Saturday, January 21, 2012

Sophia's Award

Out of the entire first grade, Sophia was selected for an award at school this week. The award was for displaying good character as defined by the school's six pillars of character: citizenship, responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, caring and fairness. I wish I could say that I thought we have had a lot to do with the building of her character, but mostly I think that is just who she has always been.

We are very proud of our kind little girl. Keep up the good work Sophia!


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Mambo has returned

Just over three years ago, when the kids were very little and I was perhaps a little over my head (two in diapers and one was pretty ill), we had decided that Mambo needed a new home because I simply did not have the time to devote to him that he really deserved. For his home, I found a teenager that adored him but who also promised to first offer to return him to me if she no longer could care for him. Just over six weeks ago, she told me that she was heading for college soon and could not afford to take him with her, did I want want him back?

At first, I dismissed the notion, after all, I had hadn't ridden in over three years. I started riding when I was two years old and prior to this stint, the longest I had ever gone without being near a horse was a few weeks at most, so I was very, very, hesitant.

In the meantime, one of my friend's from high school did something amazing. After Christmas, we went to visit her and she put me on her wonderful horse for two days. That experience gave me the confidence to believe that I could handle this challenge. The ear to ear grin I sported for those two days apparently gave Colin the steadfast belief that I still belonged on a horse.

Voila....Mambo arrived from his long journey from Michigan just last week. We are both finding our way back to each other and it is going to take some time to get in synch. But today, for the very first time in three years, when I whistled to him as he relaxed in the turnout, he immediately responded with a nicker and whiny...and lo and behold, there was my ear to ear grin again.........

Catching up on life that is racing by.....

Our slightly nutty new dog (adopted last March), is finally coming around. We literally could not bring out a camera without him fleeing for safety. On this particular day, he actually posed!


Last week, just before Colin returned to Japan, Keenan decided it was time to ride his bike for real...without training wheels.

He took to it like the proverbial duck to water, but perhaps a little too well as he seems to have absolutely no fear and is already trying to do 'tricks'. Keenan's 'tricks' have already shaved a few years off my life but he reports that he is having FUN. Sophia has been more tentative and is still very shaky without training wheels, but she does seem to enjoy coming out the barn with me. Yup, that is right, a horse is back in my life, eeh gad.