Our trip was short. I’m still pouting. But our primary reason for going was not the beach (*Shocking!), but to visit with my mom’s brother (also known as my favorite uncle) prior to his back surgery and to be there with family during surgery and recovery. Surgery went well and I want to thank family, friends and facebookers for praying. God is faithful.

Sophie was glad to see Uncle Larry. Notice the plastic fishing rod on the arm of the chair. Cammie bought it for her from The Dollar Tree. Actually ours is The Dolla Tree. I kid you not. It’s been that way for a while now. I don’t miss the R. We like The Dolla Tree. Anyway. I was surprised and delighted when Sophie unzipped her small Vera Bradley back-pack (No, I don’t lavish her with expensive bags. Courtney gave it to her. It was a gift from her ex-boyfriend. Well, technically he wasn’t her ex-boyfriend when he bought it. Actually, he was several ex-boyfriends ago but I totally digress.). Anyway, Sophie said, “Mom, can you imagine what I have in this bag to give Uncle Larry.”

“No. No, I cannot.”

She grinned from ear to ear. “THIS fishing rod.”

Her love runs deep.

Uncle Larry was tickled that Sophie gave him a lovely blue plastic fishing rod. And clearly he shared my thoughts that she just may change her mind because later that day he placed it next to  Sophie’s bag. So I stuck the fishing rod and three magnetic fish in her bag before we headed back to the hotel that evening. The next morning in the hospital waiting room Sophie discovered the fishing rod in her bag.

“MOM! WHY did Uncle Larry put this fishing rod back in my bag? It’s supposed to be for him and he just put it back in my bag,” said the sixteen-year-old in the almost four-year-old body.

I cannot express the difficulty of muffling laughter after a statement like that. But I quickly took the blame and explained that we just weren’t sure she was serious. Clearly I mistook her for an Indian Giver rather than the honest cowgirl she became last week. The trip was truly life changing for her.

See for yourselves.

Uncle Larry helps my cousin, Traci, with Sophie’s first horse ride ever

on Traci’s horse, Cash.

He totally did not need to carry her the day before his surgery. True love.

She’s totally relaxed.

The girls really wanted to ride one of Traci’s “blonde” horses but Traci knew Cash would do well with them.

Oh, Lauren, blondes don’t always have more fun.

I had no doubt that Sophie would love the horses. Some of my fondest childhood memories include riding horses and spending my summers with my cousin, Traci, and the rest of the family. I loved it. But I was always nervous at first in spite of the fact that I knew the horses were Traci’s life and that she would live a life of horse training and races and travel and prizes and I could totally trust her. Even when she rode to the edge of a cliff at the clay pit. A steep, narrow cliff at the clay pit. I totally knew she had it. The sweat dripping from my brow was due to the summer heat. My rapid heart rate was clearly a weak spell from a low blood sugar dip. I’m sure my knuckles were white because I didn’t want to slip off and I realized my hypoglycemic state was weakening me. So yea, I totally trusted Traci.

When Lauren’s turn came she was also completely relaxed. Or she totally faked it like her Nanny.

Lauren and Traci

Nope. Not faking it.

It was apparent that both Sophie and Lauren wanted the last ride so rather than suffer in the 900 degree weather all afternoon until one of them surrendered, Nana suggested the girls ride together.

Notice Sophie hanging on to Lauren loosely.

Sophie is not white knuckled. She’s actually totally relaxed and seemingly slipping off because she is about to fall asleep. On a horse. Who does that? My Aunt Gale asked me if I wanted to ride but I wasn’t about to let my ten-year-old niece and almost four-year-old daughter show me up.

While checking out the other horses in the barn I noticed Sophie looked a little sad so I asked her why. She sighed and said every so pitifully, “I just love this farm.” And then she started kicking dirt on us.

Sophie totally let her hair down while on the trip. See, there it is. Down. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Sophie and I wore our Saints’ jerseys and Lauren wore her Saints’ Super Bowl t-shirt to the hospital for Uncle Larry’s surgery. Mom and Dad wore LSU t-shirts but I would never do that to my Florida Gator loving uncle while he was in surgery because that’s just wrong. Sophie was a little silly in the waiting room. We made a few trips to the bathroom to have a talk about the hospital waiting room etiquette. But then the Geico Wee, Wee, Wee commercial came on the T.V. and Traci and I were ruined. She had already seen it and made sure I caught a glimpse of it. I missed the beginning but was thrilled to pull up the YouTube video from my Droid 2. Imagine a waiting room with two giggly adults watching a commercial on a cell phone. Several times.

It reminded me of when Traci and I were tweens sitting in church giggling uncontrollably over who knows what when the Pastor stopped preaching and stared at us. Our comedic timing is spot on.

Aside from their horse riding adventures, Lauren and Sophie rode the famous tree swing at my dad’s aunt’s house as well as a couple of swings at Uncle Larry’s house. I just love Lauren’s hair flowing.

