Horses........What a day.

I'm posting this one out of order, well because I don't want to forget any of the morning.  

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

My days start at 5am, I take care of the dogs, then the three horses, then the kitty.  Then I get coffee for me and the hubby.  First let me say, he (hubby) is still recuperating from previous injury!

This morning didn't start unusual.  I don't generally go into the pasture to feed the horses, I unplug the fence and reach their food in.  I then chat and love on Cloud some at the gate where he eats.  So this morning was no different, never opened the gate.  That is a very important part of this story. 

Paul had to leave early that day, he was on his way out of town, (nothing unusual there either) and PaulPaul was not home, (again, nothing unusual), so it was just me and Grace who was still upstairs sleeping.  I have been sick for over a week, so I was laying in the bed..

Let me stop here and say - I don't have time for the Nervous Breakdown that I truly deserve to have after the last few months - I long for calm and peace. 

Anyway, I hear what I thought was a car door, impossible, I live in the boonies,   Its about 540 am, Neli starts carrying on, I go to the side door and low and behold see my horses on the wrong side of the fence.  You did get the part I was alone.

I turn around to grab my coat and boots, by this time Cloud was in the front yard, didn't see the other two at that point.  To say my heart sank would be an understatement.  I have become very attached to Cloud.  I ran to get a lead rope and in the dark could only find one.  Now I don't see them at all.  Let me say, I'm learning as I go along.  I had a pony as a child and my daddy had a few horses, but I'm clueless.  AND still learning to not show any fear and be assertive.

I grab my keys and phone, did I mention it was very cold outside.  Window frosted, all the good stuff. 

I call Paul Ray who is to Columbia by now, you could hear the displeasure in his voice, I told him to call my daddy.  I went to the head of the road, afraid I'd see them on the highway.  He couldn't get them to answer so I stopped and woke them up.  I then rode back towards the house.  I was beyond panicked!   I then call our horse ladies (as I call them)  (talk about good people - !!!!!! they are awesome)  I called them both at 6ish and explained what happened and to see what I should do.  Do you know they dropped what they were doing and came!   Again, I cant say enough nice things about them!!!!!!!

About now my parents have made it to the house, Paul told me to look for prints, (did I say it was DARK) while I'm looking my cousin mary jo came to tell me they were in her yard.  I got there but they were having no part of me catching them and OFF they went through the woods to a Neighborhood with paved roads.  They were heading to a main road, instint took over, I drove on the side of the road, praying to God to not let them get hurt, got in front of them, slammed my car in gear (I'm surprised I didn't tear the car up that day, I went through the woods in it) Anyway, I jumped out ahead of them and got them turned around.  At that point I was able to put my hands on Sam man by some small miracle!   The other two kinda came back and first chance I had I grabbed Cloud with my left hand.  So Picture me, Sam in right hand, he is not happy I have him and is showing his displeasure, Cloud in my LEFT hand.  Cloud is a 9 month old Quarter Horse.  This is a STRONG horse, he's put my dad on the ground, Pauls brother on the ground.  At this point he's biting me and kicking me and pushing me into Sam.  God gave me strength I didn't know I had!  My parents got there about that time, I was yelling for my dad to come get cloud and my yelling only scared him more.  Sahara, the 3rd horse (One that Santa left Grace for Christmas) didn't have a halter on.  Thank God she stayed with the horses.  So my daddy has Cloud, I have Sam and Sahara is following.  Told my mom to park my car we'd come back for it.   We Walked them back (one thing - having horses is helping me loose weight) down the paved road, through the woods, up through Mary Jos, down the dirt road and into my yard.  I have never been so happy to see people in all my life.  Both the horse ladies, Debbie, Jen and Bubba were there, they had come to help.  My this point it had hit me what had happened and what could have happened.  I need that break down!!!!!  Bout that time, Paul Ray shows up, he turned around as soon as I called him.  A few minutes later, PaulPaul got there.  Needless to say, I went into work late and Grace went to work with me. 

Horses

Well we were lucky that the owners of the colt were willing to keep him until we were ready.  They are great people, we refer to them as the horse ladies!

Paul wanted them to come home, when he came home from the hospital.   Mind you, the man had a walker to walk with, was in extreme pain with tubes, etc STILL attached!  He came home on Wednesday (even though I thought he should stay longer, I was afraid I'd do something and make things worse), the HorseS came home on Sunday.  It was a great day. 

I've learn to feed horses and do all sorts of things.  Truth be told, I love it.   Grace gave us dance and for a while piano for horses.   Where did my girly girl go.  This colt, born in April, was as beautiful as could be, and as wild as he was beautiful. 

