Super Educational Trip to the Farm

For an entire decade we had an annual tradition every autumn of visiting the local pumpkin patch playland.  We went every year without fail...even when I was nine months pregnant.   Since the kids have been in school,  though, we've just gradually stopped going and I was surprised to realize recently that it's been a couple of years since we've been.  So when a  friend recently invited us there for a little homeschool field trip, it didn't take us much convincing to tag along too.

The kids had to work hard to at least get their math done before we left and then still had a list of work to complete when we got home, but as a responsible homeschool teacher we still tried to make the trip as educational as possible  while we were there.

For instance, did you know that roosters are actually quite friendly and make for really cute photo-ops?

You've probably heard that goats will eat almost anything, but I bet you didn't know that they will eat little girls as well...

I wished I had been videoing this encounter, because Ellie's screaming and laughter made this absolutely hysterical to watch...  (For any worried readers, the goat did not actually consume any of Ellie's hair.  He was just chewing it and, to Ellie's chagrin, made it all slobbery.  I had to physically push him away from Ellie to get him to stop chewing) 

And I bet you also didn't know that goats can be quite cuddly?  And rope swings are fun no matter how old you are?  

And I bet you also never realized that sweaters make a great substitute for Kleenex when someone (Ellie) bumps their lip on the hayride and starts gushing blood?  

And that Tide is awesome laundry detergent and got the blood off of the white sweater easy as pie with no soaking or stain treatment?  

Did you also know that going through pictures and blogging for the first time in a few days can make a grumpy lady who's had a loooooong day forget her worries for a moment and crack a smile as she remembered the fun memories that they had made the day before?  

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Change of Plans...

For years I wondered if the day would ever come that I could volunteer at the school without a preschooler in tow. Or if I could ever randomly go to lunch with a friend without ordering a kids' meal too.

Now I'm here. My baby's in kindergarten.

I got a little teary eyed watching Ellie get on the bus the first few days, but after she came home giggling about how every day was "perfect", it was hard not to be excited for her. It was also amazing to me to watch the positive changes she went through in just the first couple weeks of school. She somehow suddenly seemed more independent and creative and I knew this was the best place she could be right now.

But I miss having a preschooler in the house. I miss the connections with the other moms in our co-op preschools I've participated in for 10+ years. I miss the fun field trips around town. And I miss my "buddy".

So I filled my life with PTA responsibilities and homeschooling Cami. It was busy, but good.

Then a week-and-a-half ago everything changed...

One day Ellie randomly started having "petit mal" seizures. Several a day, every day.

She acts totally normal most of the time, which means lots of giggles, silly stories, and boundless energy, but then she just stops whatever she's doing and goes completely unresponsive. We can scream her name, wave our hands in front of her face, and even touch her and she stays totally blank for 5-10 seconds. Then she picks up where she left off. It's all disconcerting to say the least.

So the last week-and-a-half has been filled with doctors' appointments, medical tests, and keeping a really close eye on her. Some of the possible diagnoses are relatively straightforward (although still life-altering) and others are too stressful to dwell on until we know more information.

Not quite the entry into kindergarten that we'd envisioned for our baby.

But it did give me a good excuse to whisk her off to Cox Farms for some good old fashioned autumn fun, since she was out of school anyway. She loved the rope swing...

And Cami didn't mind it too much either...

She was in love with this mama pig and all of the babies....

And of course we couldn't miss the hay ride. I've ridden every year for the last decade and it would have been sad to miss out on the sore bum....


We also discovered a new favorite kids' book. My Chincoteague Pony by Susan Jeffers. Ellie loves ponies and this book is seriously so, so sweet, that I actually tear up when I read it to her.

And here's Ellie holding up her favorite page in the book, when Julie finally gets her pony, thanks to the kindness of strangers all around her. sniff, sniff....
The last 10 days have been a total whirlwind and I know there will be many more crazy days to come. However, I've totally loved this bonus time with Ellie, even if it wasn't exactly how I would have planned it. I have bad days where I worry and cry for her future, but most days I am peaceful and can feel the comforting influence that only God can give. Between Women's Conference last week and General Conference this weekend, I have been uplifted and inspired and I know that I've got a lot to learn about faith and trust and patience through this experience. My heart is also filled when I think of the loving, supportive friends and family who have already helped make this new journey in our lives a little easier to bear....


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Day 268--Cox Farms

Today dawned with rainy skies, but after consulting the weather forecast we decided it should be a perfect day to make our annual pilgrimage to Cox Farms in Centreville. I pulled Emma and Adam out of school, joined with our preschool friends, and made our way to the land of hay and pumpkins!

The clouds seemed to keep the crowds away and we had the run of the place to ourselves. As per usual, the kids loved the rope swing ....

the super fast slides...

the fun and slightly scary hay ride where an alien comes out to give everyone high fives....

and of course the free mini pumpkins at the end (and the one giant car-sized pumpkin)...
which of course made for great head wear?! Silly kids!