moments in life

My daughter is a special kid. I know every parent says that, but with all of the corrections and parenting I do during the day sometimes I'm in awe of being able to sit back and watch her learn and grow. With this whole horse deal we were presented with, I gave Amanda some major decisions to make. When this started I told her that we had an opportunity to go look at an older mare that needed to retire from being a lesson horse. "With older horses you can't just decide to not do it in a couple of years and sell them. With this decision comes the knowlege that this horse will be our responsibility until she dies. She will need special care when she is no longer rideable, and probably special food. There is extra care in the winter to help them maintain their weight, and this will all be your responsibility. That means you get up early before school to go care for her, blanket her, check her feet, and pay attention to her even when life gets busy. You will be out there when it's pouring rain, if you are sick, and when it's dark. You will be mucking through the mud, and wearing slickers while you curse at the wind and wet. They need your care no matter what. If you are still interested, let me know and we can go look at her." She thought about it a good long time and said she wasn't sure if she was ready for this responsibility yet, but she'd wanted to take a look at her. She said this with tears in her eyes. When I asked her why she was crying she said she didn't know, but that she knew this was a big deal and she didn't want to make a mistake. I told her if she wanted to see her, she could and to let her heart and her mind decide. The fact that she just didn't jump at the idea cinched the deal for me. That was what I was looking for. I didn't want a quick decision, but a thought out one. She took this very seriously. I was so proud of her. I also knew that when she saw her she'd fall in love. Chic is such a ham, very expressive, and perfect for Amanda. She's got some swaying in her back, and has seen a lot of life and experiences, but I couldn't ask for a better girl to show my girl how to take care of a horse-rain or shine-good or bad-you do it because you LOVE it. They become part of who you are.

For now she is over at grandma's house. We have some work to do on a gate to allow better entrance to the pasture so I can separate her from the cows. We are also taking advantage of Amanda being able to walk her down the hill to take her lessons from her old owner. That has been such a blessing.

Being a mom can sometimes be such a thankless job. There are so many moments where I feel like I'm just making sure they don't kill themselves and yelling for them to pick up their junk. But when there is a big decision or opportunity for your children and you see them take the right steps to make a good decision, it makes all the bickering and frustration seem worth it. I'm so proud of my girl, and when I see her from a distance, whispering to her girl, hugging her, feeding her, just being with her, it makes all of the expense worth it. Chic will become her best friend, her companion, the one she goes to when she's angry or sad, and wants a friend. Chic nickers when she sees Amanda, and that makes my little girl's heart sing. What more could I ask for?