I don't know how you might feel about miracles, but I'll tell ya I definitely believe in them and am very thankful for them...God blesses us each and every day, and this was a miracle and blessing like no other...I have an ex-uncle, who is actually still very much a part of my extended family because he shares a son with my aunt. His name is Randy and today he is a walking talking miracle. About a year ago Randy's life at 52 yrs of age seemed as though everything was falling apart...After having suffered a back injury and then losing his job he felt hopeless and searched for many answers. My mom called me a couple of months ago and told me he was in the hospital for blood clots in his lung, I thought then "WOW, that's crazy" and I felt bad for him knowing that he was already suffering from many other things. Well a week ago Monday I got a call from my mom and I knew by her voice that something terrible was wrong.She informed me that Randy had been hospitalized and he had blood clot in his heart, and that they would be doing open heart surgery the next day but the doctor's had already told his mom he would likely never make it off the table...I was in shock, time stood still...I couldn't believe yet another man that I know and love will die at such a young age. We instantly started praying for him and when I say praying I found out today just how much prayer was being said. I found out that my mom had her prayer ring praying of course and then they got our whole church in praying for him (our congregation is a couple thousand people at least) and then his mom and her whole church and then I found out that the 700 club had been contacted and they had sent out prayer request for him also....WOW...That is a vast amount of people praying, right?!?!So come Tuesday morning they did not rush him into surgery I was told because his surgery "had never been done before" and it could take up to 8 hrs to complete. Randy was in a heavily induced medical coma and was finally taken into surgery early that afternoon. OK so let me tell you now how he got here...Apparently he had been having blood clots ever since he had left the hospital a few months ago and he was put back into the hospital July the 2nd due to blood clots in his lower extremities, while in the hospital then they told him that he needed to have a filter put into his groin area to prevent the clots from going upstream. So he decided yes he would do that and he did and was released July the 14th and was sent home with his mom to be monitored for a few days. Well 4 days later on Saturday they went to a birthday party for a friend and Randy told his mom he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home, she just kind of told him to wait and then they would go...So finally they get home and he goes to bed and the next morning by 9 am he wasn't up yet so his mom thought well he never sleeps this late and she decided she would leave him be until 10 and if he hadn't gotten up she would wake him. Well at 9:30 he came up and got a cup of coffee and sat at the table and told his mom he still did not feel well. So they called the pharmacy and decided that maybe it was caused by one of his meds, so a few minutes later he said again "mom, I don't feel good", and then he layed his head down on the kitchen table and said "I'm going out" Sue (his mom) yelled for her husband to help as Randy had just passed out. So they get him layed on the floor and call 911, by the time EMS got there he was completely blue from the neck up and was having convulsions and Sue thought he was going to die right before her eyes...Randy was rushed to the hospital, in the ambulance he died 2 times and was revived. Then upon arriving at the hospital he died for a total of 4 minutes and was again resuscitated, finally...So now onto what exactly happened. Well upon investigation the filter that had been installed to catch the clots had collapsed, it was found after researching it that this filter was over 25 years old...We have no clue why it was used or how it was obtained, the surgeon told the family that the hospital gave it to him to use... Well the doctor's called the manufacturer and they said yep it hadn't been made in 25 years and that this had never happened before...When the filter collapsed it acted like a sail and carried this massive blood clot to the pulmonary artery and lodged itself there. Now the reason this was life threatening was because when this filter collapsed the texture to it was like that of catfish gills, very jagged and sharp so they knew which ever way they tried to take it it would shred the artery.Well Randy made it through the surgery much to the surgeon's amazement!! Praise God!! So then the next few days became very rough. The doctor's had said nothing about any damage to his brain from being without oxygen for so long, as he was without oxygen from the time he started having the convulsions..Hence the "he was blue in color"...Many people went and visited him and my mom in particular got there one day and went to speak to Randy and she said for a split second she thought he recognized her then his stare went blank. Everyone was so worried, he would get agitated if someone spoke to him and then walked off. My aunt found him hanging halfway off of the bed! When she spoke to the nurse about this the nurse's response was "well honey, I just put him back on his bed 30 minutes ago because he did that". So then the nurse decided that no one was to speak to him because he was getting "worked up" mind you when my cousin went to see him he lipped his name... So then I told my mom "no, he needs someone to talk to him, that's why he's getting upset. He doesn't understand what is going on, he probably doesn't remember anything that has happened. And the reason he looks blank is probably the meds wearing off", well the nurse then told his mom that night that Randy was now retarded and they would need to decide what care facility they would be sending him to. I was very mad and I emailed my aunt everything she needed to do and say to the doctor's and nurses. It was very obvious to me that this was strictly the meds and they had no factual data to state that he had brain damage. So this was a week ago today and guess what?!?! Randy has been released from the hospital and is home recovering and is doing very well!! I can't tell you how crazy this is to me. A week ago he was "dead, then almost dead, then retarded" and now he's HOME!!!! Praise God AGAIN and AGAIN!!! 
