Endurance Riding

Jan 15 2012

The Year Before The Tevis Cup

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For the last several years, my life has been a whirlwind of school, kids, and managing a home with my husband, not to mention running my own non-profit in between and working part-time. Since my graduation from Chico State University on December 16th and getting through the holidays with limited chaos, I have had the opportunity to discover what it is like to have an (almost entirely) unrestricted schedule. Gary and I are re-discovering our marriage, which had its challenges in the beginning. I am re-defining my role as a wife and mother and I am appreciating that I have more time to spend with my children. Jakob, Declan, and I have been going hiking and spending lots of time in the kitchen, making everything from homemade soup to Indian food and blending smoothies and baking. Jakob and I have been riding more and Jakob has taken up bareback riding, a new challenge for him.

As I am sitting here writing my first blog of the new year, I am thankful for everything I have. It has been a long road to get to where I am today. I have learned, in the meantime, that most things are not given. Nothing is free. Everything comes with a price, and what is most valuable, is earned.

I was rejected from nursing school three times. I saved all those rejection letters. I was finally offered a spot in the program (a few weeks after receiving my third rejection letter) when someone dropped out of the program. Once in nursing school, I spent more than one early morning complaining about having to get up for hospital clinical. Half-way through the program, I wondered if I should have gone to veterinary school instead (until I realized how many credits short I was of qualifying as a candidate for vet school). I considered returning to my previous theatre arts major, or just dropping out altogether and turning my current job into my career. But when I was reminded of how much hard work went into getting accepted to nursing school, I couldn’t let it go. So I stopped looking for alternatives.

Now that I have graduated and I’ve been working as a Registered Nurse for several months, I am seeing how many doors have opened up and how many more opportunities I have. I also see how much more I have to learn.

This is it. The first day after graduation I woke up and realized, “This is the first day of the rest of my life.” And this year is it – the year before the Tevis Cup. When I think of everything Asali and I still have yet to figure out – saddle fit, hoof boot issues, feeding and training schedules – I become overwhelmed, but I am determined to figure it out, for I have discovered what rewards come when you refuse to give up, even when all you want to do is that.

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