Choose to Live Every Day

My uni assignment is due in 3 days.
I am on school holidays for 2 weeks.
No time to get away but we plan to take a few day trips after my assignment has been submitted.
These are a few of the things on my mind.

For some reason, I have been thinking of how important it is to make the most of every day. When someone close to you dies suddenly, unexpectedly and your world is turned upside down, you make choices as time goes on, to move forward. In the time of raw grief you cry a lot, wonder what life will look like and plod through a moment at a time. Somehow you try to see beyond the grief and begin making decisions to get you through the day, the weeks and then the months. A few years later or so, you realize that it's time to start dreaming again and planning for a future.

When I came back to Australia, my dream was to buy a horse and a western saddle as I felt it was a connection to Dave and my life with him back in the States. I like thoroughbreds although some don't. Some people see them as skittish and temperamental - but not as much as an Arab! As stated in an earlier post, I have a thoroughbred and now I also have a western saddle. I picked it up yesterday and as weird as it might sound, I do feel more 'complete', for want of a better word. I have enjoyed going to play with Lucky 3 or 4 times a week and yesterday, Andy and I introduced Milly to Lucky. They seemed to like each other. Lucky definitely likes Andy. When I ride Lucky, if I give him free rein, he will walk right up to Andy and just stop there waiting for Andy to pat him and give him a hug. Andy hasn't had much experience with horses before but he fully supports me and I am teaching him how to take care of Lucky too.

Another first for me was last Friday, I rode for the first time, bareback. It wasn't as comfortable as using a saddle but it was still fun. It teaches me to have good balance as there's nothing else but to hold on while sitting on the back of my horse. He tried to go a bit faster than a walk at times but I checked his reins and kept him to a walk. I didn't fall off which was a plus.

Andy is a good husband. Yesterday I was wondering why he takes care of me so well, without complaining and sometimes it seems, without expecting anything in return. He was the one who encouraged me to get involved in my favourite sports: squash and netball, he is the one who looks after our home and makes sure I don't have to worry about things when I get home from work, he stays close when I am studying and he holds me close at night time. I asked him why and he replied, "That's what a husband is supposed to do - love you, take care of you and serve you." Thank You.

On Tuesday, he is going for a job interview for a temporary groundsman position and last Friday he went to an employment agency who were impressed with his resume. There is the possibility of him getting a part-time job but he may have to get a forklift license first. It is quite expensive to get one so we need to see if there's a way to get it while getting paid work to pay it off. It would help Andy so much if he could feel that he is contributing financially to our household. We have dreams of owning a few acres one day, keeping a couple horses so that others too can come and ride and maybe fattening up cattle to sell at market. The other day at school, Avis prayed that Andy would get a job but that he would have Wednesdays off so he could play golf with her as they have been enjoying that so much which is good for both of them. I had to laugh when I spoke to Andy later and he said there was a job going part-time with Wednesdays off and some Saturday morning work. I've decided if I have any prayer points, I'll give them to Avis to pray about.

I am very content with my life right now and I don't want to get complacent and take any of it for granted. I need to remember to be thankful for each day and continue to choose life.