WOW!

What a summer this is turning out to be! Ok - in response to the MANY questions (again)!!!

We plan on being married in the Catholic Church back home (as in Michigan) on November 28th. We did seek an annulment and according to our deacon here - all is well with the time as the situation is pretty cut and dry (Heather - you might want to push your parish a little...). What can I say? I'm 31 and we want to start a family right away. Right now we are building a case of negligence against Nate's (*gasp* his name!) ex so we can get her to give up her daughter completely and then we can start adoption proceedings next year.

I'm sorry I don't have pics!!! Just kind of bad with the camera lately. We have decided to have some professional pics taken of us all soon (as in next week maybe if the schedules work out) so I should have those up before too long.

I am going to be in the Detroit area with Nate from the 12th - 17th! II figured my parents should meet the man I'm going to marry before the wedding. I would love to catch up with anyone who'd like to go out!

Quick run down of the last few weeks:

Working still, but partially part time so I can get things done. Found a new house to move us all into so we can look for building site opportunities. Been rafting, BBQing with friends, bearing flags for rodeo (and getting bucked off on pavement), watching rodeo and taking a little girl to the many parades and carnivals this valley has throughout the summer.

Concerns? Plenty. Namely Nate's ex is PISSED he's getting married again. Future MIL is making me crazy but I'm attempting to fix this and will let you all know. After all - it IS family (I just keep telling myself that....). Kids love me but I'm not sure how much my future step-daughter does. Bummer.

Horse-wise? Charlie bucked me off in front of a few hundred people when he decided the flag might eat his legs. Don't worry, I landed on the nice soft pavement. HE was stellar the rest of the week. Rebel is growing! Check out his pics! And my colt (still no name yet!) legs are looking great. Still watching, but things seem to keep improving. Maggie and Charlie brought me home some pot money and ribbons at the last show. I put them through trail, showmanship and horsemanship classes and was VERY impressed with their performances.

And juicy details? Perhaps I should give it to you in bits and pieces....later.

Quick Like

Of course nothing can run smoothly for me. I'm going to have a crazy mother-in-law based on, of all things, religion - and my man's ex-wife seems to think the world is going to end because, *gasp* he must not want her back afterall since he's getting remarried. Never mind she basically abandoned them and is remarried with a new child. Good God.

We're seeking an annulment, date for the wedding should be the 28th of November, (it will be small, but we will probably have an 'open house' type party so people can come and go as they please), I'm seeking to adopt his daughter but it seems we have to wait until mommy screws her up significantly before we can nail her for total neglect (she's supposed to get her for 2 weeks each summer but refuses to come and get her), and summer is going by way too fast.

Sorry for the quick post but the coffee house is going to close and I have to take care of a bank account that is way overdrawn. Don't ask. The money is there but in the wrong place. Per usual my life.

Alright, I'll Spill...

Never really thought I'd have one of these on my fingers! Please excuse the blur - it's so shiny I can't get the camera to focus!!! I got to pick - so it's the perfect size and setting for all the outdoor work I do. No prongs - it's bevel set - and not too large so it sticks up and catches on things (if nothing else I'm practical). However, he was warned I have simple but expensive taste!

Many of you want the details and I've been thinking ALL week how to explain this all! I'm sorry it takes me so long but I don't have Internet at home and actually have to schedule a day to get into a WiFi Hotspot. I'm at the coffee house right now.

I figure it might be easier just to list all the information and fill in the blanks as more questions are asked...so - in no particular order other than what my scattered brain can come up with...

1) Yes, it is my Working Man!

2) We started dating in early April and we just know, you know?

3) He is younger than me - 5 years...and nobody actually believes it (probably because he's so mature and I'm so immature).

4) He has a 4 year old daughter from a previous marriage. Mom ran out on them. We've already talked with a lawyer about formally adopting her. This is a challenge as the word 'spoiled' doesn't begin to explain it, but she does have some very good public manners and I spend as much time with her as possible to try and make the transition easy as she has been spending her days with grandma. There has been a gigantic improvement from last week alone so I know that it will all work out. She likes me by the way - but as things change she's well aware I'm the reason for the change.

5) We will be in MI the 3rd weekend of August for a long-ish visit. Would love to catch up and introduce him to you all still living there!

6) There are no dates set as of yet. We are meeting with the Deacon of the Catholic Church we would like to join here to get the ball rolling in MI. We want to be married as soon as possible and it will be in the Detroit area. We're going to keep things small as planning a wedding from 1500 miles away isn't something I want to do. I'm thinking more 'fun' than 'stress'!

7) He owns his own construction business and as you all have seen - he's handy!

8) He grew up here in the valley and his family is here.

9) His family is Mormon, however he is not. I have been very strong minded about how my children will be raised and he is 100% supportive of this and is looking into joining Is also has been explained to his family and they have not had any comments concerning it. Thats good in my mind because it means they respect my decisions.

Feel free to list all your questions!!!!

This is what we saw on our way back from Pueblo yesterday! We were getting the ring situation taken care of and took his daughter to the zoo.

Oh Boy....Wait Until You Get to the End...

Lots to update! Riding, showing and roping, working hard (though there may be a drastic change in that very soon) and my colts leg is looking great!

First, say hello to the new addition of the family - Luna. Izzy kitty (the manx I've had forever) disappeared a few months ago and I'm not quite over it. I have a horrible feeling my neighbors dog had something to do with it, but since I can't seem to catch him when he's loose I can't quite shoot him. I didn't want another cat, but my friend's had 16 kittens in one week and they needed homes (and the mommies went to be spayed).

Now for the leg....this is what it looked like when the cast came off...Better, but not out of the woods yet...

This is from today - two weeks later. It's getting there isn't it!!! Hopefully there won't be another surgery!!! I have 4 more weeks to watch it! There have been lots of good minerals and care involved! The vet says I can turn them out on pasture and keep watchingAnd finally - what they were doing in the field next to the horses this morning...At least the horses are now used to airplanes right over their heads!

There are a lot of changes going on in my life right now due to the fact that...(drumroll)...I'm getting married!

To be continued...