Equestrian Mom 101

I got the pleasure of going to Ocala this past week with Sarah and Lizzie and watched them show.  To say that I'm proud of them is an understatement.  My heart jumps out of my chest when I watch them show.  They've been doing this for years and honestly, it never gets old.  You would think by now that I'd be cool as a cucumber when they enter the ring.  Wrong.  I'm still looking for the person next to me to grab.  I think my best asset is mentally helping them over the jumps!  Sitting in the stands and your body goes up as they go over the jumps!  The best is standing and watching them!  You kick one leg back just a bit as they go over the jump!  I always feel it helps them, at least that's what I'll keep telling myself so I don't feel so dumb!  Although it helps when I'm taking pictures because I have to focus on the picture so I don't move around as much!

Sarah and Lizzie have held their own in Ocala.  The classes are huge, anywhere from 30-50 in each class and they've placed in the top 10, even getting 2nd places in some of the Equitation classes!

I zip from ring to ring in the golf cart, sometimes getting the phone call of "can you go back to the barn and get...." so off I rush, retrieving whatever item was left at the barn.

Just this past weekend, after dashing to a Porta Potty, this thought ran through my head, "You know are a horse show mom when the Porta Potty's no longer bother you!"  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

Sunday it was raining and it was cold and at one point I looked around while at a particular ring and just smiled.  I smiled not because it was rainy and cold, but because I wasn't the only parent all bundled up, hair matted, makeup smeared and muddy waiting for my children to get their two minutes in the show ring!  And once again, so proud of them because while I was cold and wet, they were also cold, wet AND maneuvering a horse around a ring and over jumps!

I'm still trying to get the stains out of their white breeches!

Sarah and Rocky Carr

Lizzie and Ashton

Aaron talking to the girls after the USET

Sarah and Gregor

Lizzie and Onno Z

Am I A Closet Christian?

I've often wondered this.  Do I talk about God when it feels "safe"?  When I'm around other Christians?  I have wondered if an Athiest wanted to chat with me about this so called "God", could I do it?  Do I know enough? Am I good enough?  Am I strong enough?  


I have found that for me, I would hope my actions speak louder than words.  I am a believer in paying it forward.  I believe in helping those that WANT to help themselves but they can't.  I believe in helping the young couple starting out in their marriage, especially when they remind me of Eric and I when we started our life together, and seeing the determination in their eyes.  I believe in listening when God places a family on my heart and a dollar amount, handing it to them and hearing, "We just had some car trouble and weren't sure how we were going to pay for it".  I believe in finding out about the single mom who won't be able to provide Christmas for her two children, putting money in an envelope and having someone give it to her.  I believe in mentoring and praying that I can make a difference in someone's life.  I believe in doing what is right, sometimes that doesn't mean it will be easy.  I believe in honesty, which I know I haven't always been.  I believe in trying my very best to be a good example to my daughters.  I know I've failed miserably at times but I hope that one day, they can look back and see that there was more good than bad.  I believe that children should face hurt, anger, disappointment, happiness, boredom, etc.  I believe that thanking God for the hard times is just as important as thanking Him for the good times.  The good times are just easier to be thankful for!  


My hope is that I'm not a Closet Christian.  My hope is that people can see God through me through my actions.  Do I even fail at this?  Absolutely.  Do I at times do or say something and then think, "wow, maybe that should've stayed in the closet"  But, I know that this is how we grow and how we learn and the beauty is that everyone fails.  Everyone falls on their face.  I'm thankful for second, third, fourth... chances.  I'm thankful for a God who loves me unconditionally even with my garbage.  I'm thankful that I've been forgiven.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to "pay it forward" to others.  


While I might not know the Bible from beginning to end and have many questions, I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn.  You won't ever see me standing on the street preaching (totally NOT my gift) but we all have our gifts and I believe mine is doing my best to Walk the Talk.  Can people know I'm a Christian by how I act?  How I treat others?  Do people know my heart?  I hope so.  I hope I continue to get phones calls that say, "I need you to pray for me". I think that is the best compliment one could get.  Having someone ask you to pray for them or someone they know or a situation, and that someone isn't in your inner "Christian" circle.  I like to pretent God and I high five on those moments!  Me jumping as high as I can with my hand in the air!!


