20/20 Project: Lesson 2 – Do the B-Word & Not the one that rhymes with Witch.

When you first go out on your own is exhilarating…the freedom, the fun, the parent-free life. You want to do all the things and experience everything. For me, it was also the first time to have a real job off the farm. A weekly paycheck that didn’t come from my summer show circuit. I was also blessed to have parents paying for most of expenses so that real job paycheck in my head was money for the one thing I have always held near and dear to my heart….SHOPPING!!!!!

Let me be honest…I probably should have earned a degree in shopping during my collegiate years and looking back I wish I wouldn’t have. It really wasn’t until I hit “real adult life” that my 20/20 hindsight had me wishing I was more of a money hoarder like my sister and less of a dolla dolla bill ya’all kinda gal. (Not inferring I was a stripper but that I threw money around like a rock star). By “real adult life” I mean mom and dad shutdown the bill paying, Justin and I got married and I got handcuffs on my endless shopping sprees.

See my husband is a very financially driven person who pays careful attention to where money goes both in and out of the account. And while I am so thankful for that (or I would probably be homeless) it also is very hard for me to understand that dreaded B-word…BUDGET!!!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

If I could go back in time I would have better managed my funds in college, been more frugal and set forth a monthly budget for myself. I have since learned that just because I have money doesn’t mean I need to spend it, or at least all of it haha. Real life hits you after college and you will be money ahead if you saved as much as you could. Especially, when you have to start thinking about buying a house, health insurance, paying your own car insurance, gas bill, etc. I realize that I can’t complain too much as I am very lucky to have parents that supported me through college and many young adults have to learn these lessons way before me and for that I will forever be grateful.

But I digress – Lesson 2  is learn to live within your means and always create a budget. Give yourself grace with your budget similar to being on a diet as no one is perfect, but have a plan, set a goal and keep yourself honest with it. Life throws a lot of curve balls and you never know when that financial smarts will have your back in a time of crisis. Home repairs, unexpected health issues, car repairs, you name it there is always something that through financial planning you will be able to handle.

It’s also important to note that just because you qualify for the credit card doesn’t mean you should sign up for it. That however, is a story for another day. Let’s just say credit doesn’t mean free money, so don’t abuse the plastic.

Don’t get me wrong I am still learning how to be financially smart (the hubs will tell you I have a long ways to go), and I still have a love and passion for shopping (thanks mom), but I do realize the importance of planning, budgeting and living within your means. While its not a fun thing to do, do it! Your older self will thank you later.

Last but not least- if you are in the need of some help or looking for financial advice from a smart lady- Shameless plug for my rock star sister-in-law who is the bomb.com when it comes to being a Financial Advisor! Lauren Jackson Financial Advisor with Edward Jones!

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20/20 Project: Lesson 1 Learn Life Skills

Finally ready to get this writing journey off the ground. 

Lesson 1: Learn Life Skills

As a child, I wanted to spend all of my waking moments outside. Whether it be in the show barn, riding in a truck or tractor with my dad, playing sports, or swimming; outside was where I wanted to be. If I was given a choice between helping mom clean the house or helping dad do some ridiculous chore, like picking up rocks out of a field, I was undoubtedly choosing the chore that was outside. I did not enjoy anything centered around cleaning, cooking, dishes, sewing or anything else that required me to sit still. You can verify with my mother and all my childhood friends- my room was probably the messiest and most disastrous monstrosity any of them have ever seen. I didn’t have time to clean I had things to do. (and if you ask the hubs I still am the messiest individual he knows, but I promise I have really upped my cleaning skills! )

Fast forward to high school where we had the opportunity to take many different classes as electives. I, to no surprise of those who know me, made all my electives FFA classes no matter if it was a topic I was super engaged in or not, because there was no way I wanted to take Home Economics or Shop. Why would I ever need to learn those things? Boy, do I wish I could go back and make a change…

It wasn’t until about week 4 or 5 of college dorm food that I was calling mom and telling her I needed to know how to make some food and was already bored with my cafeteria food options. My hubs, then boyfriend, luckily lived in an apartment where I could go and get something other than dorm food, but its also when I realized I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO COOK!

