Pumpkins and Pals

Before we actually moved here, we met one homeschool family to get some info about the laws and such in the area -- the Cvrks (pronounced "Swirks"--go figure). They have 7 kids. Then last week, we met Keith's boss's family who also homeschools -- they have 9 kids (6 adopted from Russia). They seem to grow families around here like they grow the corn -- in abundant quantity.

But we've still been feeling the need to get to know more people -- particularly Eastin-age and -type people. So, yesterday was our first official event with the homeschool group here. They have a phys. ed. activity every Friday afternoon (next week is a hike down the river, the next is ice-skating, etc.). But this week, in honor of Halloween, they had more of a field trip. We went to a pumpkin patch for the morning. I almost didn't go, because my in-laws already brought us some pumpkins when they brought the girls back, and because I hated to get out of our morning school routine that we had just gotten back into. And because I've just been in a lousy, pouty kind of mood all week and didn't feel like trying to feel better. (Ladies, you understand those days, right?)

But I bucked up and we went. And I'm glad we did.

We met several new families and heard a lot of good info about the community (Fairway groceries are cheaper than Hy-Vee's, for example). Plus . . drum roll . . Eastin met a friend. A genuine, bouncin'-off-the-walls, spazzy kind of girl like her. They met and hit it off immediately, before I'd even matched the kid to her mother in the crowd (like Eastin, she wasn't anywhere near her mother). And as it turns out, her family lives in Sergeant Bluff, about 5 minutes from us. And their family just moved here in September! AND I happened to sit by this woman at the mom's meeting the other night (we just didn't get a chance to speak) . . AND we sat behind them at church last week!!

It doesn't stop there. This is another big family -- 8 kids with one more on the way. So, not only did Eastin hit it off with 7-year-old Abigail, but Leslie (as those of you who know her can imagine) quickly became enamoured with Chloe and Naomi, the two "babies" of the family (both under 3--this woman has her hands full). And mom Shelley and I hit it off, too.

So, all in all, it was a productive morning even though we didn't do school. We did relationships -- which are more important than school in the long run, right? (Please say, "right!" I don't need any guilt trips right now . . . )