The last thing I remembered was having an absolute blast at my first Ponyville hoedown, hosted right here in our barn on Sweet Apple Acres. From square dancing on the barn floor, playing the banjo in front of everypony, and elusively evading a crowd of rowdy ponies toppling all around me. My most vivid memory, though, was staring straight into the eyes of Applejack; the prettiest, most radiantly kind and beautiful eyes I have ever gazed into. It was in those eyes that I wished to take refuge at that time. She was, at least for me, the light of the hoedown, with all of her hospitable country characteristics magnified by the moment.

I may not have been able look into her eyes right then, but I did feel the distinctive warmth of feeling her cuddled right next to me. Of course, my eyes were still shut, but I was gaining consciousness and could heard the faint sounds of morning on the farm; a few gentle songs from the birds chirping and some distant "bahh" 's from the sheep. The morning dove was absent, however, and I had not yet heard the crow, so clearly it was still really early. Nevertheless, all of these noises, along with Applejack's soft neighs of snoring, make for some soothing sounds to lay in bed half-awake to. Or in this case, to wake up to.

My mind slowly began to turn into awake-mode, and I sat up, yawned, and stretched my arms before giving my eyes a quick rub with my hands. I glanced over to the window and saw both stars; the sky was not completely dark like it is just before the dawn, but I could make out a purple hue that was clearly the twilight. Wow, I'm up really early. I hope I didn't wake up Applejack. I looked over to my left, and there she was, sleeping as cutely and peacefully as ever, the blankets moving gently up and down from her soft breathing. Even though I was still very tired, my heart burst with joyous affection at the sight of my sleeping wife. Her tail was sticking out the end of the bed and hanging down to the floor, just one reason I find her even more adorable because she's a pony. I laid back down and set my head on the pillow and made sure my back was against her for extra comfort.

I reflected back on the hoedown, which had so many moments I will never forget. I even started to chuckle a little bit as I remembered Caramel, one of my first friends here in Ponyville, clumsily lumbering to the ground during the height of Pinkie's wild song and me having to stop at full speed to avoid him. That was the single funnest night of my life. I immediately started blushing with horrible delight when I recalled square dancing with Applejack to the delightful fiddling of her cousin Fiddlesticks. Even where I'm from, square dancing is iconic and synonymous for country dances- something I always longed to do, even when I was just a little boy in the city. Combine that with the pony who I was dancing with and you have the happiest young fellow you will ever find. It's so enchanting to think about her and me together like that that my heart can barely take it. Even though Applejack is my wife and we've been married for fourteen months now, that doesn't change the fact that I have the most intense crush imaginable on her. And all of the emotions that come with having her return those feelings.

Still, I had a little problem; I was wide awake even though night's darkness had not yet left the land, not to mention our bedroom. As I stared with wide eyes out the window at the twilight, taking in the comfort from her body's soft breathing up against my back, it occurred to me I was going to have to sit like this for a little while longer, at least until the sun came up; that's when she usually wakes up. A little walk out into the orchard to watch the sunrise wouldn't hurt... and that way I don't have to worry about waking her up. So as quietly as I could, I slipped out from under the covers, slipped some tennis shoes on, and tip-toed over to the door to make my way out.

Before I passed through the doorway, I looked back at her for one more quick glance. Even in slumber, when her cute blonde mane is completely exposed without her cowpony hat, I look at her and admire her with all of my heart, which is exactly the place where I rested my hand at that moment as I adored my sleeping angel. I love you, Applejack. There is no other life that I could ever want compared to my life with you, since you are the life of my soul. You are always on my mind, and it is with no one else I commit all my mind, soul, and heart. Sleep peacefully, Applejack. There is no one who has earned it more then you have. Magic is as magic does; I may not understand it, but I do know that being my wife, she's connected with me at all times through the union of our hearts. So even at moments like these, I know she can feel the care that pours from mine.

