A Memorable Day at the Pumpkin Patch

The crisp cool fall air touches my skin, as we are jostled left to right in the tractor pulled wagon. I take a deep breath, relax and quietly appreciate the contrast of the sun’s warmth on my face against the pleasant chill of October. My daughter shifts lazily in my lap looking out at the endless fields of pumpkins while my son’s expression reflects his anxiousness to explore. I love days like this: a day centered on time with our children, investigating the beautiful outdoors, and embracing the simplest pleasures of life.

We arrive at the pumpkin patch to a plethora of orange dotting the landscape. My children run up and down the rows enjoying the time to roam while I set out to find four flawless specimens. Each time I get close to a selecting a pumpkin, I discover that it is a bit more perfect than the previous one that I examined only moments ago. This encourages my indecision, and soon I am on a quest to find the most perfect of all the perfect pumpkins. In the meantime, my children are enchanted by the dirt – laying down, rolling around, and running their fingers across the pebbles much to my chagrin.  I have to remind myself of my husband’s philosophy: kids like dirt and dirt doesn’t hurt (Shakespeare he is not, but he does have a point).   

I hear my daughter squeal with joy as my son chases her, and I stop my pumpkin obsession momentarily to reflect on how quickly my daughter is growing up. At 18 months, she is starting to look like a toddler. Her face has started to look less like an infant’s, and she has suddenly started to sprout in height. She is independent, strong, and knows how to make her thoughts clear. In an instant, she stops and begins running after her brother with a look of determination that I have seen before. My son, surprised by the prompt change in direction, is taken aback for a brief second but then quickly accepts the new game. I laugh and feel grateful that my young children are beginning to play so well together. There is just something about watching your children having fun together that makes your heart sing.

It is late morning by the time we hoist our four unblemished pumpkins and our two heavily soiled children into the car. My husband and I exchange yawns as we watch our children slowly settle into their car seats. It is then that I’m reminded once again of how much they’ve matured in a short period of time. They are still babies in my mind of course, but with each passing day I see glimpses of what lies ahead. I see two children that are siblings and friends: protective of one another, loving, capable, smart as well as strong, and I feel blessed - blessed to be enjoying another beautiful day with my family, blessed that a simple trip to the pumpkin patch taught me so much, and blessed to be the mother of two remarkable children.

Embrace Your MOMentum

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