“Oh Jack!” Sue grabbed his arm and pointed at the roadside stand that they were driving by. “Look… they have pumpkins.”

“Sue… you can’t grab my arm like that when I‘m driving.” He complained before putting on his turn signal and preparing to pull over to the side so that they could indulge her pumpkin fascination.

Sue grinned at him and rubbed Levi‘s head when he poked his head through the space between the seats. “Sorry.” She apologized. “You know how excited I get.”

Jack chuckled. “You know… I wish your excitement wasn’t just focused on pumpkins.” He teased her.

Her jaw dropped slightly. “You… you…” Sue rolled her eyes. “You know full well the range of my excitement.” She shook her head.

He parked the car and they got out. He tucked her hand in his pocket. “You forgot your gloves again sweetheart.”

“I wasn’t expecting to be out of the car much.” She shrugged. They were headed to Ohio to go visit her family. Even though it was October, her parent’s 45th wedding anniversary just couldn’t go unattended and they were coming now to visit, not for Thanksgiving. Their families would be in DC for Christmas.

Jack grinned at her as she hooked Levi’s leash on his collar “Yeah, yeah.. but we still have a few more hours until we reach our stopping point for tonight. You’re the one that wanted to drive instead of fly.”

“I hate flying. It makes my ears hurt.” Sue said, looking up at him reproachfully. “You know that.”

“I do…” Jack nodded.

Sue had to be the only woman in the world to insist on driving from DC to Miami so that they could go on their honeymoon cruise. But he hadn’t minded one bit. They’d rushed through the driving… rising early and making sure to get to the next spot by check in time because they were more than ready to tumble into the bed and make love after spending most of the day driving. He wouldn’t have traded their 2 plus weeks of honeymoon time for anything.

That had been over a year ago and now he was totally used to the fact that Sue preferred to drive. They made a trip to Ohio at least once a year. Alternating between Thanksgiving and Christmas. No one else minded flying so her brothers and their families always managed to get to DC in time for the other holiday celebrations.

As did his family… well… they’d started coming down to Ohio for the holidays when Jack and Sue were there so that they could all celebrate together.

Great start! :heart:

Another story from Mione And it started well...can't wait see what you have in store for us
Josy

Oh, I'm so excited...I can get in on the start of your story, unlike your first one which I've still got to find the time to read. And a Jack and Sue story no less!

And they are MARRIED!

And they are going home for a family celebration!

I'm loving this story already!

Lynn

WOOHOO!!! Excellent start!!

Looking forward for the next!

Tere

Another story more pumpkins and mione writing -- this is bound to be a good one.

kav

I just love it when you start a new story.

Lindsy

Jack and Sue married, pumpkins, fall, family and Mione painting the picture!! You can't get any better than that!!!

Joy

They approached the stand and Sue began to look at the different sizes and shapes of pumpkins. “Oh look, Jack…!” She pointed at a bin that was close to the cash register. “They have pumpkins with faces painted on them.”

He chuckled as she began to search through the bin. “Finding anything good in there?” He asked as she bent even closer to the bin in search of one that she liked.

Sue shrugged slightly. “I’ll come back to this.” She decided, straightening herself up and taking his hand again. “We have time to wander through the corn maze, right?”

“As long as your mom’s not expecting us to show up in time for lunch.” Jack said, intertwining their fingers together.

“Oh no…” Sue shook her head. “We’re not expected until dinner time.”

“Then yes, sweetheart… we have plenty of time to take a wander through the corn maze and come back to put in a heavy investment into pumpkins.” Jack chuckled as they headed for the maze.

They spent a good deal of time, getting lost in the corn maze. Well… hiding in an abandoned corner of the corn maze and kissing for a while as Levi kept watch for them.

Good boy Levi
Sweet story Mione
Josy

That was lovely!!

Tere

Thank God for Levi!! Good dog, Levi!!!

Joy

Good boy, Levi!

Lindsy

Gee, why couldn't there have been a Jack back when I was running thru corn....er...wheat and rye fields?

And I even had my own Levi.... my dear Lassie collie dog!

I would have been on

Lynn

Hand in hand, they made their way back to the stand and Sue took a careful moment or two before pointing out two pumpkins to Jack that she wanted so that she would be able to cut them up and cook them down for pies over the holidays.

He happily lugged them up to the counter and turned his attention to Sue as she turned her attention back to the bin of painted pumpkins. She seemed to be really studying them and he smiled at her when she looked at him. “Found what you want?”

Sue smiled at him. “Why yes…” She set two pumpkins on the counter, one slightly larger than the other. “One for you…. and one for me…” She smiled at him.

“Great.” Jack said, reaching for his wallet so that they could pay for the pumpkins on the counter. His brow furrowed when Sue set a small pumpkin on the counter with the other two. The last pumpkin was really small compared to the others. It would sit easily in the palm of your hand. “Sue…?” He asked her, glancing up at her and then back at the pumpkin.

“Yes Jack?” she asked innocently.