I made my way downstairs through the darkness and tip-toed passed a loudly snoring Granny Smith on the living room rocking chair. I stepped out the front door onto the porch and beheld the dark-purple sky where the stars still glistened above. There are so many stars in the country, unlike the city where I was raised; I am always at awe at how many there are, and how vast and beautiful they are. Before Applejack and I got married, we used to come out here and lie in the grass together, looking at the stars and talking for hours. It didn't take long for me to discover how pure and selfless her golden heart was, laboring out here for many hours a day and being the kind of friend she is with the other elements.

Upon getting out there, I didn't really know what to do. It was too early to feed the sheep and the pigs; most of them were still asleep, despite the noises coming from the few ones awake. Immediately I thought of one of the hills that overlooks most of the farm; it makes for a glorious view, and it's Applejack and I's favorite place to watch the sunrise together. So under the guidance of the morning star, I made my way through the trees over to the hill. Now that harvest is over, I wonder if I can fix that leak in the barn roof. Of course for the next few days we'll be in Ponyville with our apple stand. Now that harvest season is over, the workload on the farm is not as heavy, and we'll have more time to spend with each other, whether that be here on the farm or in Ponyville selling our harvest. Of course there's always chores to do on the farm, harvest season or not. But to me, chores are just an opportunity to be the best husband I can be and to help the family.

I reached the top of hill and brought myself to rest under the tree that stands alone up there, and once again gazed up at the stars, highlighted by that same morning star that shines brightest and most beautifully of all of them and precedes the rising of the sun, lighting the way. I leaned my back up against the tree and pondered my favorite parallel of Applejack as my morning star. I noticed the eastern sky beginning to change to a bright pink, and orange the closer you looked towards to horizon. The sunrise was almost here, and pretty soon, the rooster would be crowing and the sun's first light would be penetrating throughout the whole farm.

The thought of the beautiful sight delighted me, even though I wished at that moment that my wife was beside me, watching it with me as we frequently do. It's better that she gets her rest. She deserves only the best, and nothing beats a good sleep. I brought my hands together and rested them on my stomach and observed the morning mist that could be seen rising from the ground and covering the farm like a blanket. I wonder what is Applejack wanted to tell me last night. Oh my... Immediately I recalled how awkward it was when I realized everypony was staring at me in silence as I was cut off from reality swimming in the enchanting deepness that reflected from Applejack's eyes. Well, let's be reasonable. It's not like they don't know how I feel about her. As long as it wasn't awkward for Applejack, I could live with it. And everypony was staring at me, since Fiddlesticks had chosen me to pick a song for her to play at that particular moment, so that was reassuring.

I pondered what could've been stirring her feelings so deeply as I recalled the yearning and longing in her eyes. I immediately felt my heart tugging as I thought about it. I wonder... My eyes widened with great enthrallment and my stomach stirred as I recalled back to the happy ending from the Manehattan Moon Mingle, as Applejack and I danced romantically and lovingly. An important decision had been decided between the two of us that night, following the perils and the separation between us that transpired there before we were reunited in the end.

I was interrupted, however, by the distant "cock-a-doodle-doo!" that sounded throughout the farm as the eastern sky began to light up, but the sun had not quite breached the horizon yet as a smile began to form across my face. And that means that Applejack is now waking up. I shut my eyes and inhaled through the nose a good long breath of fresh Sweet Apple Acres air. When I opened my eyes again stared with content across the farm, the nicest voice in the world caught me by surprise.

"Mornin' sugarcube."

I turned my head, and to my great delight, there she was, smiling and beautiful, still hatless. Inevitably, the beam on my face amplified greatly.  

"Well hello!" I said as she walked slowly towards me.

"Thought you were gonna watch the sunrise without me?" she said, laying herself down right beside me.

"I figured I'd let you sleep since you worked yourself to death this week, like always. Would you prefer I'd interrupted it and woke you up?" I teased.

"Actually," she replied, chuckling, "ya did wake me up, sugarcube."

That's one way to turn it around on someone. Immediately I felt a little embarrassed, thinking I had been quiet enough. Typically, she's a heavy sleeper.

