foam pumpkins

Our Styrofoam pumpkins have made their way out on the front steps. There's nothing quite like a hollowed out, fake pumpkin to put you in a festive October mood ;) I grew up having brick steps on the front of my house, and something about our front steps reminds my childhood home. Memories flooded back of my own mom posing me for pictures on our front steps on Hampton Farms. EK and I had fun positioning our pumpkins , just so. And, then rearrange them ...just so.

This all girl of mine  really gets into decorating for each holiday. She ohhs and ahhs over each detail with a surprised face. God knew what he was doing when he blessed me with a little girl who appreciates all the little details. She spotted her monogrammed "e" pumpkin and smiled. It was packed away in bubble wrap last year, so everything really is new to this three year old girl of mine.

Sadly, brother had an accident with the pumpkin. He thought that one of my pottery pumpkins was made of foam and during his imaginative leap, it shattered into pieces. He said, "I didn't realize this was fragile" It just so happened to be sister's  "e" gourd:( Big brother was so sorry--boy was he ever so very sorry. Big crocodile tears were streaming down his face in remorse. I think they both were crying for different reasons. And, it took him quite awhile to recover from that blooper of an oopsie. At our house, we understand that accidents do happen & just seeing his remorse was enough for me to shower him with a little grace. Sure I was disappointed, but we used our time cleaning with the broom to learn a very important lesson. There was something said about using our listening ears. respecting property and using self control over the sillies in the cleaning up, discussion  speech.

 And, those lessons are what I'm available for in the afternoons. I've been feeling really thankful and convicted lately to make all of these little moments count. There are so many times a teachable moment escapes me, but then there's the reward of a seized opportunity that makes you feel like you've really got this mom thing down.

Only by God's grace does He equip me to raise these two. It's when I'm on my knees that he gives me the strength to carry on and recharge my patience batteries. Oh, how I love them so. Even on the days when we're sweeping up broken pottery.