Fall? Already??

Well, J's mom is doing a little better, thanks be to God. Better, as in, her kidneys did not shut down entirely, so they have a little time left with her rather than just a few days.

With this in mind, I was feeling so blessed to be able to write her a letter of appreciation...and while I could never express everything that she has meant to me over the years, I am so glad to have had the opportunity to put at least some of it into words. For Pete's sake, she ought to know just how special she is! Today, then, I am just feeling very thankful that God allowed a little more time for this amazing family to be together, to celebrate the baby shower for the one coming in December, and just to bathe in each others' love. I know that they will treasure fondly the memories that they will make together in the days to come.

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Chris came to see me today. She brought her lovely daughter with her, and while Chris asked me all of the routine questions about various things--leg cramps? Check. Swelling? Not so much. Sleeplessness? Definitely--Billie took my blood pressure and did other various things that midwives do during routine home visits. The Little Pumpkin is doing just fine...growing well, doing Olympic-worthy acrobatics several times each day, having hiccups dozens of times each day, and generally delighting us with the "Is it a knee or an elbow?" guessing game.

We had such a nice talk, and they checked out the addition (because they're going to need to know how to get in the new entrance, and how to get to the new bedroom, for Pete's sake!), and we made plans to see each other again in four weeks. Thank Heaven for the blessing of dear midwives who make house calls!

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And by the way, I am absolutely stunned and nearly refuse to acknowledge that it is less than a week until October. However, I am not without common sense, and because I love autumn so dearly.....well, we did indeed decorate for fall the other day. We have a few crafty things that have been picked up over the years, and so the girls and I put them out on Monday. We have little pumpkins, with their little leaves on tiny springs. We have brightly colored silk leaves. We have a very cute scarecrow and a few pilgrims--and even though it isn't Thanksgiving season yet, they do look rather fall, so they're out already too. We have some apple-scented candles that I've been burning regularly, and they make the air smell like it wants to be orchardy in my very own living room. If I were not on bed rest, we would be making a trip to our favorite fall market to pick up some pumpkins and apples and maybe even a mini bale or two of straw.

I really do get into the mood to decorate my home for the cooler months. We spend so much time outside in the late spring and summer that I don't bother for those seasons, but when we spend lots of time inside, I'm all about being festive. I have such beautiful decorations for Christmastime that I often pull them out right after Thanksgiving so that we are feeling celebratory all during Advent. This year we are considering beginning the tradition of waiting until Christmas Eve to put up and decorate the Christmas Tree....we're still pondering that one. I would love to hear what other people's traditions are in this regard!

Please continue to keep J's family in your prayers. Also, my dear friend C, whose Grandmother was buried yesterday. She lived a long life, thanks be to God, and is sadly missed by her family.

Thank God for the gift of family, whether they are the families into which we are born, or the families that God surrounds us with through friendships. May we be ever mindful of those whose families are not intact, or who suffer from loneliness, or who have no family to speak of. Lord, allow each of us to remember that we are all family, after all, brought together by Our Father.