

Ok maybe that is a bit optimistic. Yet even with all that, life would be much less satisfying. I look back and laugh at last years' pre-pumpkin-patch-pity-party. I could not imagine life without little O. His smile melts my heart every time and makes each exhausting day worth it.

So with that said, here are the pictures from THIS year's trip to the pumpkin patch. We are so thankful that the Lord, in His graciousness, gave us Oliver.

And with or without him, our chances of taking a good family picture were pretty bad anyways.

If he is anything like his Daddy...

This makes me feel old.

Neiv, typically destructive, liked to throw the pumpkins.

Neiv and the ugly gourd (sp?) she picked out.

Attempt to get all three in a picture. Yes he fell over right afterwards but Daddy caught him.

Two out of five smiling ain't bad. :-)