Mrs. A

Dear N, I can't believe we've been married five years, today. We've laughed, played, argued, traveled, worked and become something we couldn't have achieved without each other. There's a primary song that says, "God, gave us families to help us become what he wants us to be." He knew I needed you to 'become' a better me. You're my big dreamer and a lingerer. You're my passionate hobbyist and a sincere do-gooder. You're my tease and a talk-it-through-er. So , " Tell me, what is it you plan to do   with your one wild and precious life? I plan to spend mine with you. Much Love, A (quotes by Mary Oliver)

I was sitting here contemplating what fun/project cowboy will have scheduled for us this weekend. Sigh! The past two weekends, my muscles and patience were tested with digging post holes and building fence. I didn't get to do one thing that I wanted! So, not wanting to think about this weekend's hard work, my mind remembered my blog. I haven't thought of it or looked at it for a good bit. So, here I am! I glanced at my last blog post, which was written almost two years ago. It's crazy to look back and remember where I was and where I ended up today. I called my mom at the beginning of the week, and she was telling me about when she and my dad started dating. They were chuckling while remembering, but that is a moment that needed to happen to get from that point to this point. So, here's to progress - good, bad, ugly, fun, and sad! 1. We bought a house, and it wasn't a moment too soon. The home we purchased was an old home that had...

Dear Me, Suddenly you're one year older and hopefully wiser too. So, Happy Birthday to you! I haven't written anything on this blog in one year, and it's amazing to think of all that has made up my year of 31. I have taught another year of junior high. I have avoided doing my hair the majority of those days. I've wondered about going back to school and thought about a future family. I've been to more rodeos this past year than most people will ever attend in a life time. I am grateful for each day, and the opportunities I have as a wife, daughter, sister, teacher, friend, neighbor, aunt, and work-in-progress. 32 Details about Me 1. I currently live in Arco, Idaho 2. I enjoy and require at least an hour all to myself each day - it's me being an introvert 3. I designed and made a queen size denim quilt out of Cowboy's worn out britches, except some help tying it and reminding me how to bind it 4. I still get bothered...

Dear A, It's your birthday. I thought I would jot down some notes on what it feels like to live, breathe, and be at this stage in your life. 1. Last night your husband realized that a cake could be nice for your birthday. He panicked, because there is no place to purchase one in the middle of no where. You got nominated to make your own cake. It's going to be delicious. 2. You teach 7th and 8th graders. You've been working on diagramming simple subjects, simple predicates, prepositional phrases, and articles. It is always delightful.  3. You have been great at exercising at least 30 minutes each day. 4. You are attempting to teach piano to three students. It's not your favorite thing, but you're learning to enjoy it. 5. You love your green smoothie each morning. 6. The minimum you drive each day is 120 miles. 7. Cowboy and you are in a good scripture reading/praying groove. You even have FHE each Monday. 8. There is no snow to been had or seen in yo...

Hi there, I must have gotten the writing bug. Two posts in one week. I have just been chuckling all week as I have watched these events unfold and had to share my slice of country. It's that time of year when hunting enthusiasts walk around in their special camouflage duds. Guns are being sighted in. Secret spots are being guarded yet bragged about. Old stories are being compared. Pickups are being loaded up. Just normal things in my neck of the woods. outwriteoutdoors.com Did I mention students are missing school? Yep, it's a big deal. Yesterday was opening season for the general deer hunt. My normal drive to school that usually consists of two cars, a couple of truckers with a load of hay, and several antelope is now faced with many hunters and their rigs - trailers, four wheelers, gas grills, tree stands and duds for the next two weeks. You know, just the essentials. They pull off the road, hike into their 'secret' spot, and await their opportunity to...

Dear Reader, (This is a girlish post with girlish information. If you're not into that sort of stuff, now is the time to exit.) I have gone back and forth on whether I should post about recent experiences I have had. They are very personal, scary, and insightful all at the same time. I have come to the conclusion though, that great insights come when we are challenged. So here it goes... It all started with this body of mine. I got married and figured birth control would simplify my life. I have had friends/family who were on various forms and had no problems or side effects whatsoever. Plus, Cowboy and I wanted time to be married and not rush into babyland. I went to visit the OB/GYN and found it simple enough to get a prescription. I asked good questions and was informed that I shouldn't be worried about side effects or problems. I figured that the doctor's word should be good enough for me. I was good to go for the first few months. I gained some weight, bu...