Through trial and error, many phone calls to mom asking her where I could find things in a grocery store, a few oops and some lets just get take out over the years, I have slowly but surely learned to cook. I still have some fails – don’t worry the hubs will be more than happy to tell you about them – but I have also had times when multiple family members have went back for seconds.

So the moral of these stories is I wish I would have been better prepared for basic life skills. Cooking, cleaning or keeping house, sewing, woodworking, etc. if there is an opportunity in your life to learn the basics grab it up. It doesn’t have to be your passion, but if you have a good understanding it will come in handy so many times over and over. You won’t have to rely on someone else for minor problems and basic needs.

While cookie dough, beer, carry out pizza and popcorn sound like living your best life in college – it also will be the best path to the Freshman 15. Live a healthier life by learning how to cook an egg for breakfast, grill meat, etc. Wow your friends and treat yourself with basic baking skills. I  have always been told the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach…

So seize the opportunity, learn those basic skills that so many of us are lacking today and watch how many times in your life they pay off. In the meantime, I have a few more skills to tackle, sewing and woodworking, but I guess that gives me something to work for in my 30s.

 

Throwback picture to that time Grandma and I baked LOTS of Pies to fulfill a deal I made with my sales team at Prairieland FS.

20 Things I Wish I Would Have Known in my Twenties

This poor little blog/website project has been so neglected. I have a million story starters wrote on various shapes and sizes of paper littering my office. It’s time to take action. It’s time to get these words out of my heart and head and into the world.

As I am ending the tenure of life known as your twenties, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on how hard this season of life was and how unprepared I was to face it. Don’t get me wrong, I am strong-willed, confident, farm girl who was raised on rural Midwest Christian values, but damn that didn’t always seem like enough.

My twenties in a nut-shell included a roller coaster of experiences, emotions, people, careers and even locations. I got married in my twenties, I experienced pregnancy loss 5 times over in this season, I had 4 different career moves, opened my own business, then another business and we moved 3 times.

So strap in over the course of what may be a few months or weeks or what have you, as I share 20 Things I Wish I would Have Known In My Twenties. My hope behind this is that someone out there will find the missing piece to their puzzle that makes navigating their twenties just a bit easier. Some of this is lighthearted and fun and some of this is deep and real. I’m being open and honest because that is how I believe everyone in life should be.

Stay tuned for #1!

 

P.S. Don’t judge the site…just read the words in the blog post. LOL!

A Change of Plans

I have always been taught to go into any situation with a plan A, B and C. This concept escalated into my professional career of event planning, marketing and trade show organization. But I have since learned that sometimes we can’t plan for all situations. It’s in this case we have to have a change of plans and go to Plan G (God). Today is Plan G day.

I distinctly remember my brother in law (the Tall Texas one) saying one time “if you want to make God laugh, then tell him your plans”. These words seem to be resurfacing recently over and over.

It also is occurring to me that I only find myself writing during a negative event and I don’t seem to be documenting positive events. I’m making a vow for 2018 to revise this whole blog and make sure I share just as much happy as I do sad. In honesty, my husband probably wishes I wouldn’t write or share at all but we have brought you in on this journey with us and your support and these words on your screen help me heal.

So back to why today we are on Plan G. Today was supposed to be a day of pure happiness and bliss. Justin and I were supposed to be having our first ultrasound today and getting to view this tiny vessel for the first time but that’s not happening today. Instead I’m sitting here waiting to see the doctor to discuss what’s going to happen next in our journey to become parents.

It’s the dreaded number 4 on my tally of lost pregnancies. Two weekends ago just one day shy of 6 weeks the thing I had been dreading and paranoid about since the moment I saw two pink lines happened. No warning, no reason.

Of course it couldn’t come at a better time as we were just days away from closing on our new house and moving for the second time in 60 days but that’s when you realize the most that this isn’t my plan it’s God’s and I just have to trust he is guiding me in the right direction.

I don’t write for your sympathy as I have to rise beyond that and go on with life. I due however encourage your prayers for us as we continue on this journey. I write with hopes that others out there with similar situations know they are not alone. I write to remind myself that God’s got this and I can face anything with him by my side. I write to remind myself I’m blessed with an amazing and supportive family and friends surrounding me and no matter how many times we stumble they will be there to pick both Justin and I up.

