It is with a broken heart that I let everyone know that our PopPop passed yesterday. PopPop has been in my kids lives since the day they were born. We have made so many amazing memories through the years both in SC and when they lived here. We are glad that PopPop is no longer struggling on this earth, but we will miss him dearly.
Please keep my Mom and our family in your prayers.
Ali
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of getting Alex off to school and getting Maddy ready for her World Show. Alex is doing great. He loves his roommates, completed a one week summer bridge course and began to figure out what it looks like to be part of a class and manage homework and tests. This week he has SWAT (Student Welcome and Transition) where they will focus on Student Life and some of the traditions of Dallas Baptist University. We have had some growing pains as he starts to figure out how to manage and juggle all of the responsibilities of school work, his medical needs and caring for Zoey, but overall he is happy and doing well!
There isn't really a way to explain a horse show and all it entails until you have lived it, but it means really long days at the barn and arena, lots of hurry up and wait, so much time for camaraderie and fellowship and lots of laughter and tears. Relationships really grow and strengthen when you rely on each other for support, eat together and help each other get ready to compete. It is a special time and this show held a lot of extra meaning for us.
One year ago as we left the NSBA World Show we said our goodbyes to each other, to our horses and to Tammi and Sarah our beloved coaches not knowing if we would be back. We were leaving Victory and had no idea if we would find a new barn home. It was a few weeks later that Living Hope Equine Therapy was founded and we started our time at Poco Vista Ranch. Our 11 months there have been nothing short of miraculous. The growth we have seen in the riders has been incredible and we have watched God move mountains and provide mightily to make this dream a reality.
Maddy's first day to compete was on Sunday. She did not have the ride she had hoped for, but the ability to handle disappointment was amazing. They went over a wrong pole and had a few other small mistakes, but she pushed through and rode well. Last year she was devastated and wasn't sure she wanted to continue. This year she shrugged it off as not her best ride and focused on the fun of the show and preparing for the next day.
Monday was a totally different day. She had Western Pleasure in the morning and for the third time was in the Top 10 in the World at our biggest show with the toughest competition. She rode beautifully and really controlled her horse in a large class of riders. Any placing at a World Show is a huge accomplishment. She finished 7th and was so happy to be riding the horse she loves dearly.
Monday Evening was a huge breakthrough moment for Maddy. Maddy has struggled with confidence especially when it comes to groundwork with her horse. It is not easy when you are so little to lead a large animal. Add to that the joint and muscle issues and how often her joints give out and she falls and it is terrifying for her. We started working on Showmanship about 8 months ago and there have been lots of tears as we pushed through fears. This was the first major show that we registered her to compete in this class. As Tammi practiced with her Monday afternoon her anxiety peaked and the tears began to flow. Tammi gave her the option to pull out. But if you know Maddy, you know she has no quit in her and she decided to give it a go. I told her as we headed to the arena that if she stepped up to the cone so she had already won. I left her in the warmup arena with tears welled up in her eyes. Tammi and Sarah and the other riders were amazing keeping her distracted and singing and dancing while she waited her turn. As she was about to go I saw Tammi talking to her and could tell she was crying. But as the competitor before her finished she stepped up to the cone and did a beautiful pattern. I have never been more proud of my tough little girl. She continues to push through her fears and excel under the love and trust she has built with Tammi.
By the end of 4 days of hard work and competing we are all exhausted, but my warrior who loves her horses and barn time more than anything continued to work to help the coaches and volunteers feed and care for the horses. She amazes me daily with her strength, determination and bravery.
We headed home Tuesday to rush to Meet the Teacher and start school today! We see the lessons she is learning at the barn carry over into all areas of her life and today was no different. For the first time I dropped her off at school with no tears as she grabbed her things and headed in with a smile.
I thank God daily for the gift of my children and all the lessons I have learned by watching them live their lives. I am equally grateful for all the people who walk with us on this journey and love us and make our lives so much better.
Ali
