I should have been a cowgirl.

 

 

I love horses. The smell of hay, clean tack, and even their breath blowing out in greeting... My great Uncle Earl Gunnels raised Tennessee Walkers and I always begged for one, but my parents didn't  share my love of all things equine.

 

I never fulfilled the dream of owning a horse and I haven't ridden since high school and I thought I had left childhood dreams behind until a trip year to stay with my husband Frank outside of Charlotte. His friend Bruce owns five horses, and at the first sight and smell  of themI felt the longing return.Looking into big brown eyes I felt a connection I had not felt in ages, a sense of familiarity, of knowing and kinship.

 

 

I will most likely ever own a horse at this stage of my life, but

maybe in the next one I can be a cowgirl roaming the range with an old friend.



Brad

It has been three years since Brad died on Christmas Eve morning. I will never forget the look on Frank's face when he got the phone call. Even know I feel the tears welling in my eyes as I remember him saying he didn't know if he could tell me what was wrong. My first thought was of our children, never did I imagine that I was to soon learn the my baby brother, my best friend through childhood and onward into adulthood was gone.

It has been a long and hard road in dealing with Brad's death and the betrayal of lifelong friends and the hurtful things that people often do or say following a death. Thank God for my husband and children as without them I would never had made it.

I can look backwards now and remember good times and goods days like this one above. He was so in love with Dorie and treasured each moment with her. He was a good Unc to my children and a wonderful Unc Unc to her. I wish that Althea had been able to experience just one big bear hug!

I miss you Boo Boo and I always will, but I feel your spirit when ever I catch of Sweet Grass or see a bottle of Makers Mark.