And in your other spare time......(part2)

Yes it is a beautiful day outside,but I just wanted to get this post in before I get ready to post again.  Hahaha..go ahead and laugh.  You think I won't post for another 6 months, but have I got news for you.  Well, will have for you (and NO, I am not getting married but someone in our family is changing a name!)
And so when you have spare time what do you do?  From my previous post, you can tell that most of my time is consumed by pigs and kids.  Just today, Makaley and I were driving thru town, and she saw a street named "Green Acres"..she started singing the song and then talked about the pig Arnold.  A few streets over was "barrow" street.  She whimpered and said...."I miss my barrows".(yes Jordan, she did!).  And then about 6 streets over is "Grand" street.  She said something about winning "Grand" at a major.  This family is "ate up with it".
Believe it or not, there are other things to do in your spare time besides feeding, washing, and showing pigs.
For example....you can attend Benefits for Breast Cancer Awareness.  My mom, cousin and I traveled to Odessa to attend the Pink the Basin with my other mother's daughter Susan. Go ahead and think on that one! lol.  You know Suzie...friends for 41 years. Anyway, it was a wonderful, wonderful day.  Even the newspaper was pink that day. Food was great, speaker was WONDERFUL, but family and friends...priceless!!!.

Can you guess which one is my cousin Brandi?  Seriously, she would say she is the one with no hair and no boobs.  BUT...that aint the case now!!! That girl has the cutest hair growing in and has bi-racial boobies! She said they didn't have two alike when she was ready, so she bought "friends".  BEST OF ALL...she is free!!! No more chemo, medication, no cancer!!!!!  I am so proud of her.  All of our family(except my dad and kids) attended at least one doctor's appointment or "draw" with her. So I could say...in your spare time you could WHOOP cancer!
Or during your free time, you could create a planet.

This is Kauy's science project. He designed it while sitting in a pig pen in Ft.Worth. It was ready for class a week before it was due.  Yep....I thought I had returned home with the wrong kid! of course, with the name of the planet being "Planet Goodyear", with a NASCAR theme, I knew it was the right kid!! Notice the ring around it..Next to the Flag is a NASCAR race car. There were moons(not in this picture) called "the intimidator" and "Junior", and Lake Lagano.  He did a great job and received an A.  Most expensive A ever made I can promise!!!  I am saving it incase NASCAR would like it for their museum.  At this price, I need to get lots of wear out of it.
Now...if you have some real good spare time you can have surgery!!!! Makaley was diagnosed with scoliosis in November of 2011.  By 2012, the curve had changed 15 degrees and was at a 64 degree curve and the bottom one was about 30 or so.  It was decided that we should correct this since if left untended, it could become a severe health concern.  Like it wasn't already?  Hello!!!  As a mom, I was sick to my stomach.  I wanted to reach into her back and fix it for her.  I wanted God to let me act as one of His apostles, lay hands on her and fix it.  But I couldn't.  I cried myself to sleep one night because I needed her daddy.  I just wanted to snuggle up to him and say, "Aren't you nervous?"  But you know...when that can't happen, you do the very best thing....Snuggle up to God and tell Him.  We prayed for our Dr. by name.

I had no idea that my baby girl was in so much pain until a few days before surgery. She never once said anything close to wanting to put this off, being scared, or having second thoughts.  She was a ROCK! Her doctor, Dr. Rathjen is amazing.  She also had a "Dr. McDreamy" who woke her every morning.  He signed her back the morning of her surgery.....they know your face, but I guess everyone looks the same from the back!  So he wrote his name so he was sure they had the right girl.We told her she didn't have to wash that spot for months if she didn't want to. They also decided to only put one set of rods in after visiting with each other. My girl was up and moving the day after the surgery. We walked the halls, and walked the halls again.  AND I cried and thanked God for wonderful doctors, and prayer warrior who carried us to His throne daily and during the surgery. We had great friends who came to the hospital and visited. I didn't do this alone....My sister Traci went with us.  I have the MOST WONDERFUL sister!!!! Scottish Rite Hospital is WONDERFUL.  We had the greatest experience there! Not because the surgery was successful, but the people there LOVE their jobs and it shows in their every move.  We felt like the queens!  Below is a picture of her hospital room, and then a picture of her 3 weeks after surgery, the Sunday before she returned to school for 1/2 a day. Fast track girl.

Look Mom...I am 1 1/4 taller!

If that doesn't take up your spare time, sign up for scoliosis research with your doctor.  Makaley decided to be a part of the ongoing research the doctors at Scottish Rite do.  She was excited even after she found out it was mainly just paper work to keep track of her.Oh, and the doctor apologized that he was unable to take some of the "teenage temperament" out of her while she was on the table.  Said that would be my problem to take care of!  Thanks....

