Testing my SANITY!!!

I have decided that if I can survive the winter here.....I can do anything!!! It seems like when everything is going the way it is supposed to the bottom falls out. So far this week (its only Tuesday) the main water hydrant is froze and I am having to carry buckets of water to the horses, the truck gelled up (not at all fun), the water to the house froze twice, and tonight we had to take a horse to the vet.

It is always something, but these are the things that make a person stronger, smarter or drive them insane!!! I have learned so much since living in South Dakota.....pheasant hunters drive me bonkers because they are just bird crazy, its not creek its crick(?), and for some reason in the last few weeks snow came but it has not gone. I wouldn't trade things for anything. I love my life and everyone in it.

I am not going crazy even thought it has been tested!!!

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.--Demosthenes

Until tomorrow,

Sam

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

Friends

"To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world." - Brandi Snyder

Tonight, I have realized how important it is to have friends. Friends come in all forms, shapes and sizes. We had dinner tonight with friends, shared a bottle of wine and stories of old times. Nights like tonight let a person go to bed happy.

Friendship is important to everyone. We all need them. I know I have done my share of crying on friends' shoulders or taking advantage of the help that they selflessly offered. With friendship you gain a lot. You gain their knowledge of whatever it may be. I have friends knowledgable in everything from the right wine to pair with dinner to the right bit to try for a certain problem. No matter what I may need I can call on someone. Everyone needs some companionship. I get a lot of it from my animals. I love to go outside in the mornings to do chores and hear that friendly nicker. I love it when I have bonded with these guys enough that anytime they see me they nicker or hang their head over the gate awaiting a scratch and sometimes a cookie. My favorite are those horses that everyone has problems with love me. I can remember when I worked for a reiner, he had a stud that no one handled. When I say no one, I mean they did not clean his stall or anything. Well this was a big pretty stud who had more mane than I had ever seen but it was knotted from one end to the other. So one evening when I was there by myself I decided I would brush out his mane. I walked in the stall and talked to him and preceeded to brush it out. His mane hung to his knees. I don't know if it was an ignorance is bliss moment or I actually formed a bond with him but everytime after that he talked to me when I went by.

I have always had that luck with people too. From the moment that I started working retail I always got the customers that no one wanted to deal with and I loved it. I love a challenge and a fight as well. Even in the horse deal I have had the oppurtunity to deal with people like this. I once gave lessons to a set of girls whose parents were known for not being able to pay but it did not bother me. After the 5th lesson, the mom asked me to hold her check for a few days and she would call me when I could cash it. No problem, everyone has a bad week. I held that check for nearly a month before she called to apologize to me. It probably would have made anyone else mad but the girls needed the lessons more than I needed the money.

Friends are priceless and unreplaceable. I have several I hold dear to my heart. I have some that I don't chat with as often as I would like and some I have lost contact with and it hangs heavy on my heart. I called a friend a few days ago that I have not talked to in awhile and had the most uplifting conversation. Truth be told I needed it. Sometimes we need to be told we are missed and thought about. I am very thankful for all of those that I can call a friend.

"Promise me you'll always remember: you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin to Pooh

Until tomorrow,
Sam

Believing

"What we think, we become" Budha

Thinking is something I do a lot of. Sometimes to much. I have lots of nights that I lay in bed with the wheels spinning 9-0. Everything from what to make for breakfast, different things to do with horses to improve to why am I still awake. Thinking is just human.

Growing up I thought I was the best, sometimes that arrogance showed thru. I listened to a segment on the Fuse channel about Lady GaGa and she said that women that are successful are percieved to be arrogant. I believe that to be true to a point. I know lots of successful women who you couldn't beat arrogance into. But is it true that what we think we become? Does every lotto winner think that they will be millionaires or are they just risking it? Do doctors and lawyers constanly think about the flu and the law??

I believe that if you believe it can happen and work hard for it, it will happen. Hard work always pays off, no matter what. I have slaved away, shed some blood and many tears to get where I am. I keep believing!! Not only in myself and the Lord, but those around me and those who support me. Remember Kevin Costner's famous line "If you build it they will come" I apply that to my horses. If I build a solid foundation for what they are suppossed to be doing than the success will come. The same goes for raising our child, we have to build him a foundation to base his morals and values upon. I believe in him, I believe that he will be successful in whatever he chooses, therefore I must believe in my own abilities to get him there.

I am a believer. I believe in you. Don't believe me just ask!

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

Until tomorrow,
Sam

What would you do?

"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone." - Reba McEntire

Can you remember fighting over a wishbone?? Or pulling one apart only to find it is still to moist? Or even to be the one stuck with the short side? As a little girl, if I had gotten the long piece I was wishing for success in something. But success was measured much differently then. I am successful now. I am successful everyday. Everyday I succeed at making someone happy whether it be cooking a warm meal for Clint after a long day at work or as simple as getting Clayton out of bed in the mornings. It is pretty simple to be successful if you decide to be humble. I took a long time to be humble. Growing up (which I am still doing) I wanted everyone to know how successful I was. I wanted them to know what I have done and how good I was at it. I learned very quickly that no matter how good I was someone was better. I learned to be happy with my own successes. I can remember winning rodeos and being told by a mentor that no matter how fast my horse may run there is one faster and when you meet them be humble.

As far as a backbone goes, I have one always have. From the time I was little no one was going to walk on top of me, just ask my Aunt Kathy who I kicked in the shins with my cowboy boots. I have always been quick to stand up for what I thought was right and never stood up because someone else did. I am an individual for many reasons. I was raised that way. There were many experiences in my childhood that taught me to be me and no one else. I grew up with a hard working mom that always had time for her kids. She was always encouraging. She always told me to shoot for the moon. Even if you miss the moon you still land amongst the stars. I learned a lot from my dad. A lot about what to look for and what not to in a man. Most importantly I have learned something from everyone that has ever helped me whether I wanted it or not.

It never is funny when you hit your funnybone, but humor is a much needed commodity. If you can't laugh at yourself who can?? I do funny things all the time, lots of the time not meaning to. But I laugh sometimes thru the tears. I can remember going to a barrel race with my Mom who had never really pulled the trailer much. And as usual we had to stop and put air in the trailer tires. She handed me a dollar bill and asked me to go inside and get quarters. I quickly replied how many? My mom laughed and still does at this. Sad thing is I was well beyond old enough to know how many quarters are in a dollar. The nice thing about family is they will laugh with you no matter what and will damn sure laugh at you when its funny!!!

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

Until tomorrow,
Sam

The Ride

"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."- John Wayne

There has never been a more accurate statement. Today is day one of this wild ride we are taking. Today marks the first of many good days yet to come. I must say I look forward to them. I look forward to a lot of things in this upcoming year. I have many goals that I have set out to achieve. All of them attainable for I am hitching my wagon to a star. At this moment I have more talented horseflesh standing around than I have in years. I have horses that scare me as to how much they remind me of great ones of the past. Horses that are destined to be winners. It is their fate and because of them, the journey begins.

Today, I am in the warm up pen. Thinking about that great run. Picturing the first barrel, feeling the wind in my face and the water running down my cheeks because of the speed. I am quickly approaching the second, I am sat down looking for the right spot and headed to third that quick. Now we are in the pocket of the third and pealing the paint off of it. Headed home for all we are worth. This is my ride!!!

The next few weeks are going to be busy, but I am blessed with lots of help, encouragement, and ears to listen. 2010 is here and I am headed down the alley!!!

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in they sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." Psalms 19:14

Until tomorrow,
Sam