"Pumpkin Pie"

Thank you so much for the time spent in prayer for us tonight. As I stood by Ashley Kate's crib lifting her up to the Father I could feel the presence of many inside my heart. You will never know the impact you have made in our family and in the life of our little girl.


This was my very first image of this years fall. My first day outside in almost 7 weeks. Oh, how beautiful to spend the day outside enjoying all that the Father created along with two of our three children. Friday after rounds Dave and I took Blake and Allie to the pumpkin patch here in Nebraska. If you have never been to the pumpkin patch in Nebraska then I dare say you have never "really" been to one. I know I hadn't. The weather? Lets just say that living in Texas the majority of our pumpkin patch pictures have been staged. Through the years I have been known to "force" our family into sweaters and jackets in nice fall colors just to capture that fall like feel in our photographs. All the while the sun was beating down on us in about 90degree temps causing most of us (including me) to be miserable by days end, but oh the pictures I have taken. This years pictures are AUTHENTIC! The children had to keep jackets on in order to enjoy the day. I had to borrow a pair of tennis shoes so that I didn't freeze my toes off in my flip flops. I think the temps were around the mid 50's and it made for a perfect day of running around the amusement park, I mean the pumpkin patch. It was as big as an amusement park with just as much to do and enjoy. What a great time we had together. How I wish our "Pumpkin Pie" ( a new nickname one of the x-ray techs gave our Ashley Kate which just made me giggle) had been with us. When we asked if we could bring back a pumpkin in order to take some pictures of her with it and to let her touch it we were quickly told "NO!". So much for trying to be polite and ask. Next time I will just do it and let them chastise me for it later. So after all our wishing and hoping Ash did not get to see her first pumpkin. They told me to bring her a plastic one. Like a plastic one from the shelves of walmart that has been touched by a thousand hands was going to be any safer? We decided we would just have to wait another year to let her see one of those big orange circles.

I'm afraid if I shared with you all that we did this day you would be reading all night. So instead of boring you I will attempt to hit the highlights. What is there to do at a pumpkin patch other than pick out a pumpkin?

Paint ball. Pig racing (you would just have to be there to understand). Pumpkinopolis 5000 cart races. Gemstone Mining( Allie is an avid rock collector and we really enjoyed mining for stones. Dave and I have decide to sneak one of the emerald stones out of her bag and have it set in a ring for her for Christmas this year. I can't wait!). The Cookie Coop(Blake's favorite event of the day. An entire cone of warm, fresh, from the oven, gooey, chocolate chip cookies to warm your tummy. He was in Heaven and couldn't stop smiling!). Pillow jumping. Apple launching. Pumpkin cannons. Pumpkin eating dragons. Mazes( we all choose a different entrance and raced to the end. Who do you think won? Of course it was Blake.) Cotton candy, Carmel apples, chili, corn dogs, smores, campfires and anything else you can think of to make the experience last a life time. We truly had a great time just being together. In the back of our minds and always in our hearts remained our baby gherkin and a longing to have her there with us. Things just aren't as precious when we are separated, but still we remained thankful for the time we were given to enjoy a fun filled day. I long for the days when she is back out of the hospital and living life with us once again.

I pray this is the last holiday season she misses out on. Thanksgiving and Christmas remain on my prayer list and I know the Father knows how desperately we all want to be back home together in Texas(even if the weather is so warm we have to fake those photographs!) Thank you guys for rejoicing in out time spent together. Thank you for your continued prayers. Thank you for caring. Goodnight and may God Bless you. Trish