Pumpkin Park Fun!

Today we went with some friends to the Stu Miller pumpkin patch and the kids had a BLAST!  They had a bounce house, slides, little kid rides, and kids took home with a free mini-pumpkin.  But, I think my favorite (and I know it was Braden's) was the adorable petting zoo.  They had sheep, miniature & baby goats (the size of a cat!), bunnies, and chickens.  We shared some food to give them and the worker held a bunny for the kids to pet.  When offered the bounce house with Jacob, Bray wanted to go back to the petting zoo and look at the goats through the chicken wire.  Perhaps it's because I grew up with pets, or my mom's enthusiasm for animals, lots of National Geographic books when I was younger, or just a simple sense of gratitude that I feel when I realize that the Lord made these things "to gladden the heart,"  but I really love animals and zoos.  A part of me is always excited and fascinated by these living breathing things and I feel just like a kid again.  I'm not a big environmentalist, I'm not a huge pet person, but I just feel humble and awed sometimes when I get to see and touch these little miracles of nature--even if (especially if) it is a greedy goat tickling my 3 year old's fingers!  Anyhow- silly but fun and very worth spending our time and money!