"Oh fiddlesticks," I said, as the two of us began laughing together, "sorry". After a short pause, she sighed with ease.

"Naw, there ain't nowhere ah'd rather be then where ah'm at right now with you, honey. Gee whiz, sguarcube! You played that banjo like a country boy!" she said, to which I laughed embarrassingly.

"Well, I ...  "

She turned her head towards me and smiled from ear to ear, her eyes twinkling, and laughed so sweetly once more.

"Yer gonna love the family photo we took last night," she said, looking at me as though she had a devious little secret. Immediately I was playfully terrified.

"Family photo?" I said. I didn't remember a family photo. At least not before I fell asleep on the hay.

"Yep," she said, giggling, "Ah' think you'll find that ya look mighty tired in it."

"Oh great," I groaned, but I wasn't upset in the slightest. I guess that's what I get for leaving the hoedown early.

"Hey, ain't nothin' wrong with bein' cute, sugarcube. Fiddlesticks sure had a great time with ya, same as everypony else. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"That's a silly question," I said, wrapping my arm around her neck for a hug and bringing the side of my face down onto the top of her head and observing the pink/orange sky on the horizon stretching over our land. "I guess now we can look forward to selling those apples in town," I said, taking great comfort in her warmth.

"This is gonna be one o' the best seasons we ever had," she said. That would be fantastic.

"You think so?"

"Sure as sugar, honey. Rarity's dress business is better n' ever, and it's bringin' ponies to town, Pinkie's a right popular party pony, Rainbow's on her way to bein' a wonderbolt. This town is home to five of the six elements, one of them is a rare and gracious creature sure to attract buyers. This is the place to be, sugarcube."  

"Oh right," I laughed. She loves to tickle me with comments like that, all the while leaving herself out of it, which I will have none of it. "Somehow you always fail to mention the best reason to come to Ponyville; it's home to the most interesting pony in Equestria, who is not to mention the nicest, cutest, most charming and most athletic pony in Equestria. Among other things," I remarked happily. It's my responsibility to care for her, and that includes making her feel loved and appreciated.

"Oh c'mon, ah'm just a farmer, remember?"  Oh, heck no! I couldn't tell if she was serious, I couldn't see her expression having my face on the top of her head. Knowing her modesty, she probably was completely serious.

"The hardest working and most dependable farmer there ever was. Somepony that pure and humble I exalt to heights above the royal sisters and beyond," I said, pulling her back so I could look her. "You are the strongest, sweetest girl who ever lived, and I am blessed beyond what I could ever hope for to have you. I'm just happy to be with you right now," I said, winking at her. I laughed with joy at the sight of appreciation she couldn't deny me in her eyes.

When she began to fight back tears, she stood up and began walking away from me towards the edge of the hill into the sunrise, the horizon behind her. My happiness suddenly diminished. I didn't mean to take it that far; to bring her tears. If she cries, then you can soon bet I will be crying too, they being tears of sadness or joy depending on whatever they are for her. Given the immense gratitude and gratefulness I had observed in her eyes only moments before, realistically I should've figured them to have been tears of joy, but I was unaware.

"Applejack?" I said, standing up with care and serious fear that I had somehow brought her down.

She was facing the dawn, looking out the brilliant array of pink, purple, and orange that came out from horizon, her back to me. At first she watched it, as though not acknowledging my concern, but when she turned around and faced me, my heart exploded from the love, for me, that was emanating from her eyes and her jovial smile. Suddenly, the first light from the sun shot out from the horizon directly behind her, illuminating around her body like she was angel, her orange coat glistening and her golden mane sparkling in the sun's rays. Immediately I began smiling in relief.

"You  know it's true," I said, placing my hands on my hips and turning my head over with a charging smirk. But she did not respond. She did not even acknowledge me in the slightest, she just kept on smiling with tremendous joy and care, looking as though she knew something that I didn't, and was withhold from telling me.

