We finished off summer doing one of my favorite traditions – one I’ve done since I was a kid. We went to the Cochrane parade and rodeo.

Of course my favorite is always mutton busting, but it was all fun to watch – with the one exception of the poor cowboy and horse who went down in the bucking competition. They did both get up and run out of the ring, so I’m assuming they’re ok. The footing was very muddy, and it sure took a lot of care and skill to preform today.

Tomorrow we all start new chapters in our lives. Everyone is stressed, excited, happy, fearful… it’s a technicolor of emotion in our house. But when I look at where we all were last summer, we have come so far.