“One for each of us… is that one for Levi?” He asked.

She shook her head.

“Then… then ….?” Jack trailed off. “Then what… who…? Who is it for?”

“For the baby of course.” Sue said with a smile.

“For the baby…” Jack trailed off again before his eyes widened. “For the baby…” His eyes met hers. “Sue… are you…” He was bewildered. BABY he signed YOU ME?

She nodded, her smile widening when he pulled her to him and kissed her soundly. “Jack….” Sue said, pulling away to look at him again. “Are you okay with that?” She was a bit nervous about how he’d react. They hadn’t really been planning on starting their family yet but she firmly believed in God’s timing and not their timing.

Their baby was a true gift from God.

“Of course, Sue.” Jack smiled, nodding with his words. “I’m thrilled. I love you.” He said before kissing her again before he paid for the pumpkins and they took them out to the car. He made two trips because he would only let Sue carry their little trio of pumpkins.

Sue smiled at him as he approached the car with the second pumpkin. “When?” He asked. “When are we going to have our baby?”

“June.” She said softly. “I’m about a month and a half along.”

Jack beamed proudly, his chest puffing up slightly as he started the car and they headed on their way again, making their way towards Ohio.

WOOHOOO!!! THEY'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

Tere

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!

My chest is puffed up too, and then deflates with tears of joy when I cry...then puffs up again....then...well, you get the picture. I loved it! What a joyous celebration they will have at the anniversary party!

Lynn

That was definately a creative way for Sue to tell him that they were having a baby! I loved it!

YIPPEE!!!!

Lindsy

That has got to be the most ingenuous way I've ever heard of announcing a pregnancy!!! Very much like what Sue would do! But poor Levi, not getting a pumpkin of his own!

kav

Yay...a baby!!!
Josy

They were thrilled to realize that Jack’s family had been invited down for the anniversary celebration and even more thrilled when his dad disclosed that they were thinking of purchasing a house in the same town as her parents so that visiting and holidays wouldn’t be so expensive on everyone.

Not that they minded the drive from Wisconsin.

But Jack’s sister had settled down in Iowa and Ohio was much easier for her to bring her family to holiday dinners too.

Jack and Sue exchanged a private glance before following Sam into the dining room where the rest of the family was gathered for dinner.

A relocation to Ohio would be even more special once their baby arrived and they were coming with even more baggage than they traveled with now… having Levi and all. Plus they would have their choice of guest rooms to sleep in. Allowing for all their favorite holiday traditions to take place simultaneously.

Sue had always been proud and grateful to the fact that her parents and brothers were so generous in opening their homes so that Abby and Jack’s parents would have places to stay when it was a holiday and Jack and Sue were visiting. It was one of the sweet special things that she’d never dreamed would be possible when they first announced that they were getting married.

“What’s in the bag, Uncle Jack?” Cori asked. Martin’s daughter was four and was currently the youngest member of the large extended… blended family. Sue’s brothers had blessed their parents with several children and she was secretly tickled pink that she now would have that special opportunity. Martin - her youngest older brother, had three children with his wife Amanda… Cori, Juli - who was six and Kelli, his oldest who was eight.

Luke - the middle brother had three children as well with Sue‘s favorite sister in law Anna- well, from her side of the family… LJ - who was five, Bradley… seven and Annalisa who at nine was the spitting image of her Auntie Sue.

And then there was Matthew.

Sue’s oldest brother and his wife Leslie had the largest brood of them all, although there was talk of Luke and Anna maybe trying for another baby at some point. Matt and Leslie had seven children. For the longest time, they hadn’t thought that they would be able to have children of their own. So they had adopted. Much to Sue’s surprise, the first addition to their family had been a little deaf girl from the community. Madalyn was now twelve. She’d joined the family when she was four and Sue was more than delighted on any visits home to have a rapid fire conversation in sign language with her niece. They had adopted two more children, Sam and Zach - brothers who were now eleven and nine before Leslie discovered that God had chosen to bless them with a child of their very own. Much to their surprise it was actually four children of their very own and their quads were special from the moment they arrived. They were only a few months older than Cori. Adam, Bethany, Chris and Dora were each their own person and each had several challenges to overcome because of being premature but also Chris was born with Down’s Syndrome and Dora had been born deaf. It was partly because of these precious children that the attitudes in Sue’s family had undergone such a widespread transformation with regard to how they felt about the deaf community.

There were of course Abby and Brian’s five children - Colleen, Darla, Eddie, Felicity and George - present at these parties as well, her brood ranging in age from seven to fourteen.

“In this bag?” Jack asked Cori as Sue pulled her musings about the second generation back to the current conversation.

Cori nodded delightedly when Jack tweaked one of her pigtails. “Yeah… that bag.”

Jack gave Sue’s hand a squeeze before she nodded slightly. “Oh these are just a little decoration that your Auntie Sue decided she needed to have.”

They had spent the rest of the drive to Ohio plotting out just how to make their announcement.

