My First Horse Pull

Monday, May 18, 2009

This past Saturday I attended my first horse pull. It was quite entertaining. Bob and I went with Uncle Mike, Aunt Juli, and their kids, Will and Olivia. One of the many small communities in Cache Valley was having their annual hometown celebration and the horse pull is a traditional event. I had never even heard of horse pulls. So not only was it entertaining, it was also a learning experience. Basically, teams of two draft horses are harnessed to a contraption similar to a large sled. At this particular pull, the horse teams had to pull the specific amount of weight 20 feet over loose soil without going out of bounds. There were three weight classes for the horse teams. The winning team from the small weight class pulled 6,500 lbs, the middle weight class won by pulling 7,000 lbs, and the large weight class had a winning pull of 8,500 lbs!!! These horses were HUGE! It was interesting to merely look at the giant horses, but I was totally amazed by their strength. Ironically enough, I actually knew one of the pullers. Josh Neil brought a team from Afton, Wyoming. Josh worked on my Dad's ranch when I was younger. Small world, huh. I forgot my camera, but I included some generic photos, as my description may be lacking. If you ever get the chance to go to a horse pull, it's a good time!

Motherhood

Thursday, May 7, 2009

As Mother's Day nears, I have been reflecting on a number of things including, of course, my Mother and Grandmother as well as my own journey towards motherhood. Mother's Day may not be every woman's favorite day, as it can often be an emotional day ranging from guilt and sadness to joy and gratitude. For me, I look forward to the official opportunity to express my love and appreciation for my Mom. I don't claim that my Mom, or any other person for that matter, is perfect, but I do know that her efforts have truly made all the difference in my life. My Mom has been devoted to our family and has worked hard to teach and care for us. There is nothing that can take the place of a mom. I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father and that He has blessed me with a caring mother and family. Thank you, Mom.

The Preuit Women

Great-Grandma Ballard, Grandma Preuit

Aunt Cheryl & Mom

Tracy & Her Girls

Baby Up-date

I am now 16 weeks. Last Thursday, I had my third doctor appointment and everything was good. It was awesome to hear the heartbeat! I'm still not showing too much. I'm hoping it's because I started out small. In three weeks, I go back for another appointment. In five weeks we have an appointment for an ultrasound and hopefully we'll find out the sex of the baby! Yippee!
I'm really excited about the next month, as the baby continues to grow and to start to feel the baby move. I wanted to thank everyone for their positive and thoughtful comments. Thank you for your prayers on my behalf. I can't adequately express what the support means to me and Bob. Happy Mother's Day!