But to be completely transparent with you all, I don’t want to give you false security that everything’s fine and there isn’t grieving and bad days that take place. Some days are just plain hard or have bumps in the road. Like when I bawled last night while painting in our new house because I finally tried on my dress for my sisters wedding only to discover it was just shy of a miracle we could zip it up!! Its in those moments I have to remind myself that everyday I wake up is a blessing from God. (Side note: if you see me try to consume junk food or large amounts of carbs over the next month please remove the food or me from the situation no matter how much I beg and plead to let me eat the cheese fries!!!)

This is just another hurdle in our journey but we know the reward at the end will be worth every heart ache and every ounce of blood drawn from my body! (I hate both blood and needles in case you were unaware)

God Bless those who have continued to check on us and send prayers are way. The are appreciated. So cheers to continuing to live on faith, by faith and with faith and trusting in Plan G.

A Lesson In Faith

It’s been a long year… but its been a year of lessons and growing in many areas. Before I break into details just forewarning…Don’t spend a lot of time looking at other things on this site. It’s outdated and needs a lot of attention!

**warning this isn’t sugar coated and its pretty personal its not intended for sympathy but to share our story and maybe inspire or help someone else who has lost hope**

As a child growing up I watched movies and television shows where people got pregnant, had babies and lived happily ever after. As I continued to grow I watched family members and friends bring new bundles of joy to their families that we cuddled and loved. In my fantasy world pregnancy was full rainbows and unicorns and when the time was right I too I would experience all this. Boy, was that wrong! I mean don’t get me wrong, occasionally you heard the story of something bad happening, but I was a healthy person and so was my husband so how in the world could that happen to us!

Last spring my husband and I decided that we were ready to start trying to bring a baby into our family. Although both a little nervous we were excited about this new adventure. What we didn’t know at the time was the journey we had just started and the plan God had for us.

In August of last year I had my first miscarriage. It was super early in my pregnancy and only through a blood test at my doctor’s office for another issue was it discovered. I think Justin and I were in such shock we didn’t really understand how to take it. We were told from the beginning that it most likely wasn’t going to be a successful pregnancy and would take a miracle. I was an emotional roller coaster and honestly Justin was in South Dakota looking at cows and not to make him sound like a bad person but his mind wasn’t on this. It wasn’t going to work so we needed to buck up and move on.

After a few weeks we got life together and figured we would keep trying. Everything was cleared by our doctor and she thought we would be just fine. In my mind I kept thinking no way this would happen twice. A few weeks before Christmas of this past year we had another confirmed pregnancy test. We were so excited! We were going to be able to tell our families at Christmas and our first bundle of joy would be arriving in August.

Then, the Monday of the week of Christmas I woke up feeling strange of having some symptoms that were not right. I called the doctor’s office and they called in some lab work for me. On my way to the lab and work I knew what was happening in my gut and I was right. I was having my second miscarriage. To be frank…THIS WAS HARD! SO HARD! Neither Justin or I were prepared for this. I was blessed that Justin’s job let him stay home with me for several days. I was an emotional mess. Even crying in the kitchen one night because he was going to put ham on my sandwich when I only wanted turkey. When I returned to work I had extreme anxiety, something I had never experienced before. My heart was literally broken. I gained weight and I was scared to try again. Every time I saw a friend or someone we knew get pregnant I was angry and jealous even though outwardly I wished them well. Every single announcement on social media was a kick in the gut.

It was at this extremely low emotional point that it finally sunk in who I needed to turn to. GOD.

I started listening to Christian music on my way to work and praying and crying and talking to God on my drive to and from work. Eventually I started to feel the burden and sorrow lift off my heart. I quit saying I was going to give it to God and I actually did. I told him to handle it and I would trust him. I wear a ring on my finger  that says, “If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it.” I finally felt I was in a place that I fully believed that statement.

A few months ago we decided we were both ready to embark on this journey again. I prayed to God every night that this time it work. We were ready. Third time was a charm right? The doctor said we were good to go. A little over a week ago we had a confirmed pregnancy test. We were so excited! Our due date was going to be Valentine’s day…how fitting right?

