A Wrecked Rooster...

I am currently visiting The Grandparents S. in AZ. 

 The Grandpa is fighting a very valiant fight against cancer, and some days are better than others...

but he is doing his best to be strong and brave. I am so thankful that The Farmer and The Rooster are holding things together on the home front so I could spend a few days here with The Grandparents. 

It has been a really nice visit. This time is also allowing me to catch up on a few delayed posts. 

The Aggie Boy and a very sweet friend of his, came home for a visit a week ago. 

 When he comes home...he brings alot of energy with him! 

It is a treat to have him around!

 

 The Rooster really enjoyed having his brother home. 

The Rooster recently wrecked his motorcycle and it left a few marks behind;) 

Which required a trip to the Dr. A lecture from the Dr. (who also treated The Aggie Boy 

when he...on more than one occasion... wrecked his motorcycle too! 

 It also required a trip to the pharmacy and a few different medications. 

Thankfully he didn't break anything...

"She Will Be Just Fine..."

Early this morning my phone rang. 

(I am in the states visiting the Grandparents S. with Grandpa having some health issues.) 

 Anyway, when I answered the call, I was greeted by Pres. Jardine, 

Sis. Precious' mission president. He called to assure us that she was well...very sore...but well. 

 "She will be just fine..." he said "and we love her very much!" 

I love him for calling this morning, to ease the worry of a Mother's Heart. 

 I love him for leaving his family to serve the Lord and to serve Sis. Precious...

I love him...

because...

he loves her!

Answered Prayers!!

Our Missionary Monday was a Missionary Tuesday this week. 

 We knew that we wouldn't hear from Sis. Precious until today, she mentioned it last week. 

 Around 1:30 we got a quick message from her telling us that she had been in a car accident on Monday afternoon, and that her mission president wanted to talk to us. So very quickly The Farmer made contact with Pres. Jardine. We just happened to be in El Paso... at the hospital...visiting a dear friend who is having some serious problems. The Farmer left the hospital room to talk to the mission president, 

and when he returned he had quite a story to share.

 

 Sis. Precious and her companion were passing through an intersection and were 

broadsided by another car that had run a red light. The car was totaled, they were both taken by 

ambulance to the hospital, and thankfully the mission president was very close by. 

 She said that the moment Pres. Jardine arrived he placed his hands on each of their heads and gave them a blessing. She was so grateful for that. So today, with her signature humor and grace, she shared this experience with lots of detail with us through her weekly letter. Her perspective is amazing! Today and I am so very grateful for every prayer that is uttered throughout the world on behalf of our 

beloved missionaries. Prayers were answered today!!

Sis. Precious Update...

Sis. Precious is awesome! 

Her letters are such a delight each week...we laugh... I cry a little (because I miss her)...

and she reminds us how very lucky we are to call her ours. 

She has the most unique and beautiful way of finding happiness and humor in the most 

mundane of situations. Each week I wonder what great adventure she has had and 

how she made it fun. I love that girl!! Yesterday, early in the morning a 6.1 earthquake 

hit the Napa Valley area of California. Although it wasn't right in her area, people have 

reported feeling the quake right where she is. This would have been Sis. Precious' first earthquake...

and I pray her last;) The church has reported that all missionaries in that area are just fine. 

 Yay! 

 I look forward to hearing from her today... to see what this experience was 

like for her and those in her area.

 

This is Sis. Cleverly...The Trainer...she is a Saint I am sure;) 

She and Sis. Precious were riding their bikes when The Trainer felt she was going to pass out. 

 They quickly stopped...found a piece of grass and The Trainer laid down. 

 Turns out it was the yard of a less active member;) Anyway, to pass the time...

Sis. Precious gathered sticks to surround The Trainer, 

which brought alot of laughs and lightened a hard situation.

 

While traveling through Cd. Juarez with The Farmer...

I came across a street vendor who was selling these blow up Lucha Libre dolls... 

since we love Nacho Libre so much...it was a must to send to Sis. Precious! 

Oh my goodness she is loving that thing! 

I also sent some funny curlers to her that I thought may help... 

but turns out...not so much...after removing the curlers she said she looked like 

she was ready to go to the high school prom!

So here is a little glimpse into the life of our Sis. Precious!

 

A Farmers' Gotta Farm...

A few days ago The Farmer and I decided to spend the morning checking the farms. 

 It is so beautiful here right now! 

 The abundance of rain has made it very plush and green...and muddy!

 

These are a few of the "Farming Crew." 

 Please notice The Rooster in the middle...;)...

 

The Farmer doesn't get to spend too much time on the tractors much anymore. 

