Country boy at heart with no fear....

Aunt Angie, Uncle Jon, Allie and J got Colt a 4-wheeler for his birthday. He still will not walk it forward but he will push it, sit on it, and go backwards.


The other morning I look over and he was cracking up laughing.


This is what I saw.......
Daddy said to him, Oh...you are so not getting a real one of those! We'll see Dad...

the goat out for attention.....

I was a 4-H'er for 10 years, of course, now that I have a little boy my Dad and I were so excited to take him back to my stomping grounds of Wells County 4-H fair. We were slap happy to load Colt up and get to the barns and animals. I took a sheep one year (not a fan of them, that lasted one year), pigs, calf's, a steer, rabbit (one year, again not a fan) and I think that is it, but each year I had at least two animals in the fair.

We went straight to the cow barn, which this year had goats in it too. Colt loves animals and has absolutely no fear of anything so he was in "hog heaven" Dad and I smiled ten watt smiles watching every expression of Colt's and looking around our selves comparing the animals from when Brian and I took them to now.

We came to the goats, Colt petted them and laughed. We stopped at one particular goat after looking and petting some of them, Dad had Colt sitting on the fence ledge holding him. The goat was nudging his feet with his head, Dad even commented "Colt, somebody wants your attention" Colt had his head turned looking at the cows, I turned to look at the cows, and before I or Dad knew it the goat headbutted my son in the head! Colt didn't scream but cried a little and had a look of complete shock. Dad and I's eyes were huge in disbelief. Dad even started lecturing me at first"see I told ya before, you never know what animals are going to do" and then we broke out in laughter. We could not stop laughing. The rest of the fair, we would just look at each other and laugh, partly still in shock, partly because my son had a perfectly round instant bruise from the goats horn on one side of his head.

This is not the goat that got him, this is one of them that he liked

This was right after the goat head butt! He turned to smiles again w/ Grandpa!

Colt was not fazed though, the cow and goat barn were the first and their were many more animals to come and he was still ready to pet and stick his hand in their mouth or pen. I love this picture of him running thru the pig barn bare feet and all. He is his mother's child...always bare feet.

Colt seeing a 3 week old Colt. Grandpa says once he can ask for a pony or horse then he'll get one.

Aunt Angie and Jaylyn met us there later that night, "J" enjoys her corn dog.

This is Colt and his bruise from the Goat's horn leaving his first 4-H experience. First of many 4-H's and bruises from animals.

today and only today....

I read something tonight that spoke to me and I wanted to get it down and remember this moment.

"In the midst of grief, transition, transformation, learning, healing, or discipline- it's difficult to have perspective. That's because we have not yet learned the lesson yet. We are in the midst of it. The gift of clarity has not yet arrived. Let today happen- Feel today's feelings. Solve today's problems, and enjoy today's gifts. Trust yourself, trust God."

After reading this my first thought was the ultimate gift of my family. Tonight, I got home from work and my son ran to me and wrapped his tiny little arms around me, laid his head down on my shoulder and hugged me, not a quick hug but a lingering hug. There is nothing more precious than to see the excitement and love in his eyes. I then took his hand and we walked together. Phil and I then watched him go back and forth showing us whatever caught his attention at that moment, so eager to share and see our praise and affection.
When I think of how we stay so busy and I always have so much running thru my mind: errands, finances, choices, chores, work, schedules, etc. I sometimes feel overwhelmed.

Tonight, when the house was quiet and I started to analyze, worry, or my need to control manifested itself as a need to know exactly what is going on or will go on....that is when I re-read and remembered the words above.....and then I breathed. I say one more thank you to God for his blessings and choosing me to be Colt's mother. Thank you for your entrusting us with him.

July 4th, smiles and rememberance.......

4th of July always makes me think of Grandpa James who passed away, well over two years now. I cant believe how fast time goes. Since I met Phil, we; and his family would go to a camp ground for the day down in the sticks of Montpiller to watch fireworks and hang out with Grandpa James and his family. This became a tradition and now when the 4th rolls around, I think about Grandpa James and miss him here on earth (more than usual) but smile knowing he is up there in Heaven.

This year we went up to the Lake and spent it with family out on the pontoon in the middle of lake with our little boy. Colt loved the fireworks, he would say "boom" and open his mouth in amazement, then he would try running on the boat to his cousins, Grammy, and aunt angie.. then run back to mommy and daddy...then Buss and Caroline. Making his rounds, stopping to look up in the sky. I should have known at 1 year old he wouldnt be scared of the fireworks but love them just like his Grandpa James.

We miss you Grandpa, and I tell Colt about you and show him your pictures and tell him how you see so many "fireworks" and "pretti's" in Heaven when we do our prayers.

Starting again.....

I have done a awful job keeping Colt's first year dates and journaling about him and our family. Since I love the computer and would rather type and scrapbook using the computer, I am attempting to start a journal for our family and then print it someday.

This is Colt's 1st Birthday, June 30th

Goal: To keep up daily or at least weekly!