Thanksgiving

My family and I are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow instead of today because Mom had to work, but I thought that I would take the time now to mention all of the things that I am thankful for.

- First and foremost, I am thankful for the life and the talents that God has given me. Despite what I may think sometimes, there is a purpose for me in this world.
- I am thankful for my family and my friends who will stand by my side no matter what.
- I am thankful for my boyfriend...even if we don't always see eye-to-eye because at the end of the day we still love each other and that's all that matters.
- I am thankful for Emmy. I am thankful for my dad scraping up the money to buy her and board her for so many years. I am thankful for all that he and my mom have given up for me to be able to do this. We don't have an unlimited bank account and so I am thankful for the sacrifices that my family has made for me.  I am thankful for all of the lessons, the shows, the late nights and early mornings that we spent together. I am SO thankful for the little misfit mare who everyone thought was "crazy" and "hopeless." I am thankful that she stayed sound long enough for us to prove them all wrong. I am thankful that, to this day, when I call her in the pasture she still lifts her head up, looks around and whinnies. I am thankful that some things never change.
- Having said that, I am also thankful for Johnny...even if he wasn't the "awesome, competetive, sporty" second horse that I was dreaming of buying after Emmy. Sometimes you just get what you get and I got him. He may be a "strange" breed and need a lot of re-training, but his generous personaility is something that I don't think I've ever really seen to such an extent in a horse. No matter what, he always comes out of the stall and tries his hardest, he forgives you for anything and everything, and I don't even think he knows how to hold a grudge (unlike Emmy...lol). I am thankful for all he has taught me and all that we will continue to learn together.
- I am thankful that both of my horses are happy, healthy and sound.
- I am thankful for my own health...that I have never been seriously injured by doing what I love.
- I am thankful for my school, my new trainers and IHSA. They all have given me the oppertunities that I might have never gotten otherwise.
- I am thankful for my job. I love it, every minute of it. I am thankful for all that I have learned from it.

From Emmy, Johnny and myself, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone!

Emmy and me at our last Classic together. She was 20 years old (and still full of herself), coming back off of a 6 month suspensory injury layoff and won third out of 27 entries!

Johnny and me this fall.

Peace.Love.Ponies.