October 31

The weather forecast called for rain all day long. While we did see some precipitation, the two most important times of the day for us --between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. for the school Halloween parade and pony pics at the preschool, and after 6 p.m. for trick-or-treating around the neighborhood-- were clear and (mostly) dry. It was a huge blessing to be able to enjoy those activities without getting completely soaked. It was also a blessing to engage in another of our family traditions.

We've gotten into the habit of carving our pumpkins on Halloween itself. I think we started off doing so out of necessity; there simply wasn't enough time to take care of it before the big day's arrival. But recent years have seen it as part of our usual routine. This year, the kiddos designed their own faces and Adam carved them, and the results --especially with candles inside-- were actually remarkably impressive: who needs stencils when you have a young, creative mind? (And as pictured, Lambie had the little pumpkin Abby chose for Logan, since Logan once said he wanted the littlest one he could find. The idea really stuck with her.)

Anyway, today was filled with blessings both big and small, and I know God was behind each and every one of them.