Wednesday, October 20, 2010

This is my favorite age....

I've been delaying posting anything until I can get more pictures uploaded. However, that clearly hasn't happened. So, I'm giving a boring text-only update with the goal of posting pictures soon.

We've had a busy month filled with pumpkin patches, the zoo, a fishing trip, and lots of other fun. First, we went to Bennett Springs, MO with Jarrod's parents for the weekend. Dick and Jarrod fly fished while the rest of us watched and played by the river. It was gorgeous but funny. In WV, you can find miles of trout streams without a single person. Here, you had to make sure you had enough shoulder room between the person beside you to cast. Slightly less relaxing but gorgeous nonetheless. Spence's favorite thing had to be helping Jarrod start the campfire and making S'mores! : Okay, maybe that was my favorite thing too!

Then, the next weekend, we went to a pumpkin patch. This is no Milton, WV pumpkin patch. This is the Pumpkin Festival without the horrific crafts. They had animals, bounce houses, tractors, face paint, a miniature train, and, of course, pumpkins. We picked out our pumpkin and then made a decision that has apparently scarred by child for life. There was a small train attached to an ATV that gave the kids rides around the farm. Spence said he wanted to go, even after I explained that mommy and daddy couldn't ride with him. We put him in the train and off it went. As it pulled away, Jarrod and I thought it looked like he was fighting back the tears. The train went around the farm and I ran up by the road where they swung back around to take a picture. I saw Spence swing around the turn, still buckled tightly in his train - not a tear in sight. So, I yelled "Spence! Look at mommy!" and the tears gushed. He sobbed, he hugged, he shook...he was terrified and clearly only held it in as long as he could. Some 3 weeks later, he continues to daily say "I cry on the choo choo train because mommy and daddy weren't there." Yes, it's the first of numerous things we will do to our child that will one day be explained to his psychiatrist.

Finally, last weekend we took a quick trip to the zoo. That is one amazing thing about being in a city with so much to do. Since we're members of the zoo, everything is free - parking, trains, entrance. So, we can go for an hour or two and leave! It's really perfect.

We're still trying to get settled. The church we had decided on doesn't have the small groups we were looking for - and we're therefore disappointed to be on the hunt again. Jarrod and I are going to the Mizzou v. Oklahoma game on Saturday which Jarrod is thrilled about. I am excited about hitting up a supposedly beautiful winery for a little wine tasting on the way to Columbia.

Missing everyone dearly and excited to see those people in Huntington next weekend! :)