Because of our past history we only told our moms and were going to wait until we were further along to surprise our dads and siblings. I thanked God and prayed everyday that this be the healthy child we had been praying for. But God had something else in mind. On Saturday night I started having some weird symptoms and thought I was having another miscarriage. I was devastated. I just couldn’t believe this was happening a third time. I knew that God had a plan and I needed to trust it but I just really thought this time it was going to work.

Overnight I started getting severe pain in my stomach on my right side that was not normal to my previous miscarriage. At 6 am (ON FATHER’S DAY of ALL DAYS) we decided Justin needed to take me to the emergency room. It was there that we would soon discover that our journey to a family was just beginning. At 10:30 am we were informed that I had an ectopic pregnancy and they would immediately be prepping me for surgery where there would be a high possibility of them removing my right fallopian tube. Justin and I just sort of stared at each other in disbelief. A few tears were shed and he told me I had to be brave and I knew he was right.

It was at the moment I said I silent prayer to God and I gave him my worries, my sorrow and my fear. I told him I trusted his plan and I would have faith in whatever he brought next. I asked him to get me through this hurdle and thanked him for all our blessings. Honestly, I was probably more scared about all the needles, blood and pain surrounding me because if you know me you know I hate all three of those things.

The next few hours before surgery were a blur of emotions and my mom and Justin keeping me positive and laughing. In my heart I knew that God had this and we would just see what was next. And I was right. I was very lucky that we had come to the ER when we did and my body had reacted well to the trauma.The doctor was the best we could ask for and she held my hand at my hospital bed until I went under anesthesia. Although they did have to remove my right tube due to 75% infection, I loss minimal blood and shouldn’t have fertility issues in my remaining one. My husband has since been calling me 101 after an Angus cow we have with only one uterine horn (that’s what happens when you are married to a cattle guy).

Even though its been a crazy year and a journey we never expected, in my heart I know that God still has a plan for us in our journey to raise a family. When it is finally our turn it is going to be even more amazing and wonderful than we ever expected. I know that through our patience and trust in him we will be rewarded. Who knew that this journey would strengthen my faith, my friendships and our marriage so much. Justin has been with me every step of the way. Quite frankly in the last 48 hours he has seen more and learned more and had to help me with more than he probably ever thought he would have to deal with. (He mentioned a couple of times about the for better for worse part of his vows haha). Our family dropped everything and came to our side as well and for that we are so lucky and thankful.

I know there is a lot of personal information and maybe some TMI but I am writing this for a few reasons. For starters its a way I cope emotionally. I get things off my chest by writing about them. Additionally, I hope if there is anyone else out there struggling with this issue or similar issue this encourages them to cling on to hope and walk closer in their faith with God.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us and sent us kind words during this journey. We are so blessed with amazing family and friends. I am not writing this for sympathy, yeah it sucks, but I am not sorry it happened. We will push forward and we will keep going. If you want to help us then just keep us on your prayer list. We are never going to say no to an extra prayer.

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her” Luke 1:45

“If God answers your prayers, he is increasing your faith, if he delays he is increasing your patience, if he doesn’t answer, he has something better for you.”

One of these things is not like the other…

In honor of my husband’s upcoming birthday, I thought I would share with you the Top Ten Things My Husband Hates Strongly Dislikes About Living With a Creative Minded Person (or maybe just me).

For a little backstory- In case you don’t know, I am very much a coloring outside of the lines person while my husband is very structured and has a (slight) OCD problem…self diagnosed of course! We are the perfect example of opposites attract when it comes to housework, function of our brains and how to define the word CLEAN!

Before/After of my mini pallet project.

