Bow Down To Your Ski Queen / So Blessed

That's right. Queen Of The Slope, Master Of The Skis, Super SkiWoman!!

NOT.

Yesterday... we went skiing. I have never been skiing, and now that day is over... I'm not inclined to go skiing anytime soon. I guess the best way to do this is just start at the... well, beginning. Duh.

That morning... I was all snug, and warm, and cozy in my... snug and warm and cozy bed. I was having a pleasant dream about... Well. I can't rightly remember to be honest. But I remember it was pleasant. Therefore, it must have involved horses. Anyway, so I was enjoying this pleasant dream... Until my alarm clock went off. It began to blare loudly at 5:00. I don't sleep well, so I was rather angry at this clock.

I hate my alarm. The noise it makes is so obnoxious and makes chills run up my spine everytime I hear a sound even similar to it, because it represents the end of my nighttime rest. Which I rather enjoy, thank you very much. The only other sound that gives me that sinking feeling is the dog, pawing at the wire door to his crate. This means I must leave my snug, warm- we've already been over that. This means I must leave my bed, and go out into the cold, still darkness, release the vicious beast from his cage, barred and locked, herd him into the outdoors, and sit in the arm chair... Waiting... Waiting... Waiting. And fervently wishing that darned dog would get his business over with so I can go back to sleep.

Back to skiing. I woke up. I rolled out of my bed and sort of slunk to the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face and wake up. Then I got dressed. Jeans, t-shirt, hooded sweat shirt, and then just socks and my boots. In a bag I shoved my cap, sunglasses, scarf, long johns, mittens, and ear-warmer thingy. I shoved that in the truck along with my heavy down coat, and ski bibs. They were from like 18 years ago, when my parents went skiing, and they fit me with all my layers, so that worked out rather well.

I ate a quick breakfast... I think. I can't remember. Wait, yes I did- a bowl of cheerios with bananas sliced into it. Then we left about 6:00.

It was about a 2 hour drive, and I listened to my iPod most of the way. We stopped at a Ski Rental place... Where we rented boots, skiis w/ poles (duh), and the other 3 members of my familia got ski bibs. Then up the mountain we went!

It was kind of creepy. In fact, it was rather frightening. About 4 feet from the side of the truck, was a steep drop off, the entire way up the mountain, and it was a very long way down. We zig-zagged up the mountain for... Well it seemed like 40 minutes to me, not sure what it really was. The scenery was... Was... Absolutely phenomenal. No words can describe, none, it was just amazing to see the mountains and hills rolling before my eyes for miles and miles. No pictures, I'm sure Momma got some, but I'm really tired right now and I'm too lazy to load them. So yeah.

We finally reached the top! There, Momma, Tyler and I signed up for Beginner's Ski School. I put on my bibs, which was easy. Then the boots... holy heck. These things look like something out of Star Trek. I finally got the durned things on, they were pretty snug, but I'm told that's the way they are supposed to be. They are awful to walk in, I swear, everybody just clomps around. They must weigh about 7 or 8 pounds, and with the skiis on, I was hauling around about 15 extra pounds per foot. Anywho, finally go the stupid boots on, which are extremely uncomfortable and kill your poor feetsies. Then I put on a cap, the sunglasses, mittens, ear thingy and coat. But it was really warm up there, about 55-60 degrees, so it wasn't long before I shucked the ear warmer and coat.

We clomped out onto the snow, and it was abuot 20 minutes before our class started, so I tried the skiis on. It was absolutely terrible. I fell down almost immediately, and then I could not get up no matter how hard I tried. A nice guy came up and helped me up, but as soon as he turned to walk away, I was on my poor bum again. I finally had to take the skiis off, not being successful in standing, and off to the school we went.

He taught us how to walk in the skiis, uphill, and to grip with the sides, and to skii, and stop, and how to get up when we fall down (this in paticular proved to be extremely useful to me the rest of the day).