As we prepare for our county fair in a little over a week we are also preparing for our County 4H Horse Show. So tonight was a meeting to discuss and practice Showmanship...Well Hubby has been out of town so that left me and the kids to get everything ready! Since the note about the meeting said "showmanship" and bring your horse I didn't think they would be doing any riding, well what's that old saying "that's what you get for thinking"!!! So of course we arrive to find out that they will be doing some riding to practice Trail, so my SIL and I high tail it back to my place to grab DD's saddle and my saddle that my niece uses..Practicing the trot in Showmanship
Of course since we "thought" it was just showmanship we took DD's mare Ebony since that's who she's showing, but Ebony is not who she's riding during the show. She will be riding Pete, but today she said it was fine she would ride Ebony!! Which honestly she can ride this horse it's just that everyone gets her worked up because a lot of people think she is a B***H (the horse, of course LOL)...So we get back to find out that DD's horse and Little Cowboy's (my nephew) horse had a little battle while we were gone. Apparently DD circled Ebony around because she wouldn't stand still and as she did that she got to close to Little Cowboy's horse who then shot out with a kick and Ebony kicked her back well then his horse lunged forward and stepped on the the side of his foot *ouch*!!Getting Ebony in the proper stance..
Well so when it was time to ride DD had gotten a little worked up because Ebony was being a handful but we got her saddled anyways and DD went off on her. OK this mare is 9 years old, she was an excellent trail horse when we bought her but at that time she had just foaled and was in foal again! So needless to say she spent a couple of years not being ridden a lot. So anyhow they go into the arena and DD is trying to get her to flex and stretch her out and Ebony starts side stepping...DD did everything she could but Ebony wasn't responding. So I told her to just walk her out and see if she would calm down. Well that didn't work either, she just kept crow hopping and was trying to put her head down so she could buck! Which is crazy for this mare!! She was never like this...So after a couple loops around trying to get her into check it wasn't working. So SK our friend and 4H leader switched her horses and he got on and Ebony instantly tried to pitch him so he worked her for a minute then when she wouldn't stop he took her off to the side to have a little come to Jesus meeting and try and get her attitude in check! Unfortunately even though he did a great job with her he needed a side pull to get her head around and none of us had one..So she was just tied for the rest of the evening...Kisses for Miss Beauty!!
Cowboy SK helping DD out..
So what do you all think?!?! Like I said before this mare is 9 yrs old and was a great riding horse and now acts like she's never been ridden before?!?! Let's have a little history on her here too.. As she was broke they used the typical martingales on her and then they never graduated her out of it. So a few months back I sent her to a trainer and he and his daughter worked with her for 40 days and she was doing better, but they also only rode her in the martingales and I really wanted her away from those!!..But we are now back to square one with her, UHH!!! It's so frustrating....DD and SK discussing the problem??
Ebony had another almost buck, and DD was not liking it...
I told Hubby tonight when he got home from being out of town that I need some ground worked and some panels set up so I could be working with her everyday in a smaller area, just big enough to run a figure 8... His response....No....I'm like seriously I need this done because I need to ride her everyday to get through this and he refuses because "I might break my back again"...I was like come on, this from the man who does crazy stunts all of the time and then says well I can get hurt doing anything so I might as well have fun doing it!!!OPP, now she's in solitary confinement... 
