The Pumpkin Patch at Hilcrest

Hilcrest, in Reedley, is my favorite pumpkin patch in town. The owners are great and the area is beautiful. I could spend my whole day there.

We went there Friday on a field trip for our homeschool group.

It was fun to walk through the cornstalks . . .

Micah and Alex look like trouble-makers here taking off through the cornfield with their pumpkins. Those hoodlums!

We listened to a story . . .


Went on a little adventure hike . . .


Dared to walk across the suspension bridge . . .


Explored the fairytale houses . . .

Went for a hay ride . . .

Picked out a pumpkin . . .


Had a picnic lunch . . .


And just had a great time!

Only Four Days . . .

In my last post, I mentioned that we had a glass jar full of beads representing how many log in dates before China got to ours. Each month the adoption community sits on pins and needles awaiting the news of how many days they will refer. There was great disappointment when the CCAA (China side of adoption) did not mail out any referrals in September. They waited until after their holiday to mail out a measly batch of four days. Four days! That is only two days for each September and October. I am incredibly disappointed and discouraged. No matter how often I tell myself that God has this all planned, I still fall each month. One moment I have hope that things will turn around and the next all that hope is crashed in a wave of disappointment. We have done all we can in this process and I know that it is time to just set it on a shelf and move forward. I need to stop looking at the China adoption forums and read about others frustrations and wild predictions. I have two beautiful and loving children in front of my eyes who deserve my complete attention. There is more to my life than completing this adoption. I must remember that. Please pray that we will have patience. Pray that God will bring our little girl home in His perfect timing. Pray that I will guard my heart each month when the CCAA fails to progress. Each morning I will wake up and lay this before Jesus. Maybe someday I will stop picking it back up again.