once upon a fall day...

Yesterday we went to a local orchard with some friends from our church. We had a ton of fun picking and eating apples, selecting some nice little pumpkins, visiting, and buying some fresh cider.  I made a pumpkin pie with one pumpkin today, and I'm going to use another one for dinner in a pumpkin some night soon.

It was super warm outside...not the cool weather I would have preferred.  I'm not surprised with the weather though since it changes so quickly here in Indiana.

One couple brought their sweet baby girl who is only a few months old.  She was so alert and loved looking at the trees and apples.  Precious!

Landon and I felt so at home getting out of the city an into the country.  We both grew up in the country and it feels so good to go back.  I just felt like I could breathe!  I like the city sometimes, but the country is so much more relaxing.  We passed a combine on the road and none of the city folks in front of us quite knew what to do.  We just passed him and waved. :)  I was like "ahh, this feels like home."
(Don't get me wrong, I love the city...it's so convenient and everything is so close!  But we won't be here forever and I love our roots.)


I made the pie this afternoon, I've got homemade chili simmering on the stove, and I'll be roasting some pumpkin seeds later.  Now, I'm just relaxing with Landon and watching some good football.

Have a beautiful evening!

Love,
Leah

the most perfect story

So we got engaged two years ago today!  And it is the most perfect story.

I was living in Portland with a family while I did an internship at the Oregon Zoo in the fall of 2008.  Landon was finishing up his senior year of college.  Of course we missed each other, but we had been doing the long distance thing for awhile, and were both concentrating on where we were at.

Well, one Friday night September 26 2008, I was at a little party with the friends I was living with and I was told we were picking up a friend of theirs from the airport that night.  This wasn't new to me since they lived close to the airport and did it all the time.  So we packed into the car and drove the airport.  I like to watch people, so I was watching all the waiting people at the gates as we pulled up to the arrivals.  And I let out a gasp as I saw Landon, my boy standing there!  I couldn't believe it! It was like a scene out of a movie...I opened the door and went straight into his arms.  Now, he thought maybe of proposing right there, but didn't want to shock me too badly, so we went back to where I was staying and said goodnight.

The next day, Saturday September 27 was amazing...we explored downtown Portland, ate at an amazing greek restaurant, went to Portland Saturday Market, had coffee at my favorite little place in Gresham.  Landon said later that he was carrying my ring around loose in his pocket all day, and he was so worried that he would lose it!

Later that night, Landon asked if we could drive to a place where we could sit on a blanket and watch the sunset.  We drove to the airport and found a field that overlooked the airstrip and main buildings.  By the way, airports are so pretty at night!  They have so many lights and it's just amazing to see.  Also, the landing planes came right over our heads....it was so cool to hear and see.

We were sitting on a blanket together, and Landon started talking about how I always wore my puzzle ring on my right hand and how he always played with it.  Then, he said that maybe he could swap me that one for one that he had...and he slipped the engagement ring on my right hand as he took off my puzzle ring.  He asked if I would marry him, and I just hugged him and cried a little bit.  Of course I said yes then!  It was dark by then, so we had to go to the car to look at the ring under the dome light so I could see it.

We spent the next day exploring all the beautiful waterfalls along the Columbia River and relaxing, and getting our engagement pictures taken by Ray Siler who was the husband of the family I lived with.

 I was in bliss.  My Landon is the most amazing man I know...he completely took me by surprise when he flew out to propose to me.  I love him more than I can say!
(I can't wait to tell this story to our kids.)

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This was our amazing view!

Landon handpicked my ring out.