Kelly Lake

I've been blessed to spend the last fifteen years with an amazing husband, dad and man of God for our anniversary we took a two day pack trip to Kelly Lake. This beautiful lake is located just a couple hours horseback ride from our place. It was an amazing trip and awesome way to spend a couple days away together.

This is the view of the lake on our way to our camp site.

We found a nice open area to set up camp and let the horses graze.  Although we did decide when we come back or bring the kids up with us we'll make camp in the valley just prior to the lake.  By doing this we wouldn't have had to spend any amount of time moving the horses for grazing and water.

While enjoying a cup of coffee and our breakfast the first morning this big horn sheep walked into our camp. He let us get several pictures of him and hung out eat around our horses for about an hour.  There was sign of him being around us the rest the time as well.  I new we'd have an amazing time and a great view to enjoy but, never imaged having the opportunity to see a big horn sheep up close like this.  The horses we rode and used to pack in had shoes on.  We assumed the sound of the shoes against the rocks is what brought him in as it sounded similar to him walking on the rocks.

The second day there I decided I wanted to see what was over the ridge on past the lake. Needless to say I never made but did get this picture that showcases the area we were in.  We also spent sometime fishing and caught one fish to enjoy with our dinner the second night.

Looking back to the valley we rode through on our way to the lake.  Our anniversary is the 19th of September so the fall colors were gorgeous.

A nice place for the horses to graze and water.

I took this picture on our way out. This was the first opening to look back and see where we'd just spent the last couple days.  We spent sometime visiting about the changes we've seen over the last fifteen years and about how many more are to come in the next fifteen.  Our kids who are Blayden 14, Waylan 13, Quinten 8 and Dalley 5 will be 29, 28, 23 and 20 when we celebrate our 30th aniversary. Wow, that'll be different but I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for the next fifteen years of our journey together.

A Summer Spent Horse Back

In thinking about this past summer it's been amazing! I've looked so forward to the day we could spend it horse back working together as a family. With that being said I found it most appropriate to start off with this a picture of Dally getting to set on Blacky aka Grandpa by herself.  Although Kitten is the horse Dally lays claim to her and Balcky got along quite well this summer.

For the past to summers Dally has taken Blacky to the North Park Never Summer Junior Rodeo where they've competed in the barrels and poles. Both years there have been young ladies gracious in giving her the belt buckle they won.

To secure Dally on Blacky we strap her wheelchair seat to western style saddle.

Blacky is such and amazing horse and when you put he and Quinten together they make quite a pair.

After a long and hard ride Blacky came up lame which meant finding a couple different horses that Quinten could ride to give Blacky some time off.  He has very excited to ride Kitten, she is the mare that Dally and I often ride.  It was a huge step for Quinten to be riding something other than Blacky and a big step for Kitten in proving she really is a family horse.

This past summer was Blayden had his first official job. The ranch we work for hired him on to help Regin.  He spent most days horseback checking yearlings or pairs and doctoring.  When he wasn't horseback there was fence to be fixed or projects around the barn and shop to work on. Many times he could be quoted as saying this has been one of the best summers ever. 

Waylan also came along great with his horsemanship skills and roping this past summer.  By the time the summer wrapped up Regin could send he and Blayden off to check for sick cattle or to gather while he looked at a different area of the pasture.

Blayden on Skinnered and Quinten on Clausen

Dally and Quiten on Blacky

Waylan on Pete and Quinten on Blacky

Dally and I on Kitten. The Lord Blessed us with an amazing horse for us to ride.

Catching Up

Wow, I've been telling myself for awhile now I needed to get back on here and start posting on a more regular basis. I had no idea it'd been a year since I had done anything with it. How time can fly. So I'm going to try and give you a glimpse of what's happened over the last year. We've had quite a few changes and some amazing blessings. The two older boys Blayden 14 and Waylan 13 were both in junior high sports this year. Their football team of had an amazing year with a record of 6-0 against teams that were two to three time bigger than us. We had twelve guys on our team.

The team after our final game

Blayden getting the chance to play quarterback

Waylan lined up and ready for a kick off

Once football and fall work was over we had the chance to get away for a few days. After hearing rave reviews from our friends the Chirpeski's we decide to visit Glenwood Springs, CO. The first day at Glenwood Springs we took a several mile hike that followed the steps on firefighters who lost their lives to a wildfire and hung out at the pool. I will say getting everyone up the side of that mountain and back down just about did Regin and I in. The second day we visited Caverns Adventure park, where we toured a cave, road the alpine slide, played laser tag and watched some four d movies.  

Getting ready for our first game of laser tag.

Waylan all geared up for laser tag

The alpine roller coster was a hit with everyone. 