I pretty much stunk. I fell down more than anybody. Mostly because I couldn't stop! Well I finally got it kinda figured out, and then he took us to the Bunny Slope lift. That thing killed me I fell down the first few times while trying to get on, and fell down while trying to get off the first few times as well. I finally got to where I could stand, but coming down that slope (that Bunny Slope ain't no bunny's business) I would get too much speed, couldn't slow down (snow plowing, a technique, wasn't helping much), and I would fall down to prevent going off the course/running into people.

That's something I would like to include. We went on a Wednesday, before spring break, after all the holiday rushes, so there wasn't alot of people. But there were plenty sittin around for me to run into.

Then I went onto Lift #3 after a few times on the Bunny Slope. That thing killed me, I kept having to fall down, yes on purpose, because I could not stop or slow down enough!! That's pretty much how the entire morning went. I hurt myself pretty bad around 1:00, I fell down (accidentally this time, it's not that hard to stay up though, only if you go backwards or sideways do you fall).

I didn't think I could do the splits.

Apparantly I can.

It hurt. BAD. I hyper-extended both knees, and couldn't get out of the position, because of the stiff boots, and stiff/long skiis, there was no way I could move my legs at all. So I finally got the stupid things off and I was in pain from that, and still am.

Then we went up this thing called the Gandala, a lift that takes you all the way to the top of the mountain and to this little building where you could look all around and get some coffee, hot chocolate, hot dog, candy bar, sandwich, that stuff. I was too hurt to eat anything.

Tyler and Daddy skiied down from there. Daddy was with Tyler the whole morning, and I didn't know where Momma was, so I was by myself all morning. Yeah, that's right, feel sorry for me.

So I went on #3 about two more times, then Daddy came down... Without Tyler. He came down later, he was just a little late. ;-) So Daddy and I went on #3 twice, then went on this other one about twice, then yet another one, about 3 times. It was ALOT of fun but I didn't get it very figured out until the last hour and a half or so, so that kinda stunk, but that's okay. =) I got to where I could stop, turn, go down a steep slope, it was cool!!

All in all, it was pretty awesome, I absolutely LOVED it. We loaded up our gear, returned it, then went to K-Bob's to eat. I was sooo hungry it was about 4:30 when we got to eat, and all I had had was this little granola bar all day. But I was too tired to eat ya'll, seriously. When you are too tired to eat... You are very tired.

Came home, took a shower, watched David Hernandez get kicked off Idol, then bed.

I got to sleep in until 7:30, but then I got up, took a shower (I needed to wake up), dried my hair, got dressed, and off to town.

I will mention here that I was extremely sore the entire day. My shoulders, upper arm, hips, knees, back of calves, hurt so terribly bad from falling and taking several bad wipe-outs.

Momma had a doctor's appointment at 9:00. So I grabbed some granola bars/cereal bars, shoved some grapes into a plastic baggie, downed some Tylenol, and off we went!

I waited in the stinkin office for 2 hours. -sigh- Oh well. I can't remember what all we did. Scrapbook Store, Walgreens, some places to look for a blood pressure thing for Momma... We went a LOT of places, because we were killing time. At 3:45 we had to meet Bob and Justin from 4-H at the hospital to give stuffed animals and bunnies (not alive!) to the kids in the Pediatric Center. So we ate at Wendy's, I got to go to Starbucks and get a mocha frappuchino (YUMM) and yeah...

So at the hospital. The bunnies I speak of we made at the last 4-H meeting. You get those little styrafoam take-out-boxes, and use pipe cleaners folded loosely in half as ears. Then different sized and colored pom-poms and cotton balls for eyes, noses, tails, and fur. Then they put candy in it for the kids.

It was kind of sad, but pretty cool at the same time. There were about 3 babies, one little boy, and a guy about my age, and then like 2 we couldn't go into.

The little boy was so sweet and happy, it was great, he loved the stuffed animal. And the others were too little to car much. There was one little girl that was contagious, so we couldn't go in. There was another one we didn't go into. The nurse said she was dying. ='( It almost made me cry, right then and there. The guy about my age, we could go into. Justin and I gave him the stuff, I was sorry I couldn't give him something he could really enjoy. He just said, "Thanks, man" about twice. Then he tried to move but he winced really bad, and I felt so horrible for him. The nurse asked if he wanted her to move the stuff, and he said "yes please". Poor guy, he is in my prayers, all of them are, even though I don't know their names.