I'll close with my favorite verse, Jeremiah 29:11


"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Baby girl Lizzie goes to Winter Formal 2012

Our youngest daughter, Lizzie is 14 and went to her first Winter Formal two days ago.  I'm just recuperating from it!  Winter formal is not Prom or Homecoming... just a fancy dance in the winter.  Keep in mind, you do the exact same preparations as Prom or Homecoming, I can't believe the thought of not doing:


-New dress 
-Spray tan
-Manicure
-Hair
-3 hour "get ready" with girlfriends


would ever enter my mind, and believe me, I'd be lying if I didn't think, "we're doing all this for a dance?"  But how can you not.  These moments will be forever memories and the night went well so thank goodness for good memories!!  

Britni M. and Lizzie

The dress!

We went to Isak's home to take pictures and met his parents who are lovely!  His mom and I had been texting trying to figure out what on earth the plans were and what our role was!  Between Isak's parent and Eric and I, we transported 11 teens to downtown Ann Arbor to eat dinner, the four of us had a lovely dinner while waiting for the kids, and then transported them back to school for the dance!  

Annie, Anna, Maddie, Lily and Lizzie

Isak and Lizzie

Isak and Lizzie

Isak and Lizzie

I know... I know... aren't they stunning?!!  I'm bragging, I know, I can't help it!  Loved seeing our little Lizzie all dressed up and smiling and enjoying the night with her friends!  It makes your heart happy!

The Equestrian Mom 101

Being the mom of Equestrian daughters has always been near and dear to my heart.  I tell people that I'm the equivalent to the mom's who have their daughters in beauty pagents at young ages and live vicariously through them!  I love horses, I think they are magnificent animals and the closest I've ever been to competing is being on a trail ride and getting close to the barn and your horse wants to get there first!  Although I'm the one bouncing up and down, shoulders hunched in, holding onto the pommel, praying I stay on!!

People automatically assume since we have three daughters that compete Nationally, either Eric or myself rode growing up.  This couldn't be farther from the truth!  Horses actually scare me.  Yes, they really do.  I go into full panic mode if one of the girls asks me to hold their horse while they walk the course.  I make sure they know that if for any reason the horse starts doing anything crazy, I'm immediately letting them go... run away!!  The typical reaction from them is (after rolling their eyes of course) "Mom, look at him, he's just standing there, does he look like he's going anywhere?"  What I don't tell them is that in my mind, bad things start happening and the next thing you know they are rearing, etc.   For the record, I've learned to not be anywhere close when it's time to walk the course.  I go directly to the stands and plant myself in a chair, preferably next to a friend that I can squeeze their arm or leg while each girl is on course.  I should follow up with, I've never had anything bad happen while holding their horse, the dramatic effects make for good stories though!

 Emily, who is a Sophomore at the University of Georgia and rides on the Equestrian team there started riding when she was 6.  I was the mom who stood on the side and listened to what the trainer was saying and when Emily would trot by the side I was standing, I'd tell her again, what the trainer had said.  You know, reinforce it because I was certain she wasn't listening.... "keep your heels down", "shoulders back", etc.  Then I decided to take a few lessons..... oh dear.  Let me just say right now that I NEVER said another word to Emily after that (until she got older, but that's another story)!  Helen, the one-eyed horse I was on was fabulous but when she coughed, I just knew she was going to rear.  When she shook, I knew she was going to rear.  Basically, I spent the entire time assuming she was going to rear.  Did I mention Helen was old and had one eye?  Helen wasn't going anywhere, and the trainer was guiding me with a lead rope.  I think I took three lessons and realized I was better off on the ground, writing the checks!

Sarah (a junior in high school) and Lizzie (a freshman in high school) hopped on their first ponies when they were probably 3 and 4 years old!  This was, of course because they were at the barn when Emily was taking her lessons so it was a natural thing to have happen.  Although we did have them do other sports because we didn't want them to get older and say, "I never really liked it but because EMILY was riding, we felt like we HAD to!"  This is too much time, energy and money to have that happen!  By golly Sarah and Lizzie needed to be in love with horses!!

And they are!

I often times feel like I'm their personal assistant.  I make sure their memberships are renewed each year.  I keep track of points for different classes to assure they can make the cut for finals.  And then there is knowing when the cutoff is for each Equitation class because of course, they are all different!  Making sure to secure hotel reservations a year in advance for Finals, making sure entries are in by the deadline because those are all different, etc!  It's a full time job!