The Big Day! Everyone was there, very exciting.

Theres, Candy - that's momma

And there he is...Ridin on Cloud Nine

walking the property

waiting , just waiting.....the girl has had no fear!

How beautiful.  

one of the kids had my camera. good pic - Erin and Donna

Hunter Boy

Paul Paul with his first experience with a horse.  

my Cloudy Boy doing what he does best

Mom, I'm just going to lay here in our hay!

This baby is something!   My dad comes down and works with him alot.   He has knocked my daddy down.  He has bitten many of people, he is about broke of that.   Pauls brother Chris got his knew hurt working with him.   You wouldn't think something that cute and small could be so powerful.   Let me tell you, that is one Strong Horse!!!!!   I could not watch it.   I did look outside my window one day just in time to see Cloud rearing up at my daddy (whose vision is VERY Poor).   I'm happy to report, that our boy has come a long way.   He will usually walk with you, and do very well.   I love just looking at him.   And he loves kisses on his nose.  Such a sweetie

Fair & Pumpkin Patch

random pics

The day God came to visit.

I've been a believer all my life, gave my life to Christ on 10/06/2005.  This was 2.5 months after the death of my niece, Devan Marie.  I will never forget that night, his presence at church that night was something.   Then there was the weekend at the ladies retreat, when he answered me about Grace, it was the most wonderful feeling.  Again, something I would never forget. 

On Saturday, November 5, 2011, I was watching TV, Grace was playing, and Paul Paul had actually came home that morning like I had asked him too.  My husband, Paul Ray was out doing something like he is always doing.

I was sitting on the couch in my pj's with the TV going, it felt so good to be doing nothing.  Paul Paul and his friend Sublet were in the front room with me, Grace was in my bedroom I think.

Now let me stop here and say, there is a song that Reba sings at Christmas time, The Christmas Guest, about a man, Conrad, who dreamed that Jesus was coming to visit him.  During the day, he had three visitors, and each time it wasn't the Lord, but each time he welcomed them in.  At the end of the day, he said Lord, why did you delay?  

  "Lift up your head for I kept my word.
Three times my shadow crossed your floor
And three times I came to your lonely door.
I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet
And I was the woman you gave something to eat.
I was the child on the homeless street.
Three times I knocked, and three times I came in.
And each time I found the warmth of a friend.
Of all the gifts, love is the best.
And I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.
 

Back to the story, but this song so much reminds me of that day.  First let me say, my son is NOT one to just be up early on a Saturday morning, he didn't stay at home the night before.   So the fact that he was home was something itself. 

So we're talking and watching TV, when he says to me, what is that, and tells me to turn the TV down, I hit the mute button and was getting up to see.  At that point I could hear my husband screaming for help, those screams are still in my head, they haunted me for the first week anytime I would close my eyes, (which wasn't a lot)  I could hear him.  Calling my name, and yelling Help!  My husband is an extremely strong, brilliant man, he is always level headed, always.  I don't know how long he had been yelling, he says not long.   If my son hadn't been home, I would have responsible for the death of my husband.   He is a perfectionist, there was something about a rod he didn't like.  He had gotten a grinding tool that he had used a hundred times over..   However, this time, when he hit the on buttom, it went haywire, the 6 inch wide disc came off the tool and entered my husband in his lower stomach.  I was going to put him in the car, we live in the woods.  Again, he would not have made it.   Paul Ray, had the strength and calmness he told me to call 911.  I never saw any blood, even though he lost half of his.  He was holding the wound so tight, that it wasn't going everywhere. 

Now people believe different things.  I don't know why God allows things to happen, but I know he was in charge that day.  From getting Paul Paul up and there on time.   To giving Paul the strength not to pass out and to stay strong.  He was with the paramedic who made the call to have him airlifted to having one of the top surgeon's in the country oncall when he got there.  I have no doubt God was in charge.  I think I was on the phone with EMS for an easy 10 minutes.  God Bless those people.

You know the song, You find out who your friends are!!!!  Well I don't really count her as a friend, I consider her my sister.   I stayed as calm as I could , my first thought was Grace, I had PaulPaul call my very Best Friend from the last 20+ years to come get Grace.   She was here before the ambulance took him to meet the helicopter, and she kept our daughter for the next week.  Taking her to school, doing homework, everything she needed.  the one thing I dint have to worry about was my Gracie Girl.  I also had him call Paul Rays family.   My parents, Pauls family, and my boys were all at the hospital with me.  My oldest was on a camping trip upstate, but he was there before Paul was out of surgery.  My first born baby, was such a rock for me that weekend.  He held my hand, he was just so sweet to me.