So without further ado…The Top Ten Things the Hubby Hates Strongly Dislikes about Living with a Creative Minded Person

1. House Work Seems like a Waste of Valuable Time to Me. Honestly, whoever set the standards that the wife needed to be the one to clean and cook should be punched in the throat. Men can do those things just a well as women if they practice enough. *my dad is a fantastic cook*  Lucky for me, my husband is a pro at doing his own laundry, vacuuming our house, dusting and cleaning. He is even great at making sure I get my laundry done and hung up so that I don’t live in a world of piles of clothes on the floor, overflowing clothes baskets and having to do the dreaded *sniff* test to decide if this is a dirty pile or clean pile. (Side note – anyone who ever visited my room in high school knows that these were real problems at one point in my life). Although, according to the hubby I still have a long ways to go in my training, I have made some serious strides in my cleaning skills…SERIOUS STRIDES PEOPLE. (pretty sure my hubby would have never taken me on a date had he seen my high school room…hindsight 20/20, sorry Mom and Dad)
2. I live in ORGANIZED chaos. To every outsider that walks in to my house/craft room (or maybe just the hubby) it may appear to be a room full of clutter and messes, but somehow and by some miracle in my crazy brain I can tell you exactly where about anything you are looking for is and why it is where it is. (Except for when I *lose* the occasional something and then it is just gone, plain gone…like my diamond necklace from the hubby, or the birthstone ring from my parents…*insert sad face emoji with tears*)
3. My brain is constantly in motion. My husband is the sort of person that at the end of the day he just wants to chill…watch TV, drink a beer, play play station, grill a big, juicy steak and fall asleep in his easy chair. That is his thing and I respect that, but I drive him nuts when I am constantly scurrying around the house, asking for his help and assistance and making the house smell weird with my different paints, glues, sealers, sanders, and everything in between.
4. I am a night owl. To go along with the point above, while he is in chill mode or autopilot at night I am out in full force. I get my best work done after 9 pm most nights. And when I am not working on a project, on my computer or in my craft room, I am laying in bed on my phone scoping out new project ideas. I don’t know how many times he has complained about being on my phone while he is trying to snore in my ear and I am thinking of 20 different things I can do with the barn window I just scored from my favorite antique store. 
5. I always have a project…or projects. At best I have 5 different projects going on at the same time. Or what is supposed to be projects. To the hubby, these hidden treasures are just clutter in our house, garage, little shed, my parents, and his parents. If only I had a button to extend time or pause time would I be able to complete all my projects. So to him my creative ideas just equal more stuff in our lives.
6. I like junk. Most of the items I bring home as my projects have been check marked in the hubby’s brain as junk. He has toted them to the dumpster and closed the book on their story. However, when he turns his back his wife (usually with the help of his mother (aka my mother in law)) climbs into the dumpster, totes the junk back out, sneaks it into the garage and waits for the right timing to begin my next project. The saying, ” one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” is definitely a life motto for me and a cringe worthy statement for the hubby. However, although he doesn’t share the excitement I have, I think he usually likes my completed projects. ( or maybe that is just because that is one less thing in our house)
   

   The project that sent me to the ER! Isn’t it awesome!

7. Sometimes my projects are more than I can chew. I like to think I am Joanna Gaines, or superman (I mean the two are pretty much one in the same) and that I can do anything. However, realistically, my woodworking skills are lacking and power tools are not always my best friend. Sometimes my “plan” isn’t the safest or most practical way to do things *hence having Justin take me to the ER for my first stitches at like 10pm due to a craft project gone wrong…remember the saying my best work gets done late at night…All I really remember is a lot of blood, me trying to pass out, waiting in the ER forever, and still feeling the needle when they stitched me up and now a nasty scar. He loved it and me at that moment (insert sarcasm), I digress* So sometimes I have to throw in the towel on a project and take a different route and just give up.
8. Hobby Lobby is my best friend. I think this is why my husband put me on a budget Jan. 1, 2016. So he could better track my Hobby Lobby spending. That store is a little slice a heaven for me. My brain gets to flowing, my eyes get wide, my heart is pumping and I just want to craft and craft and redesign my house and redecorate. However valuable lesson to all readers and Hobby Lobby shoppers – We only buy things when they are on sale, because at some point in the rotation everything in the store goes on sale. *Bonus tip* Download the Hobby Lobby app so that you always have a 40% off coupon so if you fall in love with something not on sale you can use the coupon to buy it and it is on sale again. I am pretty sure Hobby Lobby ranks with Kohl’s in my husbands brain and to him Kohl’s is the Devil. *Insert tangent- the saddest part of this story is that I know my way around Hobby Lobby better than the grocery store. One time I completely directed my mom around the store to all the things she wanted by phone*
9. I am not very good at cleaning up my messes. When I complete a project I just want to bask in its glory. Take pictures, share with my friends, and either find the perfect home for it in my house or someone else’s. I don’t have time to clean up the mess I just made. *insert angry husband who if he were in a cartoon his head would be spinning in circles and steam pouring out his ears* I can’t help it that hot glue is so messy, it leaves strings everywhere… #craftgirlprobz
10. He doesn’t think I am doing anything. The hubs has a hard time visualizing the progress that I see. Where I see progress he sees a bigger mess. One day after a full weekend locked away in my craft room, binge watching HGTV and DIY while working on “projects”, barely remembering to eat, sleep or shower, I was so excited for him to come home so I could show off my new completed projects and model them. He takes one look at my craft room and my stuff and says ” I can’t tell that you did anything, did you sweep or do any laundry this weekend. The house is  filthy!) *insert a balloon being popped and flying around the room as the air gets let out*

