If It is Meant to be it will be - into Gods hands goes my Life

Well - alot has happened since last I wrote... The dream farm ended up having a foundation issue with the house. The seller wouldn't pay initially for fix, and as we had time to consider further we decided this house was too large and the horse facilities were inadequate. So although it was an incredibly beautiful piece of land - we need less house (with a better foundation), and more barn (or A barn at all). So we are going out again on Sunday to find a place - again.

I had decided to put all this in Gods hands as to decide what we should do so that I wouldn't have to be concerned about it. It seems that is helpful.

I've had lots of people inquireing about breeding to Special which is very encouraging and I think I'm going to put an Ad in the Pyramid Stallion Guide.

Pitney sent me to Wisconsin last week. I had hoped to visit with Heidi and Kent, but I was sent home early because the Trade Show was a bust and I really needed to get back to Texas to close a $700K deal with the State. Hopefully the deal will close tomorrow. I'm so tired from flying, stressing and reviewing spreadsheets.

This is a busy month - they are flying Reilly and I to corporate HQ in Conneticuit so I can receive the PB1 award - given to a team of cross divisional members for bringing in a large deal. Last Q4 we brought in a deal for $30 Million in the State of Texas and so we receive an award for this and some stock. So it will be a nice way for Reilly and I to spend our 10 year Anniversary of marriage. PB is treating us to dinner, a lunch cruise around NY Harbor and a show in the Theatre District.

I am going to go visit with Special tomorrow and then head over to Marilyn Lang's for a photo shoot. We are going to hang out and visit with good friends in New Ulm and then I will take some more photos on Saturday morning and then head back to Austin...

Then next weekend I think I'm going to head up to Matt Bergrens for more photos, and then I just have a few more shoots to catch up on before the US Nationals...

Wedding, Babies and a New Farm!

Well it has just been a very busy time lately.... Last weekend I was at Michael Byatt Arabians photographing David and Amanda wedding. It was extremely beautiful and a total blast. They are just such wonderful people. I felt like I knew them all my life. Judy Guess was my guest and actually helped me photograph the wedding. I had a problem with my flash and borrowed Judy's camera. Thank God she saved the day (or night as it would be!). I just love Judy Guess. She is a really stellar person. In order to prevent disaster from strking again - I bought a Canon D30 as a backup... Also went to Precision and had my camera recalibrated. My feet are feeling better so I should be good to go. I need to take care of a number of photo shoots that are backed up. There was one casualty at the wedding and that was that my cell phone slipped down an air vent in my car - lost forever... So since the iPhone came down $200 I went ahead and bought one and I just LOVE it!!! Its so fun!

My lunging halter, surcingle and english saddle pad arrived from Schneiders and Dover. Tomorrow I'm going to use them on Special for the first time! I can't wait to ride him! Marilyn Lang came down and we went over to see Special... She was here when we found out the big news that Nikki is in foal to Special!!! What an awesome baby this should be!!! So we will have 2 babies next year!!! Both will be Ali bred! Maaria was not PG - and today was day 15 and Dr. Garza checked her. I'm sending her up to Kehilan so she has fresh semen from Makhnificent.

Bella was not pg, and so we are going to just breeder her next year. I'm wondering who I'm going to use the *Shahir EBC on....??? And I'd like to breed Brenna to Solstice - we shall see.

The big news today is that we put a contract on a new farm... Its 30 acres and just beautiful... So Assuming that things go well with our financing - we are going to be moving to Bastrop!!! I'm so excited - this has been a dream for many years!!! I can't wait for the first "Open House". Here is a link to the "Virtual Home Tour" http://www.tourfactory.com/373447

The pastures are just incredible at this place and in fact the lady who lives there now - actually bales hay off her land...

So our closing date is 10/19 - right before US Nationals!! I LOVE Reilly for going for this dream of mine!!

Good night!

Me

Kitty Photos and More!

Here are some photos of momma cat and her babies... Sooooo cute...

We looked at another property today -was really nice. Going to go see another tomorrow. I spoke with Steve Diamond today and he was telling me about a mare that Rita McNair has that would cross well with Special. I'll have to check that mare out!

Reilly and I went to Kohls and got some new bed sheets, comforters and a bedding set - and towels!!! What fun!

Going to go finish cleaning stalls and go grocery shopping.

Kitties!

Well - Reilly said that cat wanted to come and and I TOLD him she was pregnant. I I did take her in and she has had 4 of the cutest kittens in the closet ever. I hope he isn't too mad once I tell him, but at least now they will not be feral kitties and I will get that cat fixed. So now I just need to find some homes for the adorable little sweeties.

I'll get some photos later but it seems that there are 4 black and 2 grey kitties and they are completely solid in color - either all black or all grey. They are so tiny right now they can't even open their eyes. They are sort of flopping around in the closet. It makes me really happy they got to be born in a nice comfy closet and not a dirty tack room - where someone might get them. Now I can take care of them and make sure they are safe!!!

Want a Kitten???? :-)

In other news I had some really great converstations with people yesterday. I got a nice congratulations note from Karen Henwood who was commenting on how much she likes a particular horse in Special's pedigree. Here is an excerpt of what she said with the personal stuff taken out:

FROM KAREN HENWOOD

Carol,

Yes, I am really happy for you. I don't know the horse personally but did see photos of his Mom years ago.
*Ibn Hafiz is in her pedigree and my first s.e. mare was Bint Ibn Hafiza. So that blood means a lot to me. I respect it very much. My Bint Farid is the only dtr. that Bint Ibn Hafiza had. Fortunately, by Anaza El Farid. I am looking forward to seeing photos of your boy asap.

Falling in love with and having a stallion that you own is a very special thing. They can teach us so much. "

Karen is so right - I'm learning alot about the communication between a horse and a human. Stallions do communicate more it seems.

My work life was challenging yesterday but I got everything accomplished so that was good. I'll write more in my "personal" blog later today.

I brought all the girls home from the clinic and they were so happy to be home. Maaria looks amazing trotting around that pasture - Mohammad will be so thrilled when she arrives in Saudi Arabia -she is unique and exotic and the best trotting SE I've seen in many years. Its hard to sell your very best horses, but on the other hand it helps in building the future of the breed and of our new farm whenever we find a place!!!

On the "finding a place" front - we are just going to take our time with this. ITs a good time to buy, but a bad time to sell right now. So I think we will just keep looking. And also evaluate how Reilly job goes. But I sure am not going to move to Houston and then have Reilly's job not work out. So I'm just going to try and get closer to Houston eventually.

I bought all this new tack from Schneiders for Special and it should arrive in a few days. I got him a nice Victor leather surcingle, a lunging caveson, long lines, and so on. I just can't wait for them to arrive!!!

More later!

Carol