Halloween

We had a wonderful Halloween. We have been celebrating all month long-with pumpkin patches, caramel apples, halloween parade, carving pumpkins, lots of candy, hay ride, lots of costume wearing, and lots of fall fun with our family.

Today, we went to church, and the girls had their religious ed class. They got a prayer for when carving the pumpkin that we prayed as we carved each part and will now become a new tradition for our family:


"Pumpkin Prayer"

{cut off top of pumpkin}
Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards}
Remove the things in my life that don’t please you.
Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes}
Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose}
I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth}
Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle}
Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do. Amen

Then, after carving the pumpkin the kids took a nap so that we wouldn't have little gremlins trick-or-treating ;). When they woke up we decided to start off trick-or-treating at the mall. It was crazy busy. So, we only visited a few stores. Joshua was so into it though and excited. It's so crazy how he's turning into a boy and not so much a baby these days. He wants to do everything like his big sisters. They are loving that he's wanting to interact more with them. There was a lady with a black sweatshirt and black pants on and she had painted her skeleton and a little baby where her baby bump was. I looked at Nelson and told him to look and how cute it was, and then said, "I have never been pregnant on Halloween"...then, as soon as the words met my lips so did the flood of emotions as I thought about how I thought I should have been. We were literally in a store and I had to fight my tears to not start. It's crazy how still my grief can hit me at a moment's notice. Tonight though the kids were in the bath, and I said, "Have you ever seen a more perfect boy?" Mikayla, said, "I think God saved him just for us". Yes, I agree. God had our lives laid out and even though I thought I'd have a May babe, and be pregnant on Halloween, God had different plans. God made Joshua a part of our family, and I truly can't imagine our life any other way.

Well, after that emotional trip to the mall, we headed to my Grandparents house. The kids got to trick-or-treat in Gigi and Pop Pop's cookies and candies, and were very excited. Joshua got to chase their dog and all were happy :). We headed home for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. My parents and sister joined us! I got tired of carrying a heavy and cumbersome Nemo and tried to put him in the wagon where he hollered to get out with his sisters and trick-or-treat. I couldn't believe how into it he was! Already thinking about next Halloween! Can I decorate for Christmas now?