1st Time Strawberry Pickin'

This month has been insane! I am just now getting a chance to write. I hope to get caught up on here soon! It never ceases to amaze me when I see a mother of 4 or 5 with another on the way, blogging daily! I mean, how is that possible? Does she get 25 hours a day? I "squirreled"--sorry! Now on to one of our special days earlier this month: I try to have a special family day or weekend at least once a month. This is a day where we go out as a family and do something we've never done, something we love to do or just spend the entire day together. This month we got to try something new! I'd never been and neither have my babies! We went to the opening day of strawberry pickin' at Yoder Farm, here in Virginia. It was beautiful out there! I love Virginia's mountains and land. I say it almost daily: "What a beautiful sight!" "Thank you, Lord for the beautiful mountains we get to see daily!" The kids had a blast!

Autumn picked so many "white" unripened strawberries it wasn't funny! I had to put them in the window for a couple days. They turned out beautifully!

She sat and took it all in, like she usually does. All smiles and rarely puts up a fuss. If all of my babies are like her, I'd love 20 more! 

Autumn kept coming to us and showed us her treasures. It is so precious to watch our little ones discover new things! 

Autumn ran up and down one aisle to and from her daddy and I.  It was a great day. 

Yes, the sun was right in our eyes. There's Autumn showing her treasures again. 

It was opening day at the Strawberry Farm so they had several activities. Noah and Autumn were so excited to ride the train! AND they got to ride in their own car without mommy or daddy? BONUS! 

It's hard to get a picture without gorgeous blue eyes and a 2-toothed grin! She is my lil darlin'. 

Waitin' on her brother and sister, we decided to get a lil photo of us. I think she was saying, "Dada." And he just happened to be snappin' the pic! 

Noah and Autumn both grinned from ear to ear while they rode their lil ride. It brings my heart great joy to bring a little joy to their life. 

She loved it so much, it was hard to get her out...you know...the whole kicking and screaming scene? That's us!! 

Here's the beautiful view I was talking about. I'm so blessed to have these 4 in my life. God is so very, very good to me! 

What Would You Grab?

I was watching a heart-warming, good, clean romance movie that pinned the question: If your home were on fire and you had 60 seconds, what would you grab? The lead character in the movie did not know until the end, of course. In the beginning, as she is facing her life-altering self-analysis, she pulls the fire alarm during a party. She stands there looking around. I assumed this was because she didn't know what to take or that she was watching all the others run away. Her unexpecting fiance is barking orders to grab belongings like computers, phones, etc. She just stands frozen while the sprinklers soak her hair and clothes. Yes, it was a little melodramatic but it made me think. What would I grab?

Before Randy and I were married and I was still living with my parents, we were in my room watching a movie. I had always said I would grab all of my pictures if I ever found myself in a fire. As I left my room to grab us a snack or something, I looked in my brother's room, next to mine, to find an entire wall up in flames. I will never forget the beautifully terrifying sight. I calmly told Randy that Blake's room was on fire, walked up the stairs to let my parents and sister in on this situation and then kind of stood there wondering what to do next. My dad and Randy practically fought over the extinguisher while all the ladies made sure kids and animals were out of the house. (We had a cat and a dog). I believe our men got the fire out before the fire department arrived. The house had severe smoke damage, my brother's room was destroyed and my things were covered in black. Not one time during the fire did I think of my pictures. I still wonder why. I still say that if I were to face a fire again, I would reach for those beloved photos, computer containing the photos and/or the camera itself once I know all my loved ones are safe from harm. But will I? I hope to never find out.

I've often said to Randy that possessions and belongings are just "things" and there's no reason to treasure them more than the people we love. When you have young children, you learn that lesson quickly. They can destroy things in a matter of seconds!

1. My precious ones.
2. My computer with photos on it.
3. My camera.

Because pictures say 1,000 words, right? I love looking at old photos and laughing or crying as I remember the day and situation in which it was taken. I feel like I'd "lose" all the precious memories and moments if I lose the photos.

What would you grab? The question in the movie was what THREE things would you grab. The lead actress stated in the end that she knew she was with the wrong man because during the time she pulled the alarm and watched people flee, she looked around and saw nothing she would need or want to take with her from the fire. I guess she was willing to watch it all burn. I'm so grateful God has blessed me with a life and family in which I cherish all of them and our moments together.