This is Waylan coming back up after his first of many rides

Regin and Quinten after their first run.

Dally getting all strapped in. She was so excited that she got to ride.

Blayden receiving his final instructions. He was more than willing

to be the first one down the track.

The adventure park there did an amazing job of accommodating us and making it so we could do everything as a family.

Regin and I had been discussing for quite sometime getting a cargo trailer to transport Dally's wheelchair so I could take it place on my own. Honestly it was the most practical thing for us to get with where we live, the number of people in our family and knowing the expense of a modified vehicle. Last September we asked some friends of ours "The Jordan's" if they would be on the look out for one as Dally was definitely reaching the age that she wanted more independence.  A few weeks later we were blown away by what they and our community were doing for us. They had decided we needed something much greater than a cargo trailer. They had found a suburban that was wheelchair accessible. On top of that a group of our friends had set up an account to purchase the suburban.

Lisa (who the suburban was purchased from) and Dally the day the suburban arrived at our house.

Dally's first ride on the ramp. She kept saying "it tickles". The Suburban has been a huge blessing in being able to transport Dally's wheelchair easier. In fact the suburban was up and working just in time for wrestling season. We spend a good portion of February and March traveling to wrestling meets for the boys and being able to take Dally's chair along made the long days much more enjoyable for her. All the boys had a successful wrestling season this past year.

Quinten and one of his first wrestling medals.

Blayden with his first middle school win in Hayden, Colorado

When we weren't off doing other things we spent time with friends.

Treston, Quinten, Hayden and Dally. The Wolfes moved to New Mexico this past fall so they could be closer to family. Me miss them a lot. Treston and Hayden were some of Quinten and Dally's best friends.

The Cherpeski's, some of our good friends we meant while living in Southern Colorado. They've since moved to Oregon and were we hope to visit them some day.

Lully and Dally. Best friends from the moment they meant.

Dally and her Aubrey girl.

The older two boys spent many hours with their friends as well but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of them together.

Our Pretty Little Princess

Four years ago on the 28th of March 2008 we were blessed with our beuatiful daughter Dally. The nine months prior to having Dally were quite different than with our boys. At 12 weeks along the Dr.'s told us Dally would be born with under developed arms and legs. I can tell you though it was never a question as whether or not our family would want her, honestly she couldn't get to us fast enough.

She's been a blessing and encouragment from the first time we layed eyes on her.

Celebrating her 1st birthday. The boys picked out pink decorations and a horse for her first cake. Dally has loved animals in general but especailly horses from the very start.

Pretty in Pink!!

Dally loves having Tea Parties with her boys.

All Dally wanted for Christmas 2011 was a hat with horses and shirt with a cross and horse.

Dally getting ready to go help Dad she can't wait for the day she get's to do it horse back.

Dally's 4 and the boys did a good job picking her out a new shirt.

We love you Dally and thank God everyday for you.

A Fatastic Winter!!

We have had an amazing winter this far, so mild compared to last year our first winter in North Park. This winter has been much easier on people and animals alike. Although there is concern by some about not getting enough moisture we are confident our Lord will meet the need.

We've had warm enough temps to enjoy a game of ice hockey on the river. Last year we wouldn't have been able to find the river under all the snow.

The Boys thought it would be best to wear their cowboy boots so they could slide around really well. Needless to say they spent a great amount of time laying on the ice.

Dally enjoyed watching us play hockey while taking care of our new dog Arease (air reez).

After falling several times Quinten was determined to make it from the corner to me with out falling. 

We have success!! In fact he made it quite a long distance past me without falling. He was so proud of himself.

Regin even had the chance to join us after work.

Welcome To Holland

I choose to share a poem given to me by a good friend as my first post. I believe it relates quite well to "The Road Not Often Traveled". At the time Winema gave me this poem the Lord was taking us from the San Luise Valley in South Central Colorado. Although we had only lived there for three years we had grown and changed so much as a family. We made friends for a lifetime and had come to love the area. When Winema first read me the poem it spoke exactly to what I was feeling. How could the Lord take us from this place we loved so much and the plans we were making and at the same time I knew if I didn't choose to move forward I'd never enjoy what was ahead. The really crazy part is Winema had been meaning to share this poem with me since we first meant about a year early. We meant Winema shortly after our daughter Dally was born pretty much without arms and legs. Honestly though I didn't need to hear it then I needed to hear it at the very time Winema shared it. Amazing how our Lord works.

                                                                    Welcome To Holland

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability -to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this....

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy.
You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says,

"Welcome to Holland"
"Holland?!? you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you mush stay.
The important this is that they haven't taken you to a terrible, horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy that Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills...and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain for that will never, ever, ever, go away.. because the loss of the dream is  very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, very lovely things... about Holland.