FHE at the Pumpkin Patch

Last night we decided to pick out our pumpkins for Family Home Evening. We went with our friends Chris and Jen Hulme and had an awesome time! Steven loved seeing the horse and goats that they had. We all decided to attempt the corn maze together. It took us forever to actually get well into it, and we even had to go back to the beginning a few times to try different paths. Somehow we ended up getting separated, but we all made it out the exit! Adam and I got through the maze first--probably because we were following our bishop. We all know how important it is to follow our church leaders. :) It pretty much turned out to be ward FHE night at the pumpkin patch. We kept running into other families from our ward. I guess everyone else had the same great idea we did.



















The last thing we did was choose our pumpkins. Adam found an awesome green one, and I chose one I liked. Steven got a little one, and then we found a perfect tiny pumpkin for Baby Rebecca--she had better come soon so she can see it! We finished off the night with donuts at the Hulme's house. A good FHE includes good treats, right? I love the fall and harvest time! I love Halloween because it always seems to kick off this fun time of year!

Rainy Day Fort

We had a couple of rainy days this week, which meant that Adam got to stay home! We missed the money, of course, but it sure was nice to get to have some extra time with our daddy. I was especially grateful, since my due date was just moved back 11 days to October 29th, and it has been super depressing. I don't know how I would have handled this week without him being home for that extra time. Anyway, on Tuesday Adam decided that it was time for Steven to experience his first fort. What a perfect rainy day activity!!! Steven LOVED it, and kept jumping up and down and screaming with glee. He thought it was so cool that there were 2 entrances, and he kept going in circles, in one opening and out the other.
In my book, a rainy day is never fully appreciated without a movie and some good hot chocolate! We all had so much fun together. I really love how much my guys love to spend time together. I am so grateful to be blessed with a wonderful husband who is such an amazing daddy--you can tell by how much Steven loves to be with him.
Later in the day we spent some time making sure that everything is ready for our little girl. Steven loves to put his little baby doll into Rebecca's car seat and bouncy chair. He is so sweet, constantly giving hugs and kisses to his baby and teddy bears. I can't wait to see him and Rebecca together!

Uncle Jason's Mission

We are so proud of Adam's brother Jason for choosing to serve a mission! He has been called to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida mission, speaking Haitian-Creole. He reports to the Provo MTC this Wednesday, and we are sure going to miss him! We were able to attend Jason's farewell talk in church. It was really fun to see all the family that had come to support him. We know Jason will be an amazing missionary!
The day after was Jason's 19th birthday, so Tamara and I combined forces to make him a birthday cake. This is what you get when you find out on a Sunday that the birthday boy's favorite cake is chocolate mousse, haha. I was actually pretty impressed with us. There was no way that we'd be able to make a chocolate mousse cake and have it set by dessert time (nor did we have all the necessary ingredients), so we improvised. We used a mix for the cake, then combined chocolate pudding and cool whip as a type of mousse filling and frosting. It was really yummy, and we had a fun time baking together. We love you, Jason!!!

Baby Benjamin

Our family has been so blessed this past week with the coming of a new, tiny angel. Doug and Tamara (Adam's brother and sister-in-law) have spent the last couple of years doing everything possible to be able to become parents. Last year Tamara endured countless shots and procedures to get pregnant. This year found them doing everything they could to get approved for adoption. The process proved extremely time consuming, expensive, and emotionally taxing. Adam and I have watched them throughout all of this, and have constantly been in awe of their constant faith and unending positivity. Like everyone else in the family, we have prayed every night for them to have their righteous desire fulfilled and be able to know the joy of being parents.
Last month our prayers were answered when Doug and Tamara were referred to a private adoption lawyer who happened to have a client looking for the perfect couple to be parents to her child. She is due on November 19th with a little boy, and we can't wait for him to join our family! We were all reveling in this wonderful miracle when, just last week, they received a phone call from an adoption agency they had signed up with that another woman had chosen them to be the parents of her child. At first it was very difficult for Doug and Tamara, wanting both babies, but not thinking it would be possible. After much prayer, however, they felt that they were supposed to have both babies in their family. Both birth mothers agreed that it was the right thing to do. Last week was such a whirlwind for Doug and Tamara--hearing about the baby, finding out it was right, and then going to meet him!!! They flew out on Thursday to be at the hospital for the birth mother to be induced on Friday. It has been so special to get to hear about this sweet, tiny boy. We can't wait to meet the newest little Hall angel! Baby Benjamin was such a wonderful last-minute blessing, and Tamara pointed out to me the other day that it had to be that way. If they had known about him sooner, they would never have gone looking for the other little boy that will join their family in November.
The Lord truly does have a plan for everything, and it is almost never what we think. I am so grateful to know that these kinds of things truly are miracles, and not simply coincidences or fate. Every single thing that happened was needed, and now Doug and Tamara will be blessed to know the wonderful joy of parenthood forever.