Or....if you aren't into research, invest $386 in driver's ed.  Yes folks, she will begin driver's education in May.  I am full of mixed emotions again.  I told her she has to sit up straight behind the wheel and be proud of that new back! I can't believe she is ready for this because I'm sure not.  lol

I know that I missed a few things like..........going to NASCAR.  Kauy went with Suzie and Bobby....AGAIN.  They promise me that he acts great when he is with them.  I want a video!  That boy keeps us laughing and still holds my hand.  Gotta love him.  Of course, he isn't 15 yet.

I guess you could say that my spare time has been well spent!  We have had our valley moments and our mountain top moments, but God has blessed us through all of it.  I miss my grandmother so often.  Would love to hear her "smart" remarks on this past year! 

Enjoy your spare time!  I have!!!

When do you get spare time? Part 1

Spare what?  When I have spare time, it is either while I am in a show barn, a doctor's or dentist's offfice, or sitting in line somewhere.  And of course, those places do not accomodate you getting dinner cooked, laundry done, or a house cleaned. I promise, I don't sit around and eat ice cream bars!
So...let's talk spare time in the show barn.....go ahead and dream that is so.  If you have spare time in the barn, you can make the most uncomfortable chair the best "napping" spot ever.  And of course, all the kids take you photo and tell you you snore.  BUT...I was alert enough to get the score card right.  Here is the final outcome of this years pig shows!
Meet Squeaker: 5th in Ft. Worth and Pork Producers hat and bonus  Kauy's pig,Throwback, threw his back right into the "farm to Market" trailer. 

Meet Warfare(left) and Swagger(right)

This was the daily morning greeting.  Warfare was Champion Barrow at the Wylie Show, Reserve Cross at Taylor County, and Second in his class at San Antonio(placing in the sale.. plus another Pork Producers cap and bonus!

Makaley and Warefare and they battle for first place. Second made us just as proud.

Kauy and Swirl.  As a team they placed 9th in San Antonio! 

Rudolph and Swagger.  Swagger was Breed Champion and Grand Champion at Taylor county.  Rudolph was 1st  in his class at County also.  However, you can see them again at your local HEB.  They went straight to the trailer which was VERY hard on the old mom!
   

Finally meet Jorge....long story on that name...but this dude won 5th at the Star of Texas Show in Austin Texas.  Yep...put a few miles on the old Tahoe huh?  But they were fun miles I promise!!!!!!

We had a wonderful, wonderful year.  Our "team" set goals and achieved them! Our "team" represented our breeders very well whether we won or trucked right to the trailer.  One thing I have tried to instill in my kids is that you are a winner for even getting to where you are, and there is no need to blame a judge or pout when we didn't make the top nor is there reason to gloat for a win.  Kauy has a lot of his dad in him and that drives Jordan crazy sometimes.  When he wins, he just grins, takes the ribbon back to the pen and heads off to other things.  He lets the rest of us act the crazy fool!
And so...in this moment of spare time that I had(due to bronchitis) I want to say a few things about my spare time in the barn.  I LOVE it!!!  Thank you Jordan and Ashley for getting us to this point!  Thank you for loving my kids even when they are not doing what you want.  Thank you for wanting the best for them and "keeping on keeping on" when you think they don't listen.  We miss our pigs!  Just saying....
Thank you breeders....Jason Lackey, Will Winter, Craig Bessent, The Cobb Family, The Jones Family and Dirk.  Thank you for checking on us during the "growing" period and being at the shows to cheer for us.
Thank you Cody Smith, our new Ag teacher!  Wow, we loved working beside you.  We love the fact that you and Jordan had serious moments to study and advise! I am glad that you don't teach driver's ed., but if I needed anything, you were there in a NASCAR minute. And in Kauy's words..."Your not any Sacajawea." Thank you Suzie and Aunt Traci....probably Bobby and Timmy also.  You two were with us all the way.  Suzie didn't miss a show(from county to Austin, Jan. to March) and set with me while my nerves were on total edge!  Aunt Traci wasn't actually at a couple shows, but still didn't miss one because she watched them on line.  She would text me and say "tell that kid to"....whatever she felt needed to be done.  Thank you to the Phillips and Cagles who showed up or cheered from their living room chairs.  I think they also got a little Leighton time.  Thanks to you who listened to us ramble, or liked our photos on face book.
Finally, thank you to my prayer warrior, Margaret.  She began praying for Jordan and the kids as the pigs were being purchased.  She prayed the pigs through the spells of health issues and then prayed for us as we went to each show.  She is a single woman who understands the love between people and their animals...even if they are pigs.
Now, that is all the spare time I have today.  Dinner must be cooked, clothes folded, and homework completed. Yes, my kids could do all of that....could being the operative word here!
Hang on.....part two is coming soon.  Suzie, remind me in about 2 weeks.