The Quest for the Perfect Pumpkin

Saturday morning Robby woke up, extremely early I might add, and immediately began to ask if we were going to the pumpkin patch. Scott and I mentioned that we might be going sometime over the weekend. Apparently the excitement of "maybe" going was enough to make Robby wake up early in anticipation!

Referring to the location as the "pumpkin patch" is deceiving and does an injustice to the size of this money-making operation. The patch is only a small part of an extremely large tourist oriented farm. In addition to animals, there were large slides, a corn digging station, several playgrounds and an elaborate corn maze. Robby was in farm heaven.

I have to admit that going down the slide tubes was fun! The steps were certainly a work-out, but the slide was fast and smooth. Unfortunately, the plastic landing area at the bottom of the slides was obviously designed to accommodate a child's rear, not mine. I consistently bypassed the plastic stopper, landing in a dusty ditch. It was easy to identify the adults who went down the slides throughout the day; we were the ones with the large dirt stains on the back of our pants.

Robby and Scott were both thrilled when we discovered the large corn maze. Personally, I never had a pressing desire to get lost in a field of corn, but I knew that I couldn't let my boys down. I put on a huge smile and asked the attendant for a map as we prepared to enter. The teenager laughed at me. Apparently maps are not used at corn mazes.

Undeterred, I followed my two eager explorers into the field. We let Robby be the "leader." It took all of three minutes for us to become hopelessly lost!

I had a realization when I was walking through the maze trying to locate the stupid red flag which marked the correct direction. Scott apparently was having the same thought because we both brought up the topic simultaneously. There was absolutely no way I would have been able to meander through the corn maze before my amputation.

I have had similar thoughts in the past, but I am always struck when they occur. I regret that I had an injury that necessitated the amputation, but I do not lament my choice. Before my amputation I was dependent upon crutches and in constant pain. The uneven terrain of the field would have made the the maze impossible.

On Saturday, walking through the field was effortless. Relying upon the unreliable navigational skills of our four year old "leader" extended our stay in the maze to well over 90 minutes. Robby assured me that we were not lost and that we were "right where we are supposed to be." My leg didn't hurt and I was having no problem walking. We had a blast and never questioned our pint-sized guide!

After emerging from the corn maze and refueling with some ice cream, we made our way to the pumpkin patch. Robby was in awe by the massive size of the field but quickly went to work on the task at hand. It turns out that he is discriminating when it comes to picking produce! After about 30 minutes he had located and Daddy had carried the three "most perfect pumpkins" from the field.

I tromped through two fields and a farm for over five hours on Saturday, but my leg never hurt. The fact that my amputation was the best option was reaffirmed by my ability to participate with my family. As we were tucking Robby into his race car bed, he complained that his face hurt. When asked why, he told us that his cheeks hurt because he was smiling all day.

We had the perfect day at the pumpkin patch! My leg was never an issue navigating through the various fields. I suppose I should admit that, at the end of the day, my cheeks were a little sore from smiling too!