Fall Traditions

I have some fall traditions that I not only enjoy, but have unexpectedly blessed my friendships.

Each fall we go apple picking.  It is a tradition we started 15 years ago.  At the time I was married with no children and I went with a friend of mine from work.  By the following year, we both had little ones.  We brought our strollers and picked our bushel baskets full.  Each year we have gone.  I am thankful for her unwavering faithfulness to the tradition.  It is a time set for our friendship, even if during the most of the rest of the year we don't get together.

Our oldest are now in high school.  We each have four kids.

This year's memory was that her daughter had an injured leg.  So, we carried a wheelchair like a sedan chair.  And she did her picking on crutches.  Also, we had a drought this year and at the crucial time in the spring there had been a freeze.  So, there were very few apples to pick. A unique year indeed.

Another fall tradition is to attend the Oktemberfest parade in our town.  Each year another friend of mine joins us and we watch together.

This year most of their family was unable to attend, because their daughter had the privilege of being in a quinceanera.  But their son joined us.  It was very evident to me how much he had matured over the last year just by enjoying his company at the parade.

I'm so glad to have a couple of planned yearly get-togethers with my friends. It is a delight to have these relationships that have lasted and these events that are tied to the calendar year are some nice anchors of blessings.  They've helped us stay connected.  That is something that was not planned.  I'm so thankful to God  for these precious blessings.