I read an interesting article( here )about social media and the effects it is having on culture. It's about how we need to stop posting our perfect lives online, because the reality is our lives are not perfect. I struggled for a bit with a couple of friends/ladies and their blogs/facebook accounts awhile back for various reasons. I am over it now, but will admit jealousy existed. It was my issue entirely. I must have had glasses on that only allowed me to see what their lives contained (clothes, hobbies, vacations, traveling, amazing food, incredible photography skills, and immaculately clean and well designed homes)and focus on what I thought my life lacked (insert same list as above). I must have got kicked by a cow pretty hard because one day it dawned on me that no one's life is better or worse than mine...they are simply different. I love that idea. So I will go on preparing my scrumptious lemon cream pie that I don't think Cowboy really likes and probably not take...

 i still think there is goodness in the world today. a lot of it. where? i think i found a couple of places. last night i drove to the big town, and my parents picked me up to run some errands while cowboy roped. the oil pressure wasn't working and we were stuck at the mall in an old durango. prayer came to mind, the oil pressure rose, and we were able to drive across town to drop me off and my parents made it safely home. goodness. i have a dad who is sicker than we have recognized in a life altering way. he is such a good hard worker that you would never know. goodness. last friday we got to sit through an educational meeting and stare at all the data that paints the picture of my teaching reality. my mind drifted to the valentines dance and a young 7th grade boy who decided to ask the girl who no one else would. his goodness and her face made teaching meaningful. he didn't have to, but he knew it would make her day. goodness. i was asked to pla...

I am a daily commuter. In that driving time I regularly listen to NPR. It comes on right when I'm driving to work and then helps fill the time on the return trip. This week David Greene, a host on Morning Edition, is focusing on my generation and its problem with religion. The series is called, "More young people are moving away from religion, but why? The article explains how, " One-fifth of Americans are religiously unaffiliated — higher than at any time in recent U.S. history — and those younger than 30 especially seem to be drifting from organized religion. A third of young Americans say they don't belong to any religion. " Here are statements about religion from my generation: Miriam: I find the practice of sitting and being quiet and being alone with your thoughts to be helpful, but I don't think I need to answer that question [about God] in order to participate in the traditions I was brought up with. Yusuf: Today if some guy told ...

I don't know what has gotten into me lately. I felt like writing again today. There must be something in the water I've been drinking. I reluctantly got out of my warm bed this morning, got ready for the day, and jumped into my car for the trek across the desert. I tried listening to a couple of normal radio stations with no avail, reluctantly attempted NPR's Morning Edition and soon realized that political analysis was not going to hit the spot either. I even tried a book on CD that I had started a couple of days ago; It was just too slow for this morning's commute, and I soon found myself yawning. Then I remembered that Cowboy had put four CDs into the  player. I knew they were going to be great... Let me introduce you to Don. His straightforward yet smoot h base-baritone voice, soft tones, and an imposing build earned him the nickname "The Gentle Giant" of country music. (Wikipedia) His lyrics are simply delightful... I know some folks aren't i...

Hey A, I want to remember this. That's why I'm writing it down. I had a busy Halloween full of commuting, jr. High dance preparations, teaching a normal day of school, figuring out which students were academically eligible for the Halloween dance, enduring the dance, commuting, finding candles for Cowboy's amazing cowboy pumpkin creation, making dinner, doing laundry, enjoying trick or treaters, doing dishes, watching an episode of Duck Dynasty (totally hilarious), getting ready for bed, saying prayers (especially for the future of this country), getting into bed, reading my scriptures, and then being touched by this.... And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother. For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and beho...

Dear Readers, I had to say goodbye in the last week, and it was harder than I thought. I had been up and down and all around in my car, but the time had come to wish it farewell.    You see, I am a serious commuter. I drive close to two hours daily on this road...  which happens to be where these fellows roam and play...    Cowboy was worried about this happening.... so he decided I needed something bigger, higher, and stronger. He has had issues with Subaru cars and the stigma that comes with them as long as I've know him. He almost thought twice about dating me, because well, I drove a Subaru. Silly Willy! Well, after considering all of our options and thinking about which vehicle might fit our needs the best, we ended up at the Subaru dealership. We are now very 'proud' owners of this gem...  I know it doesn't look bigger, higher, and stronger...but oh, it is. It single handily changed cowboy's mind about ...