I haven't even begun to talk about the number of pictures I take each season.  Don't even get me started on that!!  Yes, I am the mom that pulls out the camera with the huge, white lens.  This year I'm digitally scrapbooking and my goal is to keep it up each month.  I'm going to be more organized with my photos and my personal goal when I take 500 pictures at a show is to ask myself if I really need 20 shots of the same jump.  I mean, they are all good but I think 20 might be overkill.  It's my goal, I'm not saying it's going to happen... one step at a time!!

Christmas 2011, New Year's and turning 50

Christmas 2011 has come and gone, we've rung in the New Year 2012 and I'm turning 50.  


Christmas was spent with Eric, the girls and Eric's parents, Money and Nancy.    We have the pleasure of being in driving distance from Money and Nancy and that they are still willing and able to make the 12 hour drive!   They are 76 and 72 and it hit me this year as I wondered how many more Christmases we will be able to do this.  At some point the drive will be too much for them.  I also realized that I wanted to make sure that I had all of Nancy's holiday recipes.  I do, but she always adds or deletes something in the recipe to make it her own!  These are things I need to know!  


I feel like this sounds a bit morbid and it's certainly not meant to!  It just hit me this Christmas that our time together is precious and we have no idea when the big guy will call us home so I'm feeling a sense of getting things in order.  


And have I mentioned I'm turning 50 this year?  It's not until October which I understand is 10 months away..... but it's freaking me out just a bit.  Turning 30 was terrible for me, 40 was great!  I loved my 40's so much!!  But 50?  Not sure how friendly we're going to be towards each other.  


Ok so back to Christmas.  The highlight of the week was when Eric was messing with the oven and accidentally changed the temperature from farenheit to celsius.  Nancy was baking chex mix, it was in the oven about 5 minutes, I turn to see smoke coming from the oven!  Now that was exciting!  


Gift giving/receiving was nice and fun as always!  The girls enjoyed buying presents for each other and put thought into what they got each other so that was fun to watch!  Nancy scored big time on one of her gifts for the girls!  She called me and said that she had gotten a coupon to purchase fleece blankets with a picture on it.  I told her it was a brilliant idea!  The girls were thrilled with them!

iPads were the big gift for the girls this year.  They of course, love them.  Emily had wanted one, Sarah and Lizzie hadn't asked for them.  It was interesting because as Emily was doing the happy dance, Sarah and Lizzie were contemplating if they would really use it.  Wow.  We of course told them to make 100% sure because if not, we would return them.  We loved that they thought enough not to open them up, power them up and then say "I don't think I want it". They decided they did want to keep them and haven't looked back!  

We brought in the New Year at home like we always do.  The girls had some friends over, Emily made some healthy food and we ordered pizza!  At 11:30pm we all head down to the basement to watch the ball drop.  We watched the Dick Clark New Year's Eve show and I have to say that I'm saddened to watch him.  It made me sad last year and sad again this year.  On the one hand I think that at least he is on there and pushing forward but on the other hand, it's hard to understand him when he talks so that makes it sad to watch him.  But back to the New Year!  Honestly, I was ready for bed at 9:30pm.  I did laundry.... fun.  Kept the kitchen cleaned up... double fun.  Just waiting for midnight to yell Happy New Year so I could head to bed to then be up at 7am to shower and head to church!  It was awesome, we typically have anywhere from 60-80 jr high kids at our 9:15am service and we had approximately 18..... Happy New Year!!  


Have I mentioned that I'm turning 50 this year???  Ahhhhh!  I feel that this will not be my only blog on turning 50.  Why do I hate that age so much?  I know I should embrace it and be thankful, blah blah blah.  But 50?  I feel old just saying the numbers.  

Five Christmas parties, church and life crammed into one fantastic weekend.

As I sit at my kitchen table on a Monday morning drinking a cup of coffee I'm able to reflect on this past weekend.  I will say up front that I would do this weekend all over again!  I will be the one waiving my hand in the air with a smile on my face when asked "who would like to host not one, but two Student Ministry Leader Christmas parties?"  Oh, and they are on the same weekend!  Oh, and so is your Women's Bible study Christmas party.  Oh, and so is the Jr High Christmas party (at church).  Oh, and so is the High School Christmas party (at church).....

Ready, set, let's go!

I absolutely love hosting parties at our home.  We have the room, we have a great set up in our basement and we have teenagers we are able to "employ" to "work" the party.  Keeping Emily focused on her job was a challenge as she clearly inherited the gift to gab from me!