At first, I had every intention of coming on here and complaining about my being sore. But after going to that hospital... I realized how healthy I am and how much I take that for granted. I could have been that guy in there. I could have cancer, or anything. I am so blessed with my health, that is all there is to it, and when I think about those kids... I don't feel so achey.

I don't want to end on a sad note, so I will mention something happier. We went to WalMart.

(That's not the happy part.)

Some people from this organization called Teen Missions was there, and I know Joshua went with them, I think he did atleast, on a mission trip. Look them up, they are pretty cool. Anyway, they are not government funded, so they were selling wooden crosses and plagues that the kids made to make money. They were really good and awesome I loved them! So we got two crosses and a plague, and they were priced really nice.

They were at both entrances/exits. So we came in that one side, bought 3 things, and then were in WalMart for a while, then came out the other exit.

There was a guy there, and we said we had already bought stuff from the other side. He said, "Yeah, I know. We saw ya'll, and I was talking about her."

He pointed at me.

I kinda freaked.

"Where I come from, we dress the way she does. I saw her, and said, 'That's a good ole girl right there'!"

Still kinda freaked out, but pretty flattered.

Hehe. Especially strange.

(By the way, I was wearing my boots, Cruel Girl jeans, a long-sleeved collared "Western" shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, and my camo cap.)

Oh, and Dale, Justin's mom, took a picture of us at the hospital, giving stuff to the kids. She snapped it and said, "Wedding picture!"

I stare.

Mom stares.

Justin stares.

Justin is 12 by the way.

She shrugs. "We like Caitlin."

It's nice to be loved. =D

I shall end with some lyrics. After going to the hospital, I am determined to help those kids somehow. I would love to, someday, sometime, get a dog, and be able to take them to the hospital, paticularly the pediatric ward, and cheer them all up with a little puppy love. Until then, prayers shall suffice.

But after being there... I feel so blessed. And I know that I am so blessed.

Ya'll, even when you don't feel blessed, you are. Even when you feel sick, you are healthy. If you have Christ, you're heart is healthy, and that is the most important part of you. But even your actual body- even when you are sick, you could be worse off. It just takes ten minutes in the hospital, to understand that. Our blessings are do abundant, and we are so undeserving. My heart aches for those who don't understand our beautiful gifts from God, every little thing.

My heart breaks for those in pain, and for those without... Without Christ. For with Him, everything is easier, everything can be accomplished without such a fight. We do nothing on our own, but when we let Him in, we allow him to really hold us, carry us, rather than try to push us along and have us resist. When we let Him put His loving arm around us, is when things get better. When we give Him total control, is when our sicknesses, which can be anything from atheism to cancer, become so much smaller, and He comes so much bigger.

We can never be thankful enough. We can never have enough gratitude in our hearts. We can never fully realize how blessed we are. We can never love enough, say "thank you" enough, never fully appreciate our outstanding blessings, or the abundant love poured into every second of our lives. How carefully He planned everything, and how much we have to be thankful for.

Sara, I know you hate the word "never". But in this case, I believe we never can. We are so undeserving, so ungrateful- but yet, so blessed. Taking the time to attempt to appreciate your blessed life... That is enough. Trying.

That little girl was dying- I pray with my entire being that God is in her heart.

And I thank God that I am blessed. That we are all so blessed.


Blessed
Martina McBride

I get kissed by the sun
Each morning
Put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughing
Down the hall through the
Bedroom door
Sometimes I sit on my
Front porch swing
Just soaking up the day
I think to myself,
I think to myself
This world is a beautiful place

-Chorus-

I have been blessed
And I feel like I’ve found my way
I thank God for all I’ve been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones
That love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

Across a crowded room,
I know you know what I’m thinking
By the way I look at you
And when we’re lying in the quiet and
No words have to be said
I think to myself,
I think to myself
This love is a beautiful gift

-Repeat chorus-

When I’m singing my kids to sleep
When I feel you holding me
I know

-Repeat chorus-

*****

In His Grip,
--One Blessed Ranch Kiddo