It's Not Just a Pumpkin Patch

I saw the sweetest thing this morning. I always notice the little child care facility in my neighborhood. They put so much love and care into the environment for their children. It was a few minutes after nine as I drove past the daycare center. They have decorated a cute little pumpkin patch in the center of their circle drive. The pumpkins aren't what caught my attention, a little family did. There was a mother, dressed up for work with two small backpacks slung over one shoulder and a little boy on each hand. The mom had walked into the pumpkin patch and was laughing and smiling as the boys pointed and enjoyed the clutter of pumpkins. This was so sweet to me because the mom was probably already late for work and she still took the boys over to the pumpkin patch on her way into the center. High heels and all, out into the moist morning grass to enjoy the autumn display.

Now, I am very nostalgic because my son is a graduating senior. Everything makes me cry. I wondered if my son had gotten excited about a pumpkin patch so many years ago, would I have stopped to enjoy it with him? I probably would have rushed him inside, explained that his daycare attendant would show him the pumpkins and promised to take him pumpkin hunting that weekend. Props to me because I really would have taken him pumpkin shopping as we did carve a jack-o-lantern most years. I look back and wonder how many times I didn't stop to smell the roses or ponder pumpkins with my son. I know I did great on most life lessons because I have so many amazing memories to cherish forever. But it's never to late to get a fresh lesson in never putting things off, and always appreciate the little things in life. To all the moms out there with small children, listen to your babies. Look when they point, be late for work with an amazing story like this to tell your boss. Remember to hug your daycare girls for all the little things we do put on them, that's your child's second mom. I have always been a full-time working mother and as much as I adore my childcare attendants, I want to be the mom with grass in my shoes.

I think my family will go pumpkin hunting tonight.