I think we found The Great Pumpkin!! We had a great time with the Chesterfield Berry Farm Pumpkins today.
We started the day with a parking spot that couldn’t be closer to the gates if we had camped out there all night. Normally, I love walking and could care less about a parking spot, but today it would be just myself and my 9 year old carrying back the pumpkins from the patch. I feared he’d pick out one larger than we could both carry and closer to the car was a much better option than 1/2 mile across the lot.
The car parked next to us was using the ‘loading/unloading zone’ as opportunity to put on her daughter’s socks, and shoes, and jacket. And, well, my guy was in the back of the car waiting to unload and biting at the bit to get this party started.
Instead of getting frustrated, I decided to jump out and at the risk of interfering with her dressing room, 😉 I carefully unleaded the big guy. As I was getting my camera ready, I asked the woman next to us, “Does everyone have their free admission tickets?”
We had been collecting some from the Chesterfield Berry Farmer’s Market with our bi-weekly shopping trips in hopes that the group of us would be able to go, but it was just my son and I after all. She said, “What? No! We’re just here and have no idea what it’s going to cost (that would be about $20 each). So, I was able to start the morning by giving her the six extra we had. I’m so thankful because there were 11 of them altogether and I don’t believe they had planned on this pumpkin excursion costing them over $200!
Deciding to head for the Great Pumpkin himself, first, we loaded up on the hayride wagon and headed out. What a great time. As we rode and enjoyed this gorgeous day the Lord had given us I leaned down to my son and told him I took this ride for the first time 26 years ago. A lot of great memories of my class field trips and family trips since, but not one was as special as this one-just N and I.
Our farmer-driver dropped us off in the lane on the right side of the pumpkin patch. We then ran over to the left side of the patch, of course. You’ll see which pumpkin he decided to keep; there were many that got the exclamation, THIS ONE! Usually that was a false alarm. Suddenly he was ready to load back up and head to the rest of the fun, and despite my assurance of not having to run to catch ‘that tractor and this time,’ we waited. And waited. And survived the wait, but we didn’t do anything else, but wait, and wait in case we’d be distracted and miss the next one. We didn’t!
Any five pumpkins were $19.99 and let me tell you what a deal that is IF and when my husband and oldest son were with us, but they weren’t. So, we took our two carefully picked pumpkins to the scale and cashier. Less than $5.00. Can you believe it? Free tickets, all the fun, 2 pumpkins and not even 5 dollars for the date. Again, the Lord put in my path someone who I could help in a tiny way. Poor young girl working the registers had been stung twice by a bee. I felt sad for her; they really hurt! N and I were heading to the car to put in the pumpkins, and I happened to have bee-sting cream in my first-aid box so I could help out that gal a bit. Again, thankful to walk the path the Lord has me on and thankful He is working in my life that I pay attention to others around me.
Straight ahead now and at a faster clip, we’re off to the hay, corn, chickens, cows (my boy is such a city boy-you’ll see!!) and PIGS. I love pigs. I LOVE PIGS. Sadly, they had already raced and were in a pig-house with tall windows, so I couldn’t really talk with them much. But I did get to see them a little. Did I mention that I love pigs?
In the middle of all this fun, there was a scare house. A couple of the actors were on the outside: an evil, scary clown and a wolf. And you know what? Even though he didn’t want to go IN or NEAR that house, my son was intrigued. So much so, that he was a bit deceitful in order to go out of our way and back that way to see it again. There have been many times in my life that I wished I didn’t have such discernment when it comes to others being honest with me, but for the sake of my son’s character development, I’m forever thankful the Lord has given me this gift. We talked about how easy it is for the world to trick us into its ways, and even without our desires being in sync with its message, we all too easily fall victim to the work of the world and are torn from God’s truths. It was a great teaching moment for both my son and myself.
Welcome! Ironically fitting, I’m starting 31 days of writing of mental-pause and here, on day one, I am already 3 days behind; I’m late! (What did you think I meant? Because if it meant anything other than I am a couple days behind on this 31 Days thing, THIS would be a whole ‘nuther title!) 
