Ride 'em Cowboy!

Happy Anniversary, Bruce!!!  Aug. 14th, 1976--36 years ago we 

married and it has been quite a ride.  If you would have asked me 

then if I thought Bruce would ever take me to Africa even for a visit,

I couldn't have imagined it.  But the Lord has taken us quite a few 

places in the world in those 36 years.  So... today... he is in Rwanda

and I am in the US.  Guess that wasn't very good planning... but he did 

send me these beautiful roses to remind me that it was our big day. 

Before we headed for the rodeo and since Iris wasn't going to 

go with us... she wanted in on the ride, too!  So, 

she jumped on Isaac's back!  He seemed to be used to this

idea because he didn't even flinch!

After a long drive and dinner at King's on the way, 

we arrived at the North Washington Rodeo.  

Isaac and Elizabeth standing ahead of the mechanical bull..

in their new cowboy/cowgirl hats!  

The Big Four Watching the opening show and

 taking in the new pick-ups behind them after

throwing their new...freebie frisbies.

Rob putting the rodeo numbers on the boys' backs so
they will be ready for the stick-horse race when it starts.

Finally the sun is setting and the rodeo will begin.
It had been raining a lot throughout the day... but
by rodeo time everything was dry except the seats!

 The Star Spangled Flag is riding by as we are listening to a little
girl sing the National Anthem in a key higher than anyone can sing it.
But she does!  Patriotism and Prayer are as much a part of the rodeo as the horses.

The boys take off their hats as the flag goes by...

and Wyatt who has been to more than one rodeo, knew
to fold his hands for the Cowboys' Prayer.

And with that the first buckin' bronco flies out of the shoot,
trying his best to unseat the cowboy!

No luck yet!  It was quite a ride and the Cowboy won!

 This little miniature did all sorts of cute tricks.

 At break time... the kids had their stick-horse race.
Henry was pretty sad that he wasn't old enough to be in the arena... But next year.....

The younger kids watching the BIG KIDS do their race!  What fun!!

Great picture of Henry!

After we had some root beer...
the girl's barrel racing started.

This horse was almost laying down going around
the barrel.  She was the champion.

 The highlight for Elizabeth... was meeting the rodeo queen...
This picture became her prized posession!

 So... Elizabeth couldn't be the only one with her picture... Henry just
marched right over and asked for her autograph, too!  Too cute!

But then the real highlight of the night...

This Palomino!! 

No reins... just voice commands and this horse did anything
his owner said--right, left, go forward, backward, in a circle, etc.

He even threw the crowd kisses!

 He took the saddle off and told him to trot or gallup around the area.
When he said, "Whoa" the horse would come to a DEAD stop! 

 Then he told him to jump into the pick-up truck and he did!
If you've ever tried to "load up" a horse into a trailer you know
just how hard it is to get a horse to go into anything!  

AMAZING!!!

 But more impressive was when he jumped into the MOVING truck!
It was an incredible thing to see first hand.
A beauty of a horse and oh so intelligent!

For the big finale the bull riding...( my favorite) started!

This guy was flippin'!  This bull stood the cowboy on his head...
But not to worry.. he landed fine.  Just happened to catch him in mid-air.

We were a long way from where the bulls were
riding so these shots aren't too good.

To end the rodeo.. they let all the horses free to run in the arena.

Quite a great sight!

But sadly,  the end of the rodeo.  We had a long ride home and
I took Isaac and Henry.  They talked all the way home... right up to midnight.
The rodeo had obviously given them some energy.

But they sure kept me awake all the ride home.

Another fun outing....

love,
margie