1. Last Saturday, my husband set up his second water barrel system complete with a new gutter, in the hope of catching enough water to fill both barrels (116 gallons) to water his fall vegetable garden.

By Monday, both barrels were full. On Tuesday, he filled all available five gallon buckets. By Wednesday, he hooked up the garden hose and diverted the stream of water to the back of our property. Now, half of his vegetable garden is underwater.
2. Speaking of rain, my girls have found new and creative ways to play. They have made tents, houses, castles and even a garage for their imaginary cars. They have also enjoyed playing with all of the math manipulatives I bought back in the summer. Bumblebee is really becoming interested in learning and has joined in many of Ladybug's lessons. Thursday, we all participated in a scavenger hunt for shapes around the house. Who thought learning could be so much fun on a rainy day?

3. I guess the heavy rain and flooding has also forced us to slow down a bit this week, and frankly, it was just what we needed. Thursday, my husband did not wake me up and I slept until 7:30 am. To be quite honest, it felt great!
4. It has been ten months since my mother-in-law has passed, and my father-in-law is slowly cleaning out the garage. This week he gave my husband several of her childhood diaries. We also found a 8 X 10 photograph of his mother when she was a teenager. She looks so young and fresh with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. I cleaned up the frame and placed it next to a picture of Bumblebee, the resemblance is striking. To explain, Bumblebee was adopted through a relative adoption. She was our great-niece before she became our daughter, and my mother-in-law was her primary caregiver. I think it warms my husband's heart to see how she favors my mother-in-law in her looks.
5. Participating in
40 Days for Life has been an inspiring and encouraging experience so far. Locally, several women have decided to keep their babies, and approached the 40 Days for Life team for help. The team were able to give the mothers support contact information for agencies such as the
Keim Center and
Birthright.
6. I cannot believe its October! Thanks to the influence of PBS Kids, my oldest daughter has decided she would like to be
Super Why for Halloween. Bumblebee has decided she will be Princess Presto. Fortunately, her birth mother gave her a purple Princess gown and crown for her birthday. However, I will need to be creative coming up with the Super Why outfit. Wish me luck!
7. This 7 Quick Takes is hosted my Jennifer at the
Conversion Diary. She is a wonderful writer, please check her out!