This continued for many more moments. At first, I just blushingly smiling back at her, overcome at her innocent stares of sentiment. But when the same longing and yearning began radiating from her eyes that was there last night, I suddenly became quite curious. And she noticed this, and began smiling in a manner that was killing me with anticipation. I  wasn't sure what I had stirred up inside her, but I was dying to find out.

"What are you grinning at?"  

She stared with that same look a little longer, before she her ears collapsed.

"Selling apples is not the only thing we have to look forward to."

She walked forward towards, not losing her smile or her love, as my expression faded away into utter marveling at her words. What did she mean? Could she be telling me that-...? Suddenly my entire life- my mood, my feelings, my heart rate, everything- was on complete hold until she told me what she was talking about. She didn't come to a halt until she six inches in front of me, and nothing was visible to me except the emerald twinkle in her eyes.

"You and ah'-," she stuttered. l said nothing. I just waited for her to finish. If she didn't finish soon, I might not have had enough blood pumped throughout my body. She looked down at the ground for a quick moment before she turned back up with her compassionate smile. She paused and delivered the words that would go down in the history of my life forever. "Well... the newest member of the Apple family is on its way."

I cannot describe in words how I felt at that moment. At first, they barely registered to me. My senses practically shut off and my eye began twitching furiously as I stared at her in disbelief. My heart rate was frozen in time. My mind was unable to think for a few moments. It wasn't until I finally breathed that her words repeated themselves in my head. The newest member of the Apple family is on its way...

Suddenly, I regained all of my senses, and I immediately saw a joyous Applejack smiling at me with utter wonder. I held my hand over my heart and began breathing heavy breaths, looking at her with wide eyes as I inhaled intensely in and out with rounded lips. I felt the side of my head and it was suddenly soaked with sweat.

"T-the n-newest member of the A-Apple family?" I repeated to her for confirmation. I clenched my chest as I felt my insides getting heavy as she nodded her head up and down. "You mean... You and I are..?" I said, stuttering with astoundment.

"Yes, sugarcube!" she proclaimed, reflecting my excitement.  

I fell to my knees and turned my head up at her, tightly holding my stomach, pressing air out of it after each inhale. My mind was spinning. It's... it's possible? It's happening? My world had just been rocked, and suddenly, as the thought of Applejack and I being parents together was now reality. Life brought into the world from the two of us. It felt as though me and her were now being carried up to the realms of heaven on a cloud surrounded by a choir of angels announcing our arrival.

"Y-you... you and I are going to be parents," I stuttered, as I she threw her arms around me and hugged me as tight as I've ever been held. My mind fully began to absorb what was happening. Applejack and I were going to be united as parents, a mom and a dad. Through the miracle of magic. I moved my hand back over my heart, which was suddenly bursting forth with feelings of excitement I didn't think were possible. I pulled myself and held my hand over my forehead, and relayed more faces of shock.

"Oh Applejack," I panted, standing up and holding onto her for support so I didn't fall over, "I'm overwhelmed."

I instinctively threw my arms around her and hugged her as tight as I possibly could, which she returned once again. I lifted my head towards the skies, proclaiming silently to the them how much I loved my wife. As we released each other, I clumsily fell back onto the grass, unable to stand and my stomach churning. Applejack knelt down beside me and brought her face into mine, examining me with care to make sure I was ok. I went back to focusing on breathing as I contemplated the mystery of magic in Equestria, as well as the mystery of our love. Applejack placed her front legs on my shoulders and leaned in for a kiss, which I returned in full.

"Yer gonna be a daddy, sugarcube."  

She stood up and over top of me, and as I was unable to stand as I could barely feel my legs, I turned with her my head and gazed out over the farm, which was covered in the beautiful morning mist. The morning star had lit the path and prepared the way for the sun, which was now risen over the farm, and I looked on with amazement as the morning dew from each blade of grass and each leaf on every apple tree reflected the light of the sun across the valley. With my most dearly beloved standing right beside me, I repeated it over and over again to myself. Applejack and I are going to have a foal.