 His days are filled with other issues. 

 But, every once in awhile...The Farmer "gets lost" and this is where he is usually found. 

 It's a therapy of sorts. 

This picture appeared in a text message in the last couple of days with this note... 

"Sometimes The Farmers' gotta farm!" 

And there you have it!!!

Stadium Of Fire...(catching up)

 

 One of our MOST favorite activities while in Utah is going to Stadium of Fire. 

 It is always a wonderful time! We loaded all of the family in 

The Farmer's truck and parked as close to the Stadium as we could...yet not too close;)

   

And then we walked...

 

 This is a member of The Brotherhood...

I happen to like him alot! He is a very good time!

 

The Aggie Boy joined us...that is always fun!...

and The Rooster refused to let me take his picture...

 

This is The Aggie Boy...dancing and singing with some of my darling nieces...

They really enjoyed Carrie Underwood! 

We were at the very top of the stadium, which we have discovered is the 

very best spot to be to enjoy the fireworks show. 

The evening did not disappoint!

(photos by The Farmer)

   

Hobble Creek With The Family...(catching up)

 

 One of the best parts of our trip to Utah this Summer was the opportunity to spend 

some good time with our AZ family! I am pretty smitten with The Brotherhood...so when 

I get to spend some time with them it is a treat from me! 

 Three members of The Brotherhood were either in Utah themselves, 

or their family was there. It was great to have some of them stay with us...

where we really enjoyed some quality time together! 

 One of our many adventures was at Hobble Creek. 

We traveled together...led by The Farmer...who I might add didn't really 

know where he was going to begin with...but as he stated very proudly upon arrival

..."well...we got to where we needed to be didn't we??!!" 

 And yes we did! 

We took food...the kids played in the Creek...

the teenage girls talked while laying in the beautiful green grass...

and the adults visited and laughed...ALOT! 

It was the perfect afternoon!

 

A Flying Rooster...

 

At the beginning of the Summer, The Rooster decided that he "needed" a different 

motorcycle so he could join his friends riding and racing. When he approached 

The Farmer about his idea The Farmer replied..."sure why not!"...

"So, Rooster... how will you be paying for that much "needed" motorcycle?" 

 Well, as you might imagine, The Rooster felt a little sad. And so we sat down, 

The Rooster and his Mother...and came up with a list of ways he could earn enough money 

to purchase his desired motorcycle. The list looked a little like this... 

 1. Sell Ramses (our beloved baby bull) 

2. Sell Violet (another beloved Longhorn) 

3. Sell small motorcycle 

4. Sell bails of Alfalfa 

5. Work everyday, mowing orchards...bailing hay...doing whatever needs to be done, 

with a set amount of pay at the end of the week. 

 After looking at the list, The Rooster was excited...it seemed reasonable.

     

Well, as he began to work on his list of money making opportunities, 

 he realized...quickly...that it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. 

He worked and worked each day. After a little time he sold the smaller motorcycle 

and make a small payment toward his goal. Time passed and it began to seem that the 

goal was out of reach. When it came time to sell the Longhorns, The Rooster realized that 

he just couldn't do it. He loved them too much! So that just wasn't an option. 

 He even came from work one day, after working at the farm where the Longhorn Family live, 

and told me that Ramses the baby bull Longhorn, just wanted to have his head rubbed and rubbed. 

 And then The Rooster said..."Mom,he is just too nice to sell!" 

And truthfully it was breaking my heart too! 

But it was in important lesson that The Rooster needed to learn. 

 Sacrifice is a part of life.

  After a LONG Summer...wishing, hoping and working...

The Rooster finally made it happen! Saturday was the day he made his final payment! 

 And boy was he happy! 

 Saturday afternoon he and a group of friends headed to a nearby motorcycle track to ride. 

 An organized race/competition was planned for Sunday, but he knew that Saturday was his only 

day to ride. The Farmer and I met him at the track and enjoyed watching him...enjoy himself so much! 

The memories of his older brother, The Aggie Boy, racing at this same age, 

returned all to quickly. The memories of the hospital visits and surgeries also came back.

Ugh!!!

   

 So I said a little prayer...

each time he circled the track that he would be smart...and he would be safe.

   

 And then it happened...not to The Rooster, but to one of his good friends.

 

A missed jump...a bad landing...and a trip to the hospital. 

The friend's parents were out of town, so The Farmer rode to the hospital in the 

ambulance with the young man. Once at the hospital, it was determined 

that his leg had been broken.

   

 He will be fine...and we are grateful it wasn't worse. 

So here we go again...proud of The Rooster for setting a goal for himself 

and working hard for it...but now I pray!