HOW ONE LIFE ENDS AND A NEW ONE BEGINS.......

My Mom's sister turned 61 yesterday and tonight we watched her take her savior's hand and be lead home. My Mom said that today when she was with her that she kept reaching up and Mom said she knew then that she was fixing to go home. It was heartbreaking knowing that she wasn't going to be able to be on this earth with us but a blessing knowing that she is at the Savior's knee. As our Pastor was praying with us, I opened my eyes and looked around the room. I hate to say it but I wasn't listening to his prayer. I was standing there thinking Aunt Martha may not physically be here with us but she was still with us. From her twin, to her sister my Mom, to her brother, then to her two daughters, to her granddaughter, to every neice and nephew that was there in that room. The blood that ran through her veins, also runs through each and everyone of us. It was hard thinking that no longer on Sunday mornings would I ever get that wake-up call to go to church, to hearing her hollar Laura Adeline!!!!, to call and see what was going on with the cops, to being able to hold her hand and take care of her when she was sick, but knowing that she is rocking my oldest sister and with my Grandparents and her husband now is a comforting thought. My family has been through alot of tough times here lately but one thing about it is, we are brought closer together and stronger and our faith has never slipped. Oh, sure we have questioned some things but we know that God doesn't put more on us than we can handle. Out of every situation there comes a purpose, a teaching, a learning, and a tighter hold on those we love our family and our faith. Just yesterday I learned that my sister Jennifer is going to have a baby. She is 36 and she only has one child who is 13( my neice that out runs me on barrels). I would like to think that maybe Aunt Martha or NaNa to some of us, thought that her time was up and she was just making room for the new little one. It's funny how one life ends and a new one begins.............................................................................

The poem below was written in mine and Dass's honor by one of my closest and dearest childhood friends, Don Belk. We grew up together , showed cows, judged animals and rode horses together. As we grew older we went our seperate ways each of us getting married and raising kids . Our kids are close to the same age and close friends. As we stood by and watch our kids enjoy each other's friendships and joined in the same projects in 4-H, it brought back wonderful memories of when we was their ages. Then one day my friend comes to me and tells me he is moving to Texas. Talk about walking around in a daze and actually loosing my best friend. There is one thing about it, it doesn't matter how many states or miles are between us, our hearts and friendship is still linked together. Don is a very talented in writting poems. His poems are about cowboys and animals and the impression that they have left on him. He also has a cd out that one can purchase and listen to his poems. Let me tell ya, it's worth the money. You can check out Don at http://www.donbelk.com . He even has a poem that you can listen to called ," Geldings and Mares". Please take a minute and check out Don's web .
My aunt has had some good days and some bad but I figure that is to be expected. I want to thank you all for your prayers and please continue to remember her she still has a long way to go. Tomorrow will be her birthday she and her twin will be 61.

APP CRAZY......

Some people call her crazy and a nut

She rides one of those horses with spots on her butt.

After running the barrels and crashing the gates

Everybody hollers,"Lookout, she ain't got brakes!"

She goes up and down in front like a texas oil well

She cuts the barrels so sharp it's a wonder she ain't fell

She looks alright and she's real fast

Everytime she gigs her, she'll pass alittle gas

They say she's wild and out of control

but shes real still when she has feed in her bowl

The rider's getting older and alittle insane

But she wants to win no matter the pain

When I say,"Laura, she's gonna kill you honey."

She say's," That's ok as long as I finish in the money!!"

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A COWBOY or in my case.....A COWGIRL

I have been staying with my Aunt and trying to keep things running around here but somewhere in the mist the clothes have doubled and still waiting to be washed. The week has flown by me and I sit here and wonder where did the days and hours go? Friday some of the kids and I loaded up to go on a 19 mile trail ride. I rode my new mare, Jazz, and was a little nervous riding her. We got along beautifully. Half way through our ride we got caught up in a storm. It was raining so hard that I couldn't see and the lighting and thundering was awful and we won't even talk about the wind. There was no where for us to seek shelter but under trees and I wasn't even going to go there so we rode on. The whole time I was riding, I kept singing, 'I should've been a cowboy' by Toby Keith. I honestly felt like I was in a western book just riding the storm out. When the rain let up, I dropped the reins and let her have her head and away we flew. It was like we was out in the flat country and trying to out run that storm.lol Even the boys on their mounts was having a hard time keeping up with me. When we got back to the truck, the boys rode up and told me that I was laying on her neck and steadly spurring her. I told them that after what we had just came thru I wasn't going to let any grass grow under our feet. We all looked like drowned rats. Even though the rain was stinging our faces and arms, horses quivering underneath us every time it lightened or thundered, our clothes plastered to our bodies, we had a good time and even talked about doing it again.