She's still beautiful~
Friday was my big brother's (only sibling) Birthday!! He is 4 years older than me and I love him to pieces!!! He has always gone out of his way to try and protect me and especially since my Dad passed away he really takes care of me...I love him very much!!! So what he wanted for his Birthday?!?! You'll never guess, because I'm pretty sure I've never heard anyone request this before....He wanted our whole family to get together and have a Monopoly tournament party!! So that we did!!OK so the party was today and we of course were an hour late....Hubby is in TX at a reunion for his family and friends from his whole life...Yes we should probably be there but to be honest I couldn't bear to miss my bubby's Birthday. The last Birthday party I missed was my dad's 50th Birthday party and I missed it because we were in TX at a family reunion for Hubby's family...SO when my dad passed away just 3 months to the day from his 50th Birthday I just felt and still feel guilt from missing his party, I know he wanted me there...But I also needed to be with Hubby and his family as of course they are very important too!! His Grandma is the greatest lady, I wouldn't have wanted to miss it. But this time I just really needed to be here for my bubby, he doesn't do much for himself and the fact that he planned this whole party with prizes included LOL!!! Well that means it meant something to him..So anyhoo, you all know I LOVE my family!! They are the greatest group of people on earth to me!! Friday was actually bubby's Birthday so the rest of the family went to dinner at this local Italian restaurant, we didn't get to go to that as DD had a rodeo...So when my mom was heading to the dinner she mentioned that she was going to get my Granny, and I said WHAT?!?! She's going to his B-day dinner but she wouldn't come to mine?!?! Well Granny didn't like the place I had chosen but she loves the place bubby chose so she went (it really didn't bother me, she had a party for me at her house afterwards)!! So I told mom to tell Granny I wasn't feeling real loved right now!! So when I get to the party today I walk in and she has cotton in her ear....And when I say cotton I mean pouring out of her ear....She held the door open for me and I noticed the cotton and thought "OH NO, she must be having dizzy spells again from an ear ache or something", she wouldn't really look at me so I thought WOW she really doesn't want to be here!! So finally I get everything unloaded and head to find her sitting on the couch so I go over and put my arm around her and I say "Granny, what is wrong with you?!?! Why do you have cotton in your ear"?!?! Somebody else says "she has an ear infection" I'm like "really"?? Granny finally says WHAT?!?! Like she couldn't hear with the cotton in her ear and so she pulls it out and then reaches to her other ear and pulls out MORE and she says "well I was afraid my ears would hurt"....I go huh?!?! She says "well your mom told me you were upset with me for going to bubby's dinner and not yours, so I put the cotton in until you would be done giving me a hard time....But I see it didn't work because your to busy being worried something is wrong with me" LOL, LOL, LOL, OH MY GOSH!!!! Everyone is rolling laughing and she said that she had been waiting for me to get there so they could play this joke on me but when I got there she couldn't look at me because she was afraid she might laugh LOL!! So I told her she's definitely gonna get it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!My J and ornery Granny!!!
So now all's I need to do is come up with a back at her plan LOL!!! Man I love them!!!
Tonight was night 2 of the rodeo that DD did, they actually still have it going tomorrow night but Hubby is going out of town for a couple of days so we don't get to do Saturday's rodeo :(So tonight in her age group they had all of 2 kids LOL!! The other one is TK who DD rodeo's with a lot, last night TK took first in the class but tonight TK took 2nd and DD got 1st!! Ha Ha, funny thing is she only got 1st because TK knocked over a barrel which put her time after DD's, making D 1st place LOL!From the beginning of the night Pete was just doing better overall, not as hyper as he was last night. So DD was feeling pretty good going into her run, but then something happened...Upon reflecting on the situation tonight after we got home I keep thinking how dumb it really was..So you know how they always have your rodeo clown?!?! Well the one at this rodeo has been HILARIOUS!!! During the rodeo they had a little issue with someone apparently shining those red laser lights into the arena. Well the announcer says "OK whoever has these laser lights and keeps shining them into the arena please stop! You can easily spook a horse and get a rider injured and you wouldn't want to live with that on your conscience, and if I have to I will personally come out into the audience and remove them from you".. I was glad she said that because yes it can spook a horse and it's just plain rude!! So a bit later DD was outside the arena waiting for her turn to run and she said Pete had been getting antsy and she had just finally got him calmed down and focusing when the rodeo clown doing one of his tricks set off a stick of mini-dynamite (I really don't know what it was but it sounded like a canon and it scared all of us in the stands. Well after she came up after her ride she said that when they did that Pete literally jumped backwards and spun a circle mid air (something like that LOL) So then it was her turn and he was still freaked out and so was she because she is not used to him spooking at things out of the blue..UHH!! So I did go up to the crow's nest while DD collected her prize money and while I was up there I spoke to one of the lady's and told her that I thought it was kind of silly that they are worried about laser lights when they are blowing off canon's and that can spook a horse also...So one lady looked at me and says "yeah, I totally agree with you"!! Craziness I tell you!!!
Tonight marked the kickoff for the 61st annual rodeo in a town near us, so of course we were there!!! You all know that I love rodeo's and I love them even more when my DD is competing!! So she ran her barrel run in the younger age group and got a time of 20.18 I think, which was 2nd place...Not her best time but in this arena they do keep the pattern a little bigger than what she normally runs. Pete was once again just in a funk today... Last year when we took Pete and her there they had problems because they have those banners of flags hanging around the arena and for some reason they bug him. He can be so funny!! But this year he didn't have to much of an issue with them. We have rodeo'd in this arena when they don't have the banners up and he does perfectly fine, so that has to be it...So they will run again Friday night and we are hoping that he is more alert and that DD is giving it her all!!