Once the paramedic had Paul and was working on him, PaulPaul took me to the hospital.  We actually arrived 10 minutes before he got there.   One blessing to come from this is that my husband has his family back in his life.   His sister and youngest brother got there about the same time as us, I think.  It seems like forever waiting on him.  Once i saw the ambulance pull up, I went out to see him, he was still awake.  We had to go back in a different door from him, the Priest came and got us and took us to him.   I want to go and thank him, he was a wonderful man who would come say a prayer, doing Paul Rays second surgery.   We were only able to see him a few brief minutes while they were prepping him for surgery.   There were people working all around him.  Those next few hours seemed like days.  Those two days (Saturday and Sunday) seemed like forever.  Not knowing if your spouse is going to live is not an easy thing to swallow.   

We were taken to the ICU waiting room, and it was like being hit in the face.  We were there 6 years earlier with Paul's sisters daughter, Devan.   It was hard for me, and I could only image how hard it would be for her.   Paul has NO clue what he looked like in the Trauma ICU, but it was a scary sight, walking in to see him.   MUSC hospital = I can not say enough good things, again, God was in charge.   The team of people working on him was just unbelievable.   He spent 5 days in the hospital and he is still recovering.  He went back to work, he just has to take things slow........which is new concept for him, one that he does not like.

But one thing is for sure, I know God was with us the entire time.

For all those that helped in any way, for all the many prayers, and notes, for those that sent food, or called.  Everything meant so much to us, we can never repay you all for all the kindness shown.   The kids in Graces class wrote him cards and they prayed for him every day.  We are truly blessed.

Much Love,

Peggy

Riding on Cloud Nine........

Last Halloween (2010) we took Grace to the mountains, she wore a Cowgirl Outfit.

That somehow started a love affair of horses????????????  I'm trying to remember when she actually fell in love with them.  Anyway, she started asking for a horse for Christmas, now come on, what child does not want a horse for Christmas.  I had a pony as a child, and I can remember playing with her for hours at a time.  I have great memories.  Anyway, I remember asking for another one in the 7th grade maybe - I got a go-cart!!!!!!!  Anyhoo.  Paul Ray had a couple of horses before I met him.  So when Grace started asking for a horse, I could see that little thing in his head start spinning.  Here we are on 20 acres of land, and he has a chance to get a horse.   So he starts looking around, we came across a website that had this horse that caught his eye.  To me, it looked like he was straight from the move Avatar!  Well he had to go out of town, he calls me to send him the link, I'm thinking, what is he doing, this is a colt that cant be rode for at least 2 years, not to mention, Paul Ray is not as young as he was when he had horses before.   Then he asks if I would call and see if we could LOOK at the horse.  Now let me stop here, Paul Ray, NEVER NEVER makes a rush decision, this man drives me insane, he has to think about it long and hard, did I say long.  So I make the appointment, we're riding out, he turns to me and says, we are just going to look, got it.   yeah I got it, at this point, I still wasn't on that band wagon.  His man stands looking at this colt, (he was 7 months at the time) for an hour, 6o minutes people.   I didn't think we were going to leave.  The next morning, not even 24 hours, THIS IS A RECORD, he says, I think we should get this horse.   I mean he was hooked.



Don't you see Avatar?

So, we had to see if she'd hold him for a month while we got our property ready.   Now we only have 2 acres cleared, so 1 acres was going to be the pasture.   Now that was work.   The three of us, even my Gracie girl who for the first 3 years hated to go outside, worked to get it ready.   We got a little help from Paul Paul, but he likes to leave when he knows there is work to be done.  Cant say I blame him, we're talking a lot of posts that had to be put in the ground.  We were using post hold diggers.  It was hard work, but it felt good to get it done.  Cloud and his  mom, Candy (she was going to stay so that he wouldn't be alone and get used to the new place) were due to arrive on Sunday, November 6th.  My parents had helped us run the ropes for the fence that week, so everything was ready except for putting the hot box on the post and hooking it up..  things were looking good.  Saturday, the 5th would be the first day off in a while that we didn't have to work.  It was going to be a good weekend.

To be continued - takes a whole new story of its own.

Catching Up

I haven't posted since October of this year (which has about 3.5 hours left in it).   Since this blog is kinda my family scrapbook, I wanted to get it all down before I forget.  I actually bought all the stuff BEFORE Grace came home to do a scrapbook for her, but its all still in a box.   I still haven't got her quilt finished either.   At this moment there is so much stuff I am behind on that it is truly not funny.  
So lets see how much of this blog we can get caught up tonight.  We're the party animals aren't we, New Years Eve, I'm on the laptop and Grace and her dad are playing connect four!

Happy New Year everyone!