Friday: Velocity (High School) Leader Christmas party

The tables and chairs were set up (4 tables, 32 chairs!), the turkey, stuffing and gravy were heating up as people started arriving!  Each person brings either a side dish or desert and of course, a White Elephant gift!  The food was amazing and being able to sit at a table with seven other people who you typically see in spurts because we are interacting with students, was priceless.  What I also love about this group is that we range in ages from 20 something to 40 something.  Some of us are too close to being in the 50 something category but we won't go there.... we'll enjoy the 40 something category!  We all come from different walks of life but the one thing we have in common is we love God and we love high school students.  I know I speak for others as well when I say that 1) I am continually amazed that God would use me to lead students 2) I learn so much from students and to see their passion for God and want to grow in their relationship with Him is amazing 3) To walk along side students in their journey of life with their struggles, their fears, their mistakes, their successes, their failures, their smiles, their love of mission trips, watching them grow from Jr High students to watching them graduate and much more.  So many things that will literally bring you to your knees with joy and sadness, none of us would trade or walk away from.  Each leader, I know, would say that through the good and the bad, the smiles and the tears, we wouldn't miss any of it!!
Sorry, got off on that little tangent, back to the party and now on to the White Elephant exchange!  We gather our chairs and sit in a circle with all the gifts in the middle of the floor.  We each draw a number starting with 1 and ending at 25 and await our turn to choose or gift or steal someone elses!  This game was going along nicely until Zach arrived late and as the last person was to go says, "will this make a difference" and pulls out a Starbucks gift card he brought for the game...... the entire room went silent... what had been a rather nice game suddenly turned.  The love of coffee in this group is unbelievable.  Adam and I were scheming on how we could trade/steal/beg/borrow to get the gift we wanted and that Starbucks card turned us into evil/manipulative people!  Thank goodness it was frozen after three turns!
The party that was to end at 10pm lasted well past 11pm and honestly, could have gone longer.  Such great people, such fun, so many laughs and as I reflect on the night, it makes me realize that we shouldn't wait until the Christmas party to get together as a group..... I see another party being planned in my head!

Saturday: My women's bible study Christmas party

I am fortunate to be part of women's bible study that is truly a family. I believe we've been doing studies together for 3 years.  I say this unknowingly because it feels like we've been together for years!  We came together as a very mixed group in ages from twenties to sixties and everywhere in between!  What a blessing it is to be doing life with women of all ages and life experiences!
One of the ladies in our group is a teacher in Milan, Mi. who spoke to the school guidance counselor about our group adopting a family for Christmas.  We were fortunate to receive a family with 5 children!  We got their "wish list" and the excitement began!  E-mails going between the group of "I'll take this child" "I've got mom covered" "let's add some family gifts also", etc.  On Saturday we arrived at Elise's home to begin our wrapping of gifts!  Listening to the chatter, laughter and the excitement felt in the room was magical!  We were all beaming just picturing their faces Christmas morning!  The parents decided that they didn't want their children to know about the gifts and plan on putting the them under the tree to awaken to Christmas morning!!  I can only imagine the looks on their faces!!  Every item on the family's wish list was purchased and then some!!  Mom, Dad and all five children will have everything they wished for!! 

away we go!

wrapping delight

We loaded the cars and headed to the home of our adopted family.  We stopped at Bob Evans and picked up dinner and pie!  Dad had taken the kids for a drive because of the surprise so we were greeted by mom who is such a sweet lady and couldn't believe the amount of gifts bestowed upon her family.  Clearly overcome with emotion, we all hugged her, told her what a blessing it was to each of us to do this and invited the family to Christmas Eve service.  We then left and headed to our group dinner!  When we arrived at the restaurant, Valerie told us that the Dad had called her, overcome with emotion himself and said that this was more than they could ever had imagined and how thankful that they were.  We all smiled, knowing we had been just as blessed by this event!  I know I speak for us all by saying, I can't imagine life without this group of ladies and I'm incredibly thankful for what they mean to me!

Thankful for these ladies and the ones that couldn't make it!

Sunday: Three parties in one day!  Wha hoo!

