I was 12. She was slightly older, but it was clear from the start that we were gonna be good pals.
It was a long day at school, anticipating Dad picking us up that day after his annual 10-day hunting trip to New Mexico. Finally busting out the doors when the last bell rang, I quickly scanned the street yet didn’t see our car. But I did see Mom with a video camera for the first (and only!) time ever. And I did see Dad grinning as if everything in the world were perfectly aligned at that very moment. And I SURE did see the big white Dodge with a 2-horse trailer in tow. Apparently Dad had ‘fallen in love’ with this horse that his buddy had borrowed for their trip. So a little negotiation later, along with a trailer purchase, and Dad brought home quite the surprise. Daisy was a beautiful Palomino mare. And she was ours.
Trail rides, wild horse chases, barrel racing, mane braiding, summer horse camp, riding lessons, lazy afternoons, pasture escapes (the boys never had anything on this gal), mountain expeditions, canyon exploration and many other adventures followed.
This morning was a sad one at the 4N Ranch as Daisy made her way to greener pastures. It was a good run, ‘ole girl. 
***** Correction: It has been brought to my attention that the horse trailer was not originally pulled by the Dodge that day, but the GMC Jimmy instead. Priceless. I would pay money for that video now. See how getting old affects your memory? Case in point. *****
Archive for June 2009
Last year, I posted a list of 50 things about Mom in honor of her 50th Birthday. Well, in May, Dad took his turn at the big 5-0. Due to my lack of keeping up with things, I failed to post his list. Father's Day this last weekend reminded me that I'd fallen down on the job. And so, better late than never, here it is...
We have this Dad and Pa who’s strong
He picks us up when things go wrong
He cheers us on in every way
In special times, and day to day
This year is 5-0
And we do love you… so,
A few things about you, Dad,
A better one could not be had!
Saturday morning omelets and pinwheels
Coffee time
Instilling good work ethic
Teaching us to grow, plow, and plant
Devoted family man
Driver’s Ed
Endless amount of vehicle repairs, shopping, and purchasing
Integrity at work
Dedicated to providing for family
Wahoo and Farkle games
Consistent discipline growing up
Hauling hay and chopping firewood
Leadership at church
Dinnertime prayers
Tough as nails
Teaching us to ski, on land and water
Father/Daughter Banquet at church
Help with school projects
“Prom date” in Albuquerque
Love for the Gila and mountains
Investing in lives of hunting buddies
Persistence and perseverance in life
Taking notes in your Bible
Example of Christian husband
Care of and devotion to Mom
Biggest marathon fan
Continued desire to work with/support youth group
Jesse’s best bud
Persistence in the elk hunt
Always willing to help others out
Encouraging and supportive
Teaching and sharing knowledge with others
Camping, packing, hiking extraordinaire
Mr. Fix-it
Coaching sports teams
Amazing car packing skills
Relentlessly taking down and putting up the tent
Master of the grill
Surprise arrival at Cooks
Getting us on a helicopter (don’t tell Wyatt)
Never missing a game or golf tournament
Always standing up for our family no matter what
THE pack leader
PAT caddying
Taking care of Chloe like she was your own
Pa time on the John Deere
Trail rides and horse lessons
Pony talk with W
Mouse book readings
Always protective and ‘armed to fight’ for us
Love u!
I like to think of myself as a fairly adaptable individual. Someone once told me that I deal with change well. While I’m gonna have to call that one a rather large exaggeration (i.e. LIE), I guess I just get used to going with the flow for the most part. But, whew, it’s been a tiring week, shifting gears back to sitting at a desk for 9ish hours a day. Gotta love the cycle.
So, I’ve been in search of some new music, something low-key, yet not put-you-to-sleep type stuff. (One can only listen to Coldplay so many times in a row before going a little insane.) And alas, I have struck gold. Check out the soundtrack to Elizabethtown. It’s fantastic! While I don’t remember the entire movie, I think I at least liked the last 30 minutes or so. Anyway, here’s the playlist. Of course I’ve never heard of most of these, but it’s a great little compilation for design motivation and carefree nothingness.
