october.

Visit with Christi and John

David posted this to Facebook after we met up in Greenville with the boys’ birth mom one morning this month, and we mean every word:

May my boys always know their birth mother, know her fierce love for them, her courage to carry them to term and bear them into this world, and do the impossible to give them another life through adoption. May they love her all the more for it. And may we find our way together in this blended family God has knit together in the unlikeliest but most beautiful of ways.

 

 

 

 

 

David turns 40!

It was a night of music and laughter, of empanadas and charges from good friends for the next season of David’s life, of gifts and moon-bounce jousting, and most of all, of celebrating 40 years of God’s faithfulness to my husband.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat comes to visit

Steve’s sister flew out from Seattle to visit friends in Richmond, Virginia, then swung a little further south to see the Columbia G’s. We had so much fun. She helped Amie sew a cape for Noah’s Halloween costume, played Boggle with Gabe, explored Columbia with Steve and Linda, and got to experience the cultural phenomenon that is the SC State Fair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

First fire pit

Yes my friends, we’ve had a cold snap here in Columbia, and that means that David’s in his happy place. He built us a fire pit last Saturday, which meant Noah was in his happy place. Fire pit season means we turn our attention to the backyard and begin enjoying it all over again. Judah and a couple of buddies decided to have a little pumpkin-carving contest, so he was hard at work on his last weekend. It was truly terrifying!

 

 

 

New Members class, Fall 2021.

I spent all last weekend cooking chili for 50. That’s my turkey chili recipe times 7, if you’re curious. It was exactly enough! This time I cooked all but two batches throughout the day on Saturday, and that made a huge difference in my stress level on Sunday. Thanks to the Publix supermarket employees who saw my heavy-laden cart and both helped me think through how to pull off feeding such a large crowd, and walked me out to the van to help after the purchases were made. I love Publix!

Thanks also to Judah and Amie for help clean inside the house, David for cleaning up both front and back yard, and Steve and Linda for the use of their fridge for pots of chili, copious amounts of shredded cheese and sour cream and cases of La Croix. Also for being our kids’ chauffeurs to youth activities Sunday evening during the class.

Robert and Kelly, Joyce and Chris came over Sunday night before the hordes arrived and helped me set out food and serve folks.

As you can see, it takes a village to pull off a New Members classes, and I’m thankful for every bit of help I get!

 

This is how we all felt afterward:

 

Miscellaneous

Albus the Bearded Dragon is growing each week. Don’t tell the guinea pigs, but he’s truly the favorite pet we’ve ever had (okay, possibly with the exception of Pip, may he R.I.P.). He’s calm and cuddly and very alert and curious.

 

We’re plugging away at school, making the final push of the fall semester. Though with this gorgeous fall weather, everyone would much rather be playing outside.

 

Some friends of ours had a Hogwarts costume party last night, which is right up our alley. See if you can guess who we all dressed up as!

 

David and the kids found a new favorite Mexican food truck at Soda City market. They went out this morning to play some disc golf and then eat lunch. None of them could believe I’d pass up loaded nachos in front of two hours at home, all to myself. It was blissful!

It’s been a busy, happy month.

 

October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!

– Rainbow Rowell