In 1996 we got our first horses, we boarded them at my Cousin Roxie's Ranch (Ellis Ranch in Loveland, a beautiful wedding park now) Well that was a new lifestyle for me, one of simplicity and quiet... We vowed IF we ever got our own ranch, or in our case mini ranch of 40 acres, we would never take it for granted... Well guess what??? With all the chores and still trying to keep up with my friends and woman's lunch's and church and volunteering and so on and so on... I've taken it for granted!!! But in just the last 2 months, something in me has changed! I'm no longer wanting to go do all the THINGS I used to do.. Along with everyone else in America, I also don't have the money to do it! At first that was a problem!! Someone wanted us to go here or there and we said yes, just like we always did, and then realized, wait a minute we don't have the money to do that.. Well that even turned out to be a BLESSING. We found out we have some pretty amazing people in our lives that bought us tickets to go with them and gave us things when it was needed, Jeff and I were blown away by our friends and family and continue to be, to this day..So what am I doing these days that has changed??? I'm TAKING time to enjoy the beautiful mornings on my deck with a great cup of coffee, for free. I'm also sitting outside at night, sometimes for hours to look at the stars and God's beautiful creation, AND get my thoughts clear, also for free. Thoughts such as being thankful for what I do have, for my family and my horses and 2 very cute goats, for the Internet that has amazingly connected me to so many friends and family, for a pretty small fee when you think about it. So we sold the camper to make up some house payments, I'm thankful I had the camper to sell, and all the memories that we had there. We had some young cousins come out last weekend just to sit in our quiet, that was awesome. I'm enjoying the kids and grand kids more, just as GRANDMA, I don't have to change a thing, it's my children's turn to figure out there lives, I'm just here to sit back and watch!!! By the way, they are all doing an great job at life:) I've made a choice to do LESS and enjoy more, so my commitments are slowing down.. My main goal is to enjoy life, take a few more photo opps in the mountains, be grandma to my kids and to mentor the younger generation the same way my grandma has mentored me. No more Bible studies 3 nights a week, or good causes ALL the time. I'm getting a little tired. I still want to ALWAYS be there for my friends and family, but I think I know now, I can't be there for everyone or do everything. So I'll be baking a little more, keeping a cleaner house, praying for others need to be met, but not necessarily by me... I want to hear the Lord a little clearer before I act... I want to fish with my Jeffie, picnic with my children and grandchildren, enjoy my horse poop chores again, and most of all finishing up the next 40 years leaving a legacy to the family and friends who want to be a part of my life, just as the older family members gave me, most of them are gone now, but they live on in my heart!!! Oh yes I think I will be blogging a lot on the simple life!!! As a friend on face book always says, go make your day count!!!!!