What better way to start off your Sunday morning than with 6th, 7th and 8th graders than lots and lots of sugar, games, music and overall fun?!!  Our junior high group at church is called Rustproof and I have the honor of leading a group of 8th grade girls who I've had since they were in 6th grade!  It has been such a pleasure watching them grow, change, mature, struggle with life, etc.   I love each of them as if they were my own and tend to fuss at them from time to time like they are!  Unfortunately for them I'm not one of the cool high school leaders but they continue to return week after week so it works!!

 

We left church and headed home for:

Rustproof Leader Christmas party!!

Thankfully we had Friday night to use as a guide for this leader's party!  We had 28-29 leaders descend upon our home with appetizers, sides and deserts!  Again with our turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, we enjoyed spending some quality time with each other that we typically don't get to have.  The great thing about Rustproof is we have adult leaders and high school leaders.  To listen to the high school leaders talk about what an impact it's been on them to lead is so nice.  To be in the midst of their own high school struggles, peer issues, etc, they have a heart to make a difference in a younger students life!  I can't tell you what a heart warming thing this is to see and to hear.  We had our White Elephant game and this was a bit intense!  There were definitely "prized" gifts people wanted and many were "stolen" from each other until they were frozen!  Who knew that someone elses "stuff" could be anothers treasure! 

And then it was time to head to:

Velocity High School Christmas party!!

This was the only Sunday in the month of December that the high school group met. It was another party filled with lots and lots of sugar in the form of cookies and hot chocolate!  There was a DJ, games, worship and a talk.  There are a couple of hundred students that come to Velocity on Sunday nights.  Why this is an amazing thing is because these students have to want to come.  It's every Sunday evening so there isn't a parent saying, "come on, we're going to church!"  They want to come and learn about this guy we call God and how He can help them through their life filled with doubt, peer pressure, confusion, happiness, accomplishments, etc.  Tim Tebow his huge right now.  You've heard about him unless you live under a rock, and in that case, you probably wouldn't be reading this.... Tim is vocal about his faith in God and for a high schooler to see that makes a huge impact when it's so easy to fall off track.  I've been fortunate to lead a group of 11th grade girls that I've lead since they were in 7th grade!  I'm thankful to be part of each of their lives and to hopefully make a small impact.  I tell people that I've learned more from them than they will ever know and I'm forever thankful that God put our group together!  It was no mistake!

I will finish up with a video I took.  I was talking to someone, turned around and a line dance was taking place.... only in our church!!  I will say that although the parties were fantastic and spending time with other leaders was great, the end was the best.  When I got home Eric was reading in the living room.  I sat down and we started talking.  One by one, each girl came downstairs at different times.  We ended up having great conversations and laughs!  I remember thinking, "This is what it's all about.  Family"  So from my own family to my church family, I am forever thankful for each of you and what you bring to my life.  I am a better person because of each one of you.

http://youtu.be/FSJw4npq7GA

Sarah wins 2011 Pennsylvania National Children's Jumpers!

I want to start by saying that Sarah never had the desire to do Jumpers.  It was too "fast" for her.  She was content with doing Hunters and Equitation.  That is, until the girls started training with Aaron Vale and Sarah met and fell in love with Vigo.  It wasn't love at first sight though.  Vigo arrived in Lexington, Ky by way of Europe in May of 2011.  Fresh off the truck, Aaron put Lizzie on him.  That didn't turn out very well.  He then told Sarah to get on Vigo.  Sarah, never one to talk back (to anyone other than her mother!) got on Vigo and was in the schooling ring.  I was standing at the top of the hill and happened to look down at the ring just in time to see Vigo standing on his hind legs and Sarah going straight to the ground!!  Oh my heart!  I hopped on my golf cart, sped to the schooling ring as fast as the rental golf cart would go!!  Aaron was on Vigo, Sarah saw me and came to the cart.  We didn't speak.  I've learned as the mom of three riders not to say anything but observing that she was in fact, ok.  She got back on Vigo and they showed.  Sarah would get dumped off two additional times by Vigo that weekend.  We leased Vigo at the shows the rest of the summer and Sarah was winning and checking her standings.  She announced to Aaron that she wanted to take Vigo to finals.  He smiled and said "ok!"  Sarah ended up qualifying for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC!!  They take the top 30 riders in the country and Sarah was one of them!  She ended up winning Pennsylvania which was so incredibly exciting!!  We went to Washington two weeks later and she ended up having the first rail down.  That is horse showing for you!  Up on minute and down the next!  But it keeps you humble and that is a good thing!  Here is Sarah's winning round at Pennsylvania!