Dad went down to the hotel pool each night with the girls and me when we had it all to ourselves. Lauren had to talk Sophie into donning her swimsuit the first night because she was too scared to swim. By night two she went from terrified of the water to fearless. Maybe it was the goggles. You’re giggling right now, aren’t you?

After several failed attempts to teach Sophie how to hold her breath and her nose while going underwater, she went under repeatedly without holding her nose. She finally let Lauren and me pry her away from the stairs, and then she tried to push me away. “Sophie, what are you doing? You can’t swim.”

“Yes, I can,” she said. I led her back to the stairs and then she ran around the pool to the stairs at the deep end while I screamed, “SOPHIE DO NOT RUN BY A POOL! EVVER! AND DO NOT GO TO THE DEEP END BY YOURSELF.”

I don’t know what happened there but my little girl is now a Cowgirl who loves the water and thinks she can swim. And I’m thrilled. I just hope it lasts at least as long as her new Gymboree Cowgirl wardrobe.

Maybe we’ll have more opportunities to bring her back and discover the things I discovered there on the “farm” as a child. I sure hope so. Because I love my Uncle and his family.

]]> http://www.insertgracehere.com/2010/09/peace-love-cowgirls/feed/ 0 http://www.insertgracehere.com/2010/08/one-year/ http://www.insertgracehere.com/2010/08/one-year/#comments Sat, 14 Aug 2010 01:35:12 +0000 Rena http://www.insertgracehere.com/?p=5244 Happy 1st Anniversary, Cammie & Trey!

August 15, 2009

Cammie & Trey,

One year ago we witnessed your vows as husband and wife. We watched as you began your life together as a married couple. We stood by as Trey went off to basic training and then we prepared for your baby boy. We joined in your celebration over the birth of Gavin James and helped prepare you for the new roles of motherhood and fatherhood. We said goodbye again as Trey returned to training after a short leave home to see his firstborn. We rejoiced over Trey’s graduation and prepared for his upcoming deployment. We laughed, we cried, we said goodbye once again.

Time has flown by faster than I could’ve imagined. In one year you have taken on so many new roles. You’ve lived in separate continents. You’ve fought battles abroad and at home. Newlyweds living a world apart. I’ve watched you both struggle and stumble. Through frustration and heartache you’ve pushed through. You’ve fought your own private battles. Soon you will prepare for Trey’s return home. First, for leave, then for his return from deployment. Adjustments will have to be made. You’ll learn what it’s like to live as husband and wife again under the same roof. You’ll prepare for your future, make decisions regarding your education and your first home together as man and wife. AND baby.

If you weren’t feeling overwhelmed before you read all of that you likely are now. My heart has ached as I’ve watched you both struggle over the past year. Broken over my own advice or lack thereof, I’ve cried before God and repented for not praying enough and for acting before praying. But it’s one thing to make mistakes, another to refuse to learn from them.

It’s enough that society doesn’t rally for marriage. Add to that a marriage started with the many challenges you both have faced. Hopefully you both know by now that marriage truly takes three.  Determine to make Him first both individually and as a couple. Read the instruction manual FIRST. It will save you both a lot of heartache. It’s always better to learn from the mistakes of others than from your own mistakes. But mistakes will be made. So learn from them!

I love the wisdom of our Pastor: be determined to out-bless each other and you are sure to have a great marriage. Be humble before the Lord and allow Him to work in you and through you. His Principles cannot fail if we choose to apply them.  I pray this will be a year of tremendous blessing and peace for you.

Know that I love you. That your families love you. I pray that together, we will stand firmly on His Word behind you both. Last week I had a chilling reminder that this life will soon pass as I watched a friend bury her firstborn son. As I cried and prayed and cried some more and then prayed some more, I thought about how fleeting life is. And I pray that we will embrace it together and become a united front for both of you.

On your upcoming leave may you rejoice over this past year’s memories.  Laugh together as you reflect on some of them . . . like Trey wearing “holey” jeans in preparation for Holy Matrimony.  And may your battles be few . . . especially between Gavin and his Aunt Sophie.

I love you both.  More than Diet Coke.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:28, 31

“…wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty…” Esther 1:11Click here to join Amydeanne and friends with more WFW.

It’s official! You are no longer in your teens. Please note:  I did NOT say you were no longer A teen. Because I clearly remember that you told me once you turned 18 that you were not a “teen”. Wink, wink!

Seriously, I’m so proud of the young woman you are becoming. Such a protective little mama! Relax and enjoy each day. Those unexpected interruptions will surely come. Try to embrace this. Press through the tough stuff. Be thankful in ALL things and keep on keeping on. Seek Him FIRST always! I know He has great things in store for you and your family. In spite of life’s difficulties, constantly changing circumstances and the tough stuff Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. ~Hebrews 13:8

And always remember: you will always be my FIRST Angel Girl!

I love you more than a peaceful night’s sleep, the ocean waves, sand on my feet and new shoes!

Mama

I just wanted stop in and say Happy, happy birthday from all of us with much love!

More than you’ll ever know,
Ginger and Family