1. 60B (theme): Nancy Wilson
2. It'll All Work Out: Tom Petty
3. My Father's Gun: Elton John
4. io (This Time Around): Helen Stellar
5. Come Pick Me Up: Ryan Adams
6. Where To Begin: My Morning Jacket
7. Long Ride Home: Patty Griffin
8. Sugar Blue: Jeff Finlin
9. Don't I Hold You: Wheat
10. Shut Us Down: Lindsey Buckingham
11. Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out): Hombres
12. Hard Times: Eastmountainsouth
13. Jesus Was A Crossmaker: The Hollies
14. Square One: Tom Petty
15. Same In Any Language: I Nine
Of course, as I was looking up the track names, I discovered that there’s a volume 2…
Also, more than you wanted to know, but here’s some trivia as well. Lyrics from a made-up song in Almost Famous appear, in part, as a quote in Drew’s scrap map at the end of Elizabethtown. Same director for both films. Go figure.
"You will find that it is all very similar... the strange and faraway places you've never been. The wild unknown leads you to a place just around the corner. Take a picture when you get there... the road is you." -The Road by J. Bebe/R. Hammond
I’m a fan.
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Shout out to DonMark and Emily today! Happy 5th Anniversary to you! Thank you for your example and commitment and friendship and everything in between! SO enjoyed dinenr tonight. Adore the pics. Blessed indeed. Much love~
Dear Self,
Let me give you a small tip for the day. When editing photos that are not your own, never ever under any circumstance, should you save over the original files. Ever. (This is especially true when you are editing 350+ images of tile samples.) I know you think it will save you time in the long run. Let me assure you it will most certainly cost you way more. I know you think such a small mistake is fixable. Let me inform you that Mac's trash can is not able or willing to regurgitate images. I know you think you always have everything under control. I promise, you don't. So next time, please put a little more thought into what you're doing. Thank you for your efforts.
Sincerely,
Very Long Day
I planned to get up early this morning and go for a nice long run at the lake, but we got 4-5 inches of rain in the last 8 hours or so and the radar looked like this:
So I was just kidding. But not to worry. It's supposed to hit 97º by this afternoon.
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We had our first "Conversation Cafe" meeting last night in Rowlett. Hung out at Arby's, discussed the first bit of Same Kind of Different as Me, met some people, and enjoyed 'church' out in the community. Very cool. I'm excited to see where this goes.
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I was reading in Isaiah some this morning and this verse in chapter 40 caught my attention:
"He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in."
I love the idea of God stretching out this canopy, this blanket of protection, this shelter for us to live under. The idea that He has encircled us with a canvas of shelter and refuge. I like it even more that this is not just an idea, but a fact.
Blessings!
Today marked a pivotal moment of the summer... Clans of elementary-aged kids loaded up in vans in various cities and drove out to a little spot in the road outside of Marble Falls, TX. They then rushed into the dining hall and kicked off the first week of the summer at Camp of the Hills. Earlier today, I was thinking back several years ago to the feelings of that very first day, and actually every Monday of the summer when a new group of kids would arrive. Anxiousness and anticipation. Fear and uncertainties. Lots of excitement! And that whole what-have-I-gotten-myself-into feeling that accompanies anything outside your norm.
So, when you think about it, send up a little prayer for everyone that will come in contact with COTH this summer. For the staff and volunteers that will serve, many times behind the scenes. For the counselors, several newbies, who are embarking on an exhausting yet life-changing journey. And most of all for each child who will be cared for and shown the love of Christ this summer.
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Speaking of munchkins... Rumor has it that a certain nephew of mine got to spend the night 'on the ranch' with Pa and Grammy T last night. My sources confirm that the child is indeed up to no good. The following documentation reveals the subject caught in the act of sharing fresh strawberries with his good pal Jesse straight from Grammy T's strawberry bed. 
Sigh... I just spent an hour on the phone with Apple Support, trying to get a font issue resolved. Ended up having to reinstall my entire system, which took another good hour. (So much for being productive.) However, I did complete a little painting project this morning. Amber had this old purple stool, splatter painted with blue, that we decided to 'refurbish' for the living room. Of course that job fell to me. It now proudly displays Glenn's woodworking skills. See what ya think:
