Pumpkin Muffins

When Lydia was three weeks old we had one of those moments when we know God was specifically directing other's paths for our sakes. Ray had to be out of town and it would be the first day for me to be chauffeuring Rachel and Hannah from school to a horse show to soccer practice and back home. When the day was done I had been in the car with the girls for five hours while Lydia cried most of the time. The only breaks in the day was for nursing and diaper changes. I got home after 8PM and the house was a disaster, no food was cooked, and everyone was falling apart. When the doorbell rang minutes after we walked into the house you can only guess what I thought. I opened the door to find dear friends, Roger and Laurie Sealock, bringing pumpkin muffins. They said they were in town and wanted to stop by to see the baby and could they do anything for me. All I could think of at the moment was that I hadn't had time to use the bathroom all day, so I handed them Lydia and locked myself in my room for as long as I dared. When I came out they had cleaned my kitchen, cooked grilled cheese sandwiches, and rearranged all the donated baby paraphernalia that we were still tripping over. I think of what a blessing they were to us on that night every time I make them.

Here is the recipe:
1/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tbsp molasses
1 tsp grated orange peel
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
Streusel Topping
1/3 cup flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cold butter
Cream margarine and sugars. Add pumpkin buttermilk, eggs, molasses, orange peel. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients then gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Mix ingredients for streusel topping until crumbly and sprinkle on top of muffins. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool in pan 5 minutes before removing.