Grandma

Yesterday was my grandmother's birthday. She was such a wonderful lady. I was one of those lucky kids who lived close to their grandparents. For almost my entire life, my dad's mom (and dad until he passed when I was a little girl) have only been a short distance from me. Grandma was always the one to watch Nathan and me when my parents were out of town. For a few years she even lived right across the street. I would go over all the time to play games with her. She had so many fun games, but my favorite one was always Rummi Cube. I spent countless afternoon hours playing games with my grandma. Sometimes her sisters Aunt Corkie and Aunt Sharon would come for a visit, giving us more people to play and share stories with. My sister Alison and I were talking a little while ago about the odd foods that we really like, thanks to Grandma. My list includes things like "pink milk," carrot juice, carob chips, dates, and grilled cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise. She also made the best chicken in this wonderful gravy-like sauce. I thought it was so great how she always served it with sandwich bread and butter. There was something so delicious and wonderful about the grocery store bread with butter on it--maybe it's because I got to eat it on her blue carpet, sitting at her table that had a plastic cloth underneath the lace tablecloth, looking at her beautiful paintings of birds and flowers that hung on each wall.

I will always be sad that Adam didn't get to meet any of my grandparents. When we were married, Grandma King was the only one still living, but she was too ill to make the trip. We made plans to go visit her over a long weekend, but she passed away the month before. I think he got to know her pretty well, though, being at her funeral and hearing a few of the amazing parts of her life. As a side note, I will always be grateful for the wonderful opportunity that I had to be able to dress and prepare her for burial, along with my mother and all of my sisters. It was such a blessing for us to be there together, dressing her in the same temple dress that I have (good choice, Alison), curling her hair just the way she always like it, and doing her make-up. We had even been able to get her "Grandma pink" lipstick for her to wear. It was amazing to see the difference from when we walked in the room to see a body we didn't really recognize, to when we the room after spending time with someone we loved so much, and leaving her Earthly body looking just the way we remembered. She was so angry to have been left on Earth for so long after Grandpa died--it was almost 20 years. We are all grateful to know that they are together again, and that we will get to be with them again, too.

Happy birthday, Grandma! I love you!!!

Baby Shower

My visiting teach-ee and Relief Society president were kind enough to throw me a baby shower! It was so much fun to get to know the sisters in my ward better.
A lot of my family was able to come up, too. Doug and Tamara drove up earlier in the day and went out to lunch with Adam, Steven, and me. We went to the most amazing Thai restaurant--Mesa Thai. So good. My mom and sister Cheralyn were also able to come. Cheralyn brought her 3 youngest kids, and they were so much fun.
It was also really special to have my grandmother's best friend be there. Ruth McMullen has been a big part of our family for so long. It is such a blessing for us to get to live close to her right now and be able to benefit from her wisdom. She croshed Rebecca a precious pink blanket and matching hat. Thanks to all these wonderful people, Rebecca is totally set! Now, if she'd only come...
This is a picture of me at 36 weeks. I am now almost 38 and am so ready for her to be here. Come on, Baby girl! Everyone is ready and waiting!!!