Pumpkins, Apples & Friends

Saturday morning found us ready for some fall festivities. 

After accomplishing a few tasks around the house, we poured some cocoa in our travel mugs and drove a few miles out of town to Wilson Banner Ranch to select our pumpkins.

This year our kiddo was ready to pull the cart instead of riding in it.

This one was pretty but a bit too heavy for our taste.

My little cheeser.

And his handsome daddy.

This kiddo lives to be outside.

Every so often we can bribe convince him to stand still for three seconds.

The next Headless Horseman?

{Does that look like the body of a two year old to you? Because it sure doesn't to me.}

After finding four pumpkins to our liking we headed back home to prepare for a paar-taay!

Actually, the boys napped while I prepared for the par-tay,

not that anyone is keeping track, mind you.

I have wanted to host a harvest party for years and this year we finally did it.

We invited some friends over for the afternoon, and we couldn't have asked for a prettier fall day.

I whipped up some cider and hot chocolate.

Everyone brought their pumpkins, carving tools and a snack to share.

It was one of the easiest parties I have ever put together,

and possibly the most fun too.

We set up tables in our carport and everyone got to work on their pumpkins.

Don't let that proud face fool ya,

this kiddo took off to play as soon as Justin started cleaning out the pumpkin guts.

We took a picture of each family with their finished pumpkins.

{Since I didn't ask the families if they approved of me posting their photos on our blog I am not posting them.}

The apple-bobbing barrel was a big hit with the kiddos.

Kendry quickly forgot about the apples and focused instead on how many times he could dunk his head into the water.

Kendry and his first bestie.

These two kept each other entertained all afternoon.

We also did some pumpkin bowling, which looked like this:

(source)

As Momma B would say: a great time was had by all!

Its now four days later and Kendry is still asking to thank Jesus for our fun party when we pray.

The harvest party is sure to become an annual event at our house.

HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday

I discovered just today that Justin captured this moment on video.

How I love my little running partner!

If you watch very closely you will see the split second I was tempted to pick up all 35 lbs of him.

Then I remembered I just ran 13.1 miles,
and that picking up anything heavier than a marshmellow was likely to knock me to the ground.

What Might Have Been

We attend a great church here in the LC Valley and have been blessed with a wonderful small group as well. Last night at small group, while I was talking with two women, Kendry became very intrigued with the pregnant belly belonging to one of these women.
After a few shy glances, he worked up the courage to ask her:
"You have a belly?"

This is the first time Kendry has been around someone so visibly pregnant (her baby is due in 2 weeks) and has been old enough to actually take notice. I enjoyed explaining to him that this woman had a baby in her belly. The woman asked Kendry if he thought it was a baby boy or a baby girl. Kendry told her its a girl.

Then he pointed at the woman and exclaimed: "She is a mom!"

My heart swelled with pride.
My two year old is grasping the mother-child connection.

How did he get so big already?

The drive home was bittersweet as I considered Kendry's lesson on babies from a different perspective.

Had our February IVF cycle been successful, today my belly would be just as big as this woman's is.
My due date would have been November 10th.

It would have been my growing belly that Kendry noticed.

My flesh asks:
What would our life would be like today without the significant heartaches we have suffered this year?

Faith reminds me:
Keep your eyes on the promises ahead.

Last Sunday our pastor preached on Hebrews 11, which is often referred to as the faith chapter.
Time and time again, the verses in Hebrews 11 start with: 'By faith...'
"By faith, Noah..."
"By faith, Abraham..."
"By faith, Moses..."

At the conclusion, our pastor challenged us with this question:
What is your 'by faith' story?

Example: "By faith, Jody..."


Today this is the best I can come up with:
"By faith, Jody trusted."


I'm trying, Lord.


 "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."
-Philippians 4:11-

Somebody Up There Loves Me

You know those moments that instantly brighten your life?

Those moments where it seems God has purposefully reached down and placed something incredibly special in your path, just so He can see you smile back at Him.

It is in moments like this – simple glimpses of just how much my Heavenly Father adores me – that I am reminded He knows me inside and out, my proud moments and my sad, my moments of contentment and the moments I feel so overwhelmed I could cry.