“Really dear?” Carla Thomas and Ellie Hudson both looked over in interest from where they were still dishing up some side dishes. Ellie smiled at her daughter in law.

“Why don’t you go ahead and put them on the table, dear?” Carla asked them as she set down the dish she was carrying.

“All right.” Sue smiled, signing the words as she spoke for the three children there that also used sign. Chris - Matt and Leslie’s son had better communication success when signing with Maddy and Dora so that was the language of choice for him.

Jack pulled the first pumpkin out of the bag. “This apparently is my pumpkin.” He showed it off while Sue signed before he set it on the table.

A chorus of ‘oh it’s so cute’ came from the females around the table while the guys rolled their eyes.

“And this one’s Sue.” The same reactions abounded from the gathered family.

Jack set the third, tiny… final… pumpkin on the table and didn’t say anything when he set it down.

“Is that Levi’s?” Cori piped up.

“No sweetheart.” Sue said, shaking her head and still signing. “It’s your cousin’s.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I couldn't resist a lot of detail and background about their families... clearly Jack and Sue have been a little off the pace...

What a lovely way to annonce such of great news
Josy

I loved hearing about all the nieces and nephews, Mione. Coming from a family of 7 children, I love large families and family gatherings. Reading this was like coming home.

What a wonderful, caring person Matt grew up to be. I'm sure, being Sue's oldest brother, he was greatly influenced by Sue's going deaf. You have made us see this Mione, and how his compassion and sensitivity later led him and his wife to adopt a deaf child which, no doubt, prepared them for the challenges of raising a child with Down's Syndrome. Wonderful how you wove that into her family.

I also loved the way Sue announced their comming event!

I used to buy those decorated pumpkins for my grandkids and to sit on my desk at work. They are precious.

Lynn

But they can catch up, can't they? Jack loves a challenge.

I loved hearing about the families too and the idea of them being such a big happy extended family.

kav

Lovely Mione!!



Tere

Well this baby is certainly going to have a lot of cousins. Which I like. I have a bunch myself and I love it... although some are twice my age and then some. But, still.

I just love how they're breaking the news to their families. So cute.

Lindsy

Mione, I just caught up on your last two posts!! I love the creative way Sue told Jack about the baby, then both of them carrying the theme in the announcement to their families!! Yes, they are a little off pace, but now that they've started, they will catch up fast!!!

I love the background information on all the children and grandchildren!! And, it's wonderful that Jack's parents have decided to relocate to Ohio!!!

Joy

I love your creativity. What a wonderful, happy time in their lives.

The room was silent for a long moment before it erupted into sound.

Chairs were pushed back from the table and Jack and Sue found themselves surrounded, hugged and pounded on the back and generally shoved from one person to the next until they had made an entire round of the room and were finally allowed to sit in their own chairs.

Dinner and the anniversary celebration finally continued and the rest of the day was a bit of a blur.

Sue was thrilled though… when her mother told her that their announcement was the best anniversary present that she’d ever received. And she shared that with Jack as they cuddled up to each other under the covers in their room.

He pressed a tender kiss to her temple before smiling and signing to her that it was a good thing. She agreed and shifted, looking down at him before she kissed him and snuggled up again, glancing over at the dresser where their happy little pumpkin family of three sat wearing amused expressions. “I can’t wait to get the team’s impression of our little autumn expressions.” She giggled.

Something told her that using the pumpkins to tell people about their coming arrival was going to be the best fun she could have in sharing their news.

Jack chuckled as well, as she settled down again in his arms, lulling her to sleep by gently rubbing her back. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he heard her breathing level out and her heartbeat settle into her usual sleeping rate. “Me either, sweetheart…” He murmured against her hair. “Me either.”

Their lives would never be the same, he thought. Not that he wanted them to be the same anyway.

He fell asleep, happy and content that the woman in his arms was giving him the greatest gift she could present him with.

He would always remember how she chose to share with him the news of their first baby.

Their ‘autumn expression’ of their great love and desire for one another.



~Fin~


word count 2375

Tere

I so enjoyed how Sue and Jack chose to make their announcement - that was just too cute!

Exceelent job, Mione!

Oh, its over!

That was a very sweet story, Mione!

It has left me with a smile on my face,
a
in my
and on
with the prospect of a
despite the fact it ended.
for a lovely story.

Lynn

What a beautiful story Mione
Thanks for sharing
Josy

OH Mione! That was just lovely!

Lindsy

I enjoyed your story, Mione. You are very creative. Thanks for sharing with us.

What a wonderful, beautiful, joyful story this is, Mione!! I love the ending!!!

Thanks for sharing with us once again!!!

Joy

Very sweet! Nice job working the title into your ending. They've created a wonderful memory for themselves with that "expression".

That was wonderful!

Great job!

That was fun, adorable, wonderful and filled with family love.

Thank you for sharing mione.

Great story, Mione. I loved the creative way of telling the family (and Jack too) about the coming baby. Great job.

- RSL

So cute. Loved the way she told jack and the family she was pregnant.

Aww that was so sweet.



Hope ~