Shameless Plug- Latest project – These two signs are for purchase. See me for details.

I am sure as my husband reads this he will say something like “Step 1 is admitting you have a problem” and I am glad everyone knows you are a slob now but what he sees as messy I see as creative. So hears to my hubs for “dealing” with me and my big ideas and playing along. Just like Miley, my brain “Can’t Be Tamed” and being creative helps me keep my sanity and brings me joy; just like playing NFL and MLB on his play station does for him. Here’s to a Happy Birthday to the Hubs and Thanks for putting up with my creative junk gypsy mind.

But Your Legacy Lives On

I hadn’t wrote in a while but a few weeks ago I wrote a poem about some stuff that had been heavy on my heart and sent to a friend that I thought needed some inspiration. This week my heart is heavy again so today I wrote one in memory of that friend’s husband and all of his family & friends. So I am sharing with all of you, hoping it might help you too.

P.S. The blog is under construction so please ignore the major chaos that it is.

But Your Legacy Lives On

Unspoken words

are heavy on our minds

But Your Legacy Is Strong

Memories, memories, memories,

floating in our minds,

spewing from our mouths

But Your Legacy Lives On

Tears of sadness,

tears of joy,

for you have peace,

and can rest from your fight

But Your Legacy Is Strong

Ultimate fighter

doesn’t begin to describe

the battle you faced

with a smile at all times

But Your Legacy Lives On

Greener pastures

champion banners

and red, white and roan

500 bushel corn

and long tractor drives

I am sure that’s what God has for you now

But Your Legacy Is Strong

Watch over us daily

help us be more like you

a loving father, husband, brother, and friend

a fighter till the end

loyal and true

strong and caring

a Christian man

But Your Legacy Lives On

Rest Easy My Dear Friend – E. Adcock

 

Under Construction

Bare with me as the blog is under construction. Exciting things coming this way…Just stay patient.

 

Thank you!

Emily

A Quick Trip He Says…

Nothing says family bonding than taking a trip in a vehicle for an unimaginable amount of hours. It’s even more so when you are three deep in the back seat of a dually truck and you have just spent numerous days at a cattle show with little sleep and tempers are high. 

But I digress… I knew when I got the text from dad on Thursday what my weekend was going to consist of… Would you want to go to Kansas with me on Saturday to look at a bull?…

I just stared at the text for a bit and then I decided I would call him. I was trapped, I didn’t want him to go alone, but I also had other plans for the weekend but I also wanted to make sure if he was buying something as important as a herd sire for our cattle operation that he made the right decision. 

So fast forward to right now, Big Ron, mom and I are in the truck and trailer cruising down the interstate on this “quick trip” as Big Ron keeps phrasing it. Family bonding to the extreme. 

 

Just recently I was reading some blog posts on Confessions of a Farm Wife. While reading I starting pondering on How Emily and her family are adjusting now that her husband has taken a job as a teacher and is no longer an active member on the farm. She is now struggling with finding her place. This struck me because Big Ron and I have had several conversations this past winter of what our lives would be like without livestock. He told me he could be on the beach right now instead of unthawing water hydrants in negative weather. I reminded him how easily he burned and that it wouldn’t be enjoyable to be on the beach as a fried lobster. 