He knows how desperately at that very minute I need that beam of sunshine through the clouds, that bright yellow tulip on a rainy day, or that ‘just calling to say I love you’ phone call from my mother.

And He knows the desires of my heart, however simple they may be.

 

In Matthew 7:11, Jesus says:

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.”

 

Yesterday was just a typical Monday, until God reached down and gifted me with this:

A gently used Yamaha PSR-410 keyboard.

And I am positively giddy over its arrival.

 

As a child I took piano lessons for nearly nine years.

Every week day morning my sister Angel and I would rise sometimes as early as 5am to complete our obligatory 30 minutes of piano practice before leaving for school. Even in her sleep my mother always knew if we tried to cut our practice time short by 5 minutes.

Halfway through high school, however, my extracurricular activities began to overshadow the piano. I eventually stopped taking lessons.

When I graduated and moved out of my parents’ house, I made sure to pack all my treasured sheet music and take it with me. To this day I still have it. To some, it is simply paper collecting dust in my basement, particularly since I don't have a piano. But to me, it is beautiful music I spent hours learning to play, songs that became precious to me.

There is something about that moment a song finally comes together, and your fingers glide over the keys as if they have known the melody all along. In those moments, with the music resonating so powerfully from the piano, I felt like I finally understood what it means to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

For the last ten years my fingers and my heart have been yearning to play those songs again.

Justin has always known that some day I want a piano of my own. I have resigned myself to the fact, however, that day is not likely to arrive while we live in our current home because we don’t have room for a piano. Nor could we afford one right now, even if we had the room.

But God loves me.

He knows my heart.

And He knows how to give wonderful gifts to His children.

Yesterday He told me just how much He loved me through the gift of a used keyboard.

Today I am still smiling back at Him.

While we may not have room for a piano in our home, we certainly have room in our bedroom for a free keyboard.

Now if you'll excuse me,

I'm off to find my sheet music.

 

{To Bert and Irene: Your generosity has blessed me more than you will ever know.}

{To Nana and Grandpa: Thank you for transporting the keyboard across Washington for me.}

{To Mikki: Thank you for knowing I would enjoy such a gift. I am a very blessed daughter-in-law.}

Another Half Marathon

Last weekend I tackled my second half marathon here in Clarkston.

The day started out with some rain, but thankfully the sprinkling ceased prior to the race.

Justin ran the 5k race, which started at the same time.

{A big thanks to our friend Ann who watched Kendry at the start/finish line so Justin and I could both run without a 35 lb todder in a jogging stroller slowing us down.}

Once Justin's race was completed he hopped in the car with Kendry and drove out to the park to snap some photos of me mid-race.

Mile 10 and I still have a sense of humor.

There is, however, no humor to be found in that bump sticking out of my behind;

by this point in the race my glutes obviously had a mind of their own.

Shots from behind are rarely flattering...

 ...unless, of course, the photo shows three of the four runners

I passed between mile 10 and the finish line.

Boo-yah!

BULLETIN:

We interrupt this race to bring you some tear-jerking photos of the kiddo.

(look away now if sobbing kiddos break your heart)

Kendry was so excited to spot me approaching at the park,

and then heartbroken to see me run right by.

 Not to minimalize his heartache, but did you notice the $2.00 off coupon pinned to his jacket?

Kendry wanted a race bib just like Mommy and Daddy so we tore the coupon out of our registration packet and pinned it on.

He loved it!

Fast forward 3 miles and here I am completing the last 100m of the race.

Kendry offered his own encouragement by running the last stretch with me.

Again, shots from the rear are not my forte,

but I got a kick out of the fact that I totally look like one of those goofy speed-walkers in this photo.

I'd like to see you try to run normal after 13 miles!

FINISHED AT LAST!

Followed closely by my favorite pint-sized running partner.

OFFICIAL TIME: 1:51:27
My goal was to beat last year's time, and I did.
I knocked off a whole minute.

Up next:
The Turkey Trot on November 19th,
followed by Rubber Chicken Relay on Thanksgiving Day, a two person relay Justin and I will be running together.


And one more thing:
rockmyrun.com rocks!