HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE!!

Today is the Birthday of my beautiful friend Brooke. She gets to spend the day pampering herself with her mom (who is in town visiting). I am so very grateful to have you as a friend and that we live close and get to enjoy each others company and lives. I love our lunches, dinners and gossipy emails!! I hope that you have a WONDERFUL day Brooke. You deserve it!!

I think spring might be close...

These guys are our neighbors. Sunday morning was the first day that we saw baby out playing. Definitely a sign of spring. Woo Hoo. Can't wait to see the baby deer soon!!
This is my attempt to keep Kitty and Fisher from digging and hanging out in my strawberry bed. G let them do it until I told him that strawberries are supposed to come back every year. Not sure of ours have a fighting chance but I can still hope right?

While I put the tiny cedar fence around my strawberries G worked on setting things up in the shop. He bought a welder on Friday and a metal chop saw the weekend before. Just a few more toys and he will be ready to put out some serious furniture!! I can't wait and neither can he!!

Sunday was beautiful so we spent to day enjoying the ranch. We fixed fence, moved cows back to where they were supposed to be, worked on clearing the fields of gross little animals.........

...................and welded stuff. This is my very FIRST time welding. I am pretty much a pro by now......right.

Sunday evening we headed into town to attend Brooke and Peters Pray for Spring Party. I was a great time had by all. I didn't bring my camera but maybe Brooke will post some pics!!! Thanks Brook and Peter for such a fun evening and great ending to a great weekend!

Introduction to Addictive Behaviors

This is the first course that I have to take. Addiction Theory: Introduction to Addictive Behaviors. I spent the entire week in a grant writing training in Bozeman. It was really in depth and I am now scheming on how I can manage to fund a project for G and have us both stay at home to work. But until then..................I am scrambling to get applications filled out, 'official' transcripts mailed to the right people and my old job in working order so that someone can come and fill it. I am getting excited for this change. I love new challenges and can't wait to start. The last person in my office to get their LAC gave me the first text to start reading. So it looks like that will be my life again for awhile. School. But school with no classes, no professors, and no timeline. I can do each class as fast or as slow as I please.

On another note....I went into the ditch yesterday on East River Road going into town in the morning (don't worry, I got out fine) and then had to drive all the way to Bozeman for the last day of grant training. Spring.................are you listening????

New Job

I just accepted a new position at SWCDP this morning. I will be starting an internship to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor. Tell you more about it later. Wish me luck. I'm kind of nervous!

Ahhhhhh, Spring.

The ground is still covered in snow up here. We got 10 inches on Tuesday. But underneath the grass is green!! Woo Hoo! Grifs' brother is flying in this afternoon. Our weekend will be filled with dinner at Pine Creek, quiet dinners at home, and.............floating. I told G that I couldn't wait to get on the river Saturday to feel the sun and start on my tan. He laughed and told me to be ready for goose bumps the whole day, that it wouldn't be that warm. But I am willing to settle for a face tan. I just want a little glimpse of the sun. I am excited for Tommy (Gs' bro) to get here. I have never met him. So I better get off of the Internet and get to cleaning up the house.

Happy Friday

This is a VERY happy Friday for me. I just got word from G that the new raft will indeed be ordered TODAY!! Brooke, are you as excited as I am?? I can not wait to have the ability to go floating anytime that we want to. This news brings me MUCH joy.

A Woman Should Have....

I have read this poem before but it was in my inbox this morning from a friend and co-worker Laurie Bishop. She, in my opinion does a wonderful job at work and at home and embodies much of what I strive for. As I read through this poem this Friday morning it was somehow framed differently for me this time around and I really thought about every part of it and where I feel I am right now in this moment in time. I am happy, and incredibly lucky to be surrounded by some really amazing women. So thank you to my mom, my sis, my family and my wonderful friends near and far. I love you all more than words can ever say.

'MAYA ANGELOU'S'
BEST POEM EVER



A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own, even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
something perfect to wear if the employer, or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age. ...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems and a recipe for a meal that will make her
guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ...
how to fall in love without losing herself.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a charming inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...


Thank you for the joy that knowing you has given to my life...