Making Memories the Best Way Possible!

Oh my…what a week. I have said it before and I know I’ll say it again. I’m so lucky to have the friends I do. I continue to be able to be with them and make great memories and keep laughing. I am not married and have not created a family of my own but when I look at the friends I have and the stories that we’ve made, I never feel like I’m getting a raw deal.

Mel and I went out on Wednesday night as a snow day extension and a celebration that we defeated the driveway. We had a blast just catching up and I even met a boy….we’ll see where that takes me but it was nice to meet a quality guy, that’s for sure! This week almost wore me out though.

Tiffany made a trip out to see me. I’m constantly in awe of our friendship. We’ve know each other for close to 20 years and I love her to pieces, even though we didn’t like each other to start! She’s one of those friends that we can go months without talking and pick up right where we left off when we do connect up. She was going to come and we, along with Becca and Shantelle, were going to head up to 4Bears for the Roller Derby. However when we got on the road, the conditions were so yucky, we changed our minds and decided to not go there. However we still took a meal in at the Buckskin in Killdeer, had a drink at the 2 7/8 Bar, made a stop at the Manning Bar, and ended the night right in Dickinson. We didn’t get to dance like we’d hoped but it was fun to not have a care in the world and just laugh with the girls! "A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." --Lois Wyse

Spring's here…JUST Kidding!

We’ve had a rollercoaster of weather since my last post and since it’s been my fashion lately to start off the time with the weather update…I’ll just continue on. Awhile back, when I was supposed to go to the URL Pokerbowl, we had a terrible storm hit us. Dickinson wasn’t affected but the central strip of ND was. Visibility went down to a foot in front of your face and they closed 94 for a solid day because of all the stranded people. I wasn’t able to make it to Poker Bowl but Mom and Grace still went and had a good time.

I was able to make it home for a bit and I took a stroll through the calves. Dad’s got a great set again but he’s had a ton of bull calves and not very many heifers. I know that they’ve had a slow start but I heard things have been picking up this past week. Dad also informed me that we will be prepping for the big barn take-down this summer. They will be taking down the old barn and putting up a new one. Will be weird to see as that’s how I’ve always known the place. I was in Bismarck on the 14th to judge the DECA competition. For the most part, we had a great group of students present to us. Reminded me how I liked working with youth and that I enjoyed that aspect of teaching. However I know that those students were not your average. Marketplace for Kids was on the 16th. We had over 100 students from many schools come to participate at DSU. Aside from the President giving a welcome address, we also had an appearance from First Lady Betsy Dalrymple. I emceed the opening ceremonies and helped give out project ribbons with interviews. It was a nice day and we saw a ton of energy with these kids.

St. Patrick’s Day was pretty quiet. DYP held their annual chili cook off. Although the numbers of entries were down, the quality of chili was the highest it’s been! I’m proud to say that Aubrey was the grand winner and took home the traveling trophy!! A few of us got pranked though; we were told there was an Irish jig band playing at a local bar. However when we arrived we realized it was actually line dancing night. Jokes on us! I haven’t seen line dancing in for-e-ver…didn’t know that people actually still knew how!

Last week’s weekend spent with good friends but the best part about the back half of last week was the weather. There was so much sun and melting, I actually drove with my window down for a bit…Made me actually believe that summer might be coming.

Earlier this week, we had the God’s Child Team, including Executive Director and founder, Patrick Atkinson come to Dickinson for an event schedule. I had been helping organize the events and make sure that the details were taken care of and it was great to hear Patrick speak. His words and story took me right back to Guatemala. It’s amazing to see what he has accomplished and how he has changed the world, and all on the theory that you change one person at a time. Sometimes the simplicity of the whole thing leaves me breathless. So there I was thinking it was spring and bam, winter reared its ugly head and dumped a foot or so of snow back on the ground. We were actually seeing lawn and had hope.

They closed the college for a day and a half, and Mel and I spent the afternoon shoveling. The worst part was because the snow was so heavy and wet, we couldn’t use the snowblower. We had to handshovel it. Well, to ensure that moral was high…I brought us a little piece of summer to keep us going. Who says an occasional break is a bad thing? If summer can’t come to us, we’ll go to the summer the best way we know how!

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” --Charles Dickens

It's Been a Hard Winter

Well we’ve entered March…I remember in school we talked of this whole in like a lion out like a lamb. Funny how we remember these childhood lessons because they were to give us hope that spring may actually come.

This week I was crabby because I’m still dealing with a broken car. The insurance company, USAA, is awful and rude, and I do not like them. I wish them occasional audits and plumbing problems, just kidding, not really. I hope to get my car back the early part of this week. I’m tired of bumming rides. I think I will buy myself a second car so when idiots back into my parked car I will have my fancy el camino to take care of me!

I also had a great opportunity happen. I’ve been keeping track of the 2011 Great Plains Young Professionals Summit, which I also attended in 2010. This year the summit will be held in Fargo and they sent out request for proposals for speakers. I was approached by a professor on campus, who I have a lot of respect for, Dr. Deb Dragseth. She asked if I wanted to do a partner presentation on young entrepreneurs. I said ABSOLUTELY. So if chosen we will present in June on a great topic. I’m very excited and honored to be asked!

Saturday, I spent my day helping out at the Elks. I did not think I would be donating 10 hours straight but it was a good cause that helped out a friend and I was surrounded by good company.
I did find out that Alaina’s first horse, Beauty, had to be put down. It made me sad to know that a creature that had changed my sister’s life has passed on. I know the family took it hard and my thoughts have continued to go back to Alaina and her spotted mare.

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose; All that we love deeply, becomes a part of us.”—Helen Keller