I would like to take a minute to share with everyone about this family. The Robbins family rodeo'd in Kingman during the winter circuit DD did and they are just a fantastic family! I was notified yesterday afternoon that Brett the father was hurt horribly on June 17 while mowing his lawn. While he was mowing the lawn his lawn mower exploded and he was set on fire...He was able to stop, drop, and roll but was at home with only his 2 small children. After he got the fire out he managed to get his cell phone out of his pocket and call 911, he then hung up on 911 and called his wife Karody who then called their neighbor who was luckily home and is a trained nurse, so she aided to him until the paramedics got there and he was flown by helicopter to St Francis.. Brett was burned 40% of his body and also inhaled the flame so he had internal burns as well...He spent a long hard 4 weeks in St Francis Hospital and is now in a Rehabilitation Hospital at Wesley...Please feel free to go to the the website of Caring Bridge where Karody has been keeping a daily journal of Brett's story.Link to Caring Bridge where Karody is keeping a daily journal...So please, please keep this family in your prayers...There will also be a benefit Barrel and Team Roping rodeo in Canton, KS for all of our rodeo friends, if you could attend that would be great!! I will post a flyer for that..OK so I can't get the actual flyer posted so I will just give the info!! So any of my KS friends that want to come should!!!4D Barrel Race - ABRA Sanctioned August 22, 2009 Tom Miller Arena Canton, KS 2:00 p.m. Exhibitions 3:00 p.m. Jackpot Open $35 Entry Fees 14 & Under Youth Jackpot - $15 2/3 payout 1/3 to Robbins Family Trophy Breast Collar Team Roping Start: 30 minutes after Barrel Race 2/3 payout 1/3 to Robbins Family #15, #12, and #10 ; 4 for 30 All ropings together w/separate short go’s Trophy Breast Collars Winning #6 and above; #5 and below Team Roping will not start before 5 p.m. Silent Auction open all day with winning bids announced before the start of Team Roping Short Go. Barrel Information: Kim Hamilton 316-747-2554 or email khamilton@usd396.net Team Roping Information: Jason Trent 316-772-2622
Today was our annual 4H swim party, home tour, meeting and then dinner...I LOVE this time, I love 4H first of all and I am so glad that my kiddo's and my niece's and nephew get to grow up participating in something so great!!! I don't know what other 4H clubs in the county do before fair but our big thing is the home tour!DD playing in the water!!
Basically just in case you don't know, the home tour is where we start at one 4H member's house and see the kids' fair animals, and then on to the next and so on and so forth...We start at my SIL's house because it is basically the center house then just make a big square around the county!! And let me tell you we got a whole entourage traveling so it is like seeing a very long funeral procession!! Seriously we wonder what the county folks think when they see all of these vehicles coming down their usually quiet roads!!Hubby catching niece Little Cowgirl on the slide!!
DD coming down the slide!!
So starting with my niece and nephew who are both showing pigs (and of course I did not have my little camera with me while we they were giving their speech, BAD AUNT!!!) SO let me tell you, I was in for the biggest shock when I seen my niece's pig!! This pig was acquired last minute do to some problems getting one so literally while we are tagging the other pigs someone mentions they still have some for sale, that they are calling feeder pigs but at that point my SIL didn't care what it was!! It was Cowgirl's Birthday and she wanted a pig for fair!! So we went and got this pig, OK let me tell you we were shocked when the kid said $75.00 for this feeder pig!!! I paid $25.00 for my feeder pig!! My show pigs cost $125.00 - $150.00, so still it was better than that right?!?! Well the bad thing was that they were buying this pig and could only pray that it was going to make weight because it was tiny compared to the other pigs!! But my niece she didn't care, she thought it was great!! So when I rounded the corner today to see her pig I was shocked!!! This pig has shot up like a rocket and I'm thinking this is going to be a great show pig!! I really think she will get a good placing if they show good, so I am very excited for her as I know this would make her extremely happy!! And of course Little Cowboy's pig looks great too, but we already knew it would!Half of the county entourage!!
So we made it to my place and J and DD showed everyone their pigs and then DD showed them her steer! The lady who we bought 2 of our pigs from is really excited about DD's Duroc, she said "Hmm I may try and buy her back to put her in the breeding program"!! Whoo-Hoo!! And J's Hampshire looks great!! I'm afraid she's getting a bit on the heavy side as she is quite a pig LOL!!The York pictured in front is J's and the Hampshire in the back is J's, then Duroc in the middle is DD's!! And of course yesterday you seen DD's steer Midnight..
Kids talking about their pigs!
Is this not the cutest "I totally adore my brother picture"!!
So we finished our tour then had a quick meeting and then a great dinner!!! Now all of this sounds like a great day right?!?! It was a great day but kind of weird for me...I was just in a funk today, I have been on the edge of a migraine all day and they do tend to alter my mood but this was just bad...I am usually a chatter box when I get to hang out with my SIL, but today I was just kind of quiet...Funny thing is I had so much to tell her and talk to her about...What a weirdo I am sometimes...Does anybody else just have these kinds of days?!?! Like it was a great day but I didn't make the best out of it, now I want a redo LOL!!