But many times I have wondered what would we do if we didn’t have livestock and farm. What is a vacation without a cattl show, or stopping to look at cattle, deliver cattle, or worrying about cattle and checking the barn cameras. What do “normal” people do on the weekends when there aren’t chores to be done twice a day and a to do list a mile long.

And I imagine “normal” people wouldn’t call this a “quick trip” to Kansas but more or less a vacation. I know some days life on th farm has more downs than ups and Mother Nature can really get you down but it’s those times that are positive, those ups that remind us why we bust our butts. And you know what family bonding isn’t always so bad if it includes a stop at Kleinschmidts (large western store on interstate 70 just outside of Kansas City!!) 

What A Weirdo?

Well I am literally blowing dust of my blog as I write this today. I know it’s almost been a year since I posted last but life has just been full of wonderful events that have prevented me from taking a moment to sit down and write..I promise to do better in the future! I have had a thought rolling around in my head all week and I finally said hey, that would be a great thing to write about. So here it goes…For me living on a farm, raising livestock and all the crazy things that go along with it have been a way of life. I talk about it so matter of factually, always have, always will because I love to agvocate agriculture, but as I have gotten older and held jobs with those not from an agriculture background I realize how different my “normal” is to everyone else. And sometimes I just wonder if people leave a conversation with me and automatically think, WOW, THAT GIRL IS A WEIRDO!

For example, at the age of 5 I matter of factually explained to my entire class how a c-section on a cow works because the night before I had sat on the showbox at 10 pm and watched the whole thing from start to finish and the only time I spoke was to ask if the calf was alive. Because at age 5, the blood and everything that was going on didn’t bother me and it was normal to see babies born. Luckily, my kindergarten teacher’s family had cattle so she didn’t completely freak out but I remember a talk from my parents afterwards about how I don’t need to share everything I see at the farm. WEIRDO!

Flash forward to middle school and high school when I quit playing sports because I wanted to show cattle. Or when I broke up with all of my boyfriends over the summer because I didn’t have time for them in the summer. I didn’t have time to go on vacations with their family, or just layout by the pool, or be lazy and sleep till 10 all day. Several of them didn’t believe me when I said I will be lucky to sleep in my own bed 20 days the whole summer break. No, I couldn’t hang out with and no I didn’t get a day off when I was home. I had responsibilities and they all revolved around my show cattle. “You have to give your cows a bath every day twice a day?!?!?!?  YES….WEIRDO!

In college I was fortunate to endure dorm life and sorority life with a fellow Shorthorn girl who at the time was serving as the National Lassie Queen. I can remember several “agriculture learning moments” taking place in our room and in the Delta Zeta kitchen. “You guys are going where, to do WHAT?” I am sure when she was rocking her Lassie Plaid and I was covered in glue, paint and cow shit when we returned in the wee hours of the night several muttered under their breath…WEIRDOs.

And since graduating college my weirdo status has followed me around. I can vividly remember the reaction of my former employer when I was watching a calf being born on the barn cams on the app on my phone and telling her that cows eat their afterbirth…HAHA..I still laugh at her reaction today! People are blown away when I tell them about what my weekend job is and how much harder my weekend job is than my real job! The hubby and I load up every Friday night and head to Adcock Land and Livestock or Moore Shorthorns, where the weekend list are long and the hours in the day seem short. It’s not a social gathering, its a there is too much to do and not enough people to do it. Since both of our families have livestock and grain farm vacations are slim to none and something always needs to be done. I am sure I get weird stares when I take random one or two day vacations and still have glue or paint on my fingers when I return the next day, or when I am checking the barn camera all day watching for babies, or when I show off new babies from the barn cam, or when I watch a show online during the work day. The list goes on and on….but you know what, call me Weirdo all you want, because I love my weirdo life. I love not being normal!

Yes, it is hard work and yes my family doesn’t get to go on week long vacations out of the country on the beach, but what we are doing we are doing as a family. The long hours we put in we do together and when we have success we all get to share in that success because we all had some part to play in it. The last few winters have been long and dad has said to me several times “sometimes I wonder what it would be like if we didn’t have livestock…I could be on a beach right now you know.” My reply is always the same ” Dad you love the livestock you wouldn’t be happy without them…and you sunburn way to easy to lay on the beach!”