Apple Orchards and a Random Tag

First, I was tagged by my friend, Stacey, and these were the instructions. I'm to go to my pictures folder, pick the fourth photograph from the fourth folder. Well, this is random. It's Brad holding our nephew, Gavin, on the day he was born in 2005. Wow.








Today we wandered off to an apple orchard in Hastings, MN. We went with some friends, who I gather all went to two more when we were done with the first! Here are some pictures of the day. It was a nice, small place, with places for the kids to play, animals to look at (please don't touch the goats, Leiden...), and apples and raspberries to pick! Leiden was very enthusiastic about picking the apples, so we eventually had to enforce the 'You're not allowed to pick it unless mommy tells you to' rule. I don't want worms in my apple pie. Stacey and Kelly took some pictures of Leiden that I'm sure were better than these (nicer--much nicer cameras), but I don't have them, yet.
Leiden playing on the train:


Leiden and Mac on giant hay bales:


Apple picker:


Poor Mac spent almost the entire time in the stroller, but did great.





As I've said, I recently discovered Facebook, and on it I found a guy I went to high school with, so of course you read all the info on them. Well, this guy, Aaron, married a girl from high school and they now have three children. Their middle child, a boy, is just barely three last week, and a month ago was diagnosed with Leukemia. Aaron and Morgan keep a website that logs daily events in this struggle for their son's life, and the difficulties of chemotherapy, hospital stays, and the general dealings in the lives of their family members. Of course I read all this after having one of the more difficult days with my three year old, and realized that my day was a day made in heaven in comparison. It is terrible that others suffer, and that we ourselves suffer, but there are truths to be learned in the suffering. And just when you've forgotten for a moment how wonderful your children are, there always seems to be something to remind you.

I love both Leiden and Machara with a fierceness that is sometimes scary in its ability to overwhelm. They are beautiful girls with beautiful spirits about them, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have them lent to me for a time. Every night both Brad and I thank our Father in Heaven for his wondrous plan that lets us feel this way about our children and for the ability to safeguard our family with the sealing power. Leiden and Machara are our Father's, but they are also ours! What joy.