fall { ing}

Last year, I remember waiting to settle into our fall routine.  I patiently spent September figuring I only had to hang on til October to feel adjusted.  October came and brought more hectic mornings and bedtime battles. November had hunting trips and holidays. December is always crazy. Maybe February started to feel normal,  but when I factor in stomach flus and coughs and runny noses, there was not a dull  moment among the winter. And when spring came, I was still forgetting Maxwell's sandyview t-shirt for his field trip. As the school year ended, my pregnancy began and mornings were complicated with awful nausea and accompanying throw up.


So, this fall, I am more prepared for the feelings of never being completely prepared.  After the first couple of weeks I experience equal parts accomplishment and exhaustion. As night approaches once again,  I have a little pride at successfully completing another day and a lot of apprehension contemplating doing it all over again in far to few hours.
Even the weekends are full in the fall. Both boys competed in intense soccer games this Saturday.  We were so blessed to have lots of family supporting those adorable soccer studs. Auntie meg and uncle Austin even made signs that were promptly whisked upstairs to their room to display.

As brads work week was especially hectic moving birds, we intended to take full advantage of the blessing of a Sabbath.  The cool and rainy ish weather worked to our advantage as we nested, grilled some ham steaks which were completely devoured by our boys, and took some time to play the wii and watch a show. then we were off to check on the pumpkins, the only produce remaining in our garden.

We found lots of orange and immediately the adorables laid claim to the pumpkin of their choice. The afternoon involved lots of cleaning for those lucky pumpkins.

Warm, soapy water and dirty garden goods kept those babes busy.

The children were proud of their punkins, remembering when we planted them so long ago.

Thankfully,  pumpkins are forgiving plants. They survived two camping trips of almost total neglect. They overcame little piggies walking right over top of their tender shoots.  They fought the weeds and drought. They matured beautifully thanks to Gods grace.

So, this fall, i am doling out grae and relishing in the grace of god.

Like when max whined and complained about homework,  I graciously shortened his assignments each night untik I gave up completely and had to force him into finishing 3 days worth on sunday. Maxwell was less than impressed.  One of those assignments was to locate his word wall words in magazine s. well here we were sunday afternoon and the only magazines I had on hand were shape and Cosmo.  Neither of which are very suitable for my young son. I perused the ads for the words and then ripped out the pages so as to sheild maxer from the content. Grace!

Like how in desperation to visit with one of my besties I brought the tablet along to bigby and downloaed unlimited episods of my little pony and upgrades to despicable me 2 the game for entertain bear so I could converse.

Like when when I purchased yet another wand from the target salvage bins at goodwill for ayla jo so she would comply w/ my need to stop at the grocery store for milk on the way home.  although the problem of owning to many magic wands was solved on the way home when bear broke the new wand while attempting to remove the tag. Regardless,  I needed and gave grace.

Because truly all is well and we will thrive just like those pumpkins. Its fall ya'll!