Month: March 2018

March was here before I knew it and that meant I was off to Indiana! Indiana had become a second home to me. I was starting to miss it and couldn’t wait to go back there. It worked out that Jenny and Martin were actually headed towards New Mexico so this time my road trip to meet them wouldn’t be too long. I jumped into my truck and was Albuquerque bound. Driving in the Spring definitely has its perks. Everything is green, trees are blooming and the drive through California doesn’t include the dry grass this time of the year.

Albuquerque is a 18 hr drive from where I live so my first stop was at my cousins in Southern California. I always enjoy stopping and seeing them even if it is only for a night. Albuquerque was in sight the second day.

After the stop in Albuquerque we were headed back to Indiana but the decision to stop in Amarillo TX was made and boy was that a fun night. I had never been to Amarillo so we went and enjoyed dinner at the Big Texan. If you haven’t eaten there and are traveling through the area be sure to stop. We enjoyed a great dinner and drinks. Definitely laughed and made memories.

The trip back to Indiana is always more fun with someone. I always have the pleasure to ride back with Jenny. We load my truck up on her semi bed and road trip together.  We definitely laugh when we are in the truck together.

Once I was back to Indiana I booked a load back south to Texas. This time I got to go visit my sister Sarah and her family in Austin TX. On the way to Austin I made a stop for the night to visit the Beasley family. They are in beautiful Kilgore TX and own the best coffee shop on that side of Texas. If you are ever in Kilgore TX be sure to go by Memi D’s and get yourself something to eat or drink.

Austin TX was in sight and I was so excited to get to finally meet my nephew Max and niece Ruby.  Getting to spend the afternoon with them was the best. I loved getting to spend time with them as well as my sister. It had been way to long since I had gotten to see her. We had a great afternoon/evening together. I had to drop off the trailer the next morning so I had to leave early to beat the traffic but luckily for me I was able to make it back in time to enjoy lunch with them.

After Austin I made it up to my other friends place in TX where I was able to spend time with her and her kids. One of the things that I love about what I get to do is that I get to stop and visit my friends and family all over the country. It definitely is a perk to the job.

Once I was out of Texas i was off to Indiana again but made a stop Louisville Kentucky to see Uncle Al and Aunt Debbie. I absolutely love getting to see them. Every time I am there it’s always hard to leave. They make you feel at home and the conversation is the best. Luckily they only live 4 hours away from where Martin and Jenny live in Indiana so I am able to stop often.

The month of March after that trip to Texas I went back to Texas but this time to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I was able to spend time with two of my really good friends. Enjoyed St.Patty’s day in Fort Worth and got to watch cutting horses work. It definitely was a another successful and fun trip to Texas. It’s always great to see Josey, Blu, Ashley and Shane. Then I was headed back to Indiana after a couple of days with them.

Indiana is so pretty. I love getting to drive through it and by now I had the route down. I got to spend another couple of days with Jenny and Martin until I had to head back home to California. I always find it a little harder to leave the Mid West. I have definitely gotten to the point where it has part of my heart. The drive back to California is a three-day drive that normally goes by pretty fast and also includes a few more stops getting to visit some family on the way.

I was California bound and was getting excited about what all April had in store when I finally got home.

Once I was home from Vegas it was time for Christmas, New Years and making memories at home. I am blessed to have amazing family and friends. Ones that as I come and go on my journey they always have a welcoming hug and a how’s it going? I will be honest coming home I was excited to see my friends and family but what I had learned was that I absolutely loved being on the road. I had found my happy place and that was driving down a highway seeing new things every single day. I loved getting to see the country. In that few short months I had traveled to 26 states. I got to experience different cultures, visit friends and family and just see what was out there.

I was home for the winter and that meant back to the normal busy schedule that awaited me. First was Christmas. I spent it with an amazing group of friends. Enjoyed a wild game feast and each others company. There is nothing better than spending the holidays with the people you care about. I’ve definitely learned that it isn’t what you get but the time spent with the people you want to spend time with.

Before I knew it the New Year was upon me. What would 2017 bring? That was the question but I wanted to change that question from what would 2017 bring to what do I want to do in 2017? My answer to that was travel. Hands down I wanted to travel, meet new people, see new things, eat new things and just live! So that’s was my goal.

January is always a fun and busy month. I was getting to go to Sacramento for the International Sportsman Expo with some of my favorite people. The Girls With Guns clothing crew has become not only my friends but my family. They are some of my go to people. The ones that can look at me and know if I am ok or not. The Sacramento show is always a blast. It is filled with many laughs and memories. We get to meet so many people and when you are passionate about something it makes it even better. That week always flies by.

The rest of January brings the Red Bluff Bull & Gelding sale. It is one of those events in Red Bluff that most of the town goes to. People travel from all over to come to it and this year wasn’t different. It’s always good to see everyone and catch up. The older I get the more I realize that time flies by.

February brought the beginning of softball season, a few little trips and working in the shop at home. Softball was always one of my favorite sports growing up and that year I was blessed to help coach an amazing group of girls. I’ll definitely be writing more about the journey with them. But just the start of the season was a good one. I never realized how much fun it was to coach a sport that you once loved.

It was definitely a great decision one that I looked forward to coming home for.

Once the end of February was over I was looking forward to getting back on the road. Which is exactly what march brought….

This blog isn’t going to be about my travels. Today I have decided to write it on life and not just my life but the life of women. Today is the great day known as International Women’s Day. A day were women are hopefully celebrated but that isn’t all today is about. Growing up I never knew the back ground of this date. So thankfully in today’s world we have the amazing power to find out but a few clicks.

International Women’s Day was actually started in 1909 when Theresa Malkiel was urging women to campaign for a change. They wanted women to campaign for equality. They wanted women to be equal to men. 15,000 strong, beautiful women showed up in New York demanding for voting rights, shorter work hours and better pay. Luise Zietz had the revolutionary idea to celebrate women every year on the same day around the globe. March 19th was originally chosen in the European countries but in 1914 March 8th was chosen as International Women’s Day.

It’ s hard to believe that women were fighting for equality way back in the early 1900s. It amazes me that there was strong enough women to start the fight. I am and will be forever grateful to them. Every day women battle a challenge. They battle not being paid equally to men that work the same job as them, they battle their self-worth, their self-image, they battle being told they can’t do something and oh so much more.

In my life I have always been very blessed to have had a dad that never told me I couldn’t. Actually one of the things he always told me when I used the word can’t is “Can’t never did anything.” Looking back now I’m grateful for him telling me that because if there was something I wanted to achieve I knew that the words (I can’t) wouldn’t apply to me. It helped build me into the strong indepdent woman I have grown to be. But for so many women those words hold them back. Sometimes there is situations or people in your life that hold you back. I believe that every women in this world is equal. I believe that if there is something you want to do go for it. If you have a dream follow it. Don’t ever let anyone man or woman hold you back.

The #metoo campaign was offically started in 2017 by Alyssa Milano but it was Tarana Burke who originally used the term “Me Too.” There was some controversy with this campaign and movement. But this was a way for women to vocalize the problem that many women come in to contact with unfortunately.  Sexual harassment and assault is something that no one should make light of. So many victims sit back and don’t say a thing because they feel ashamed. I personally found it amazing that so many women were coming together to make it known that they weren’t alone. To me the numbers are saddening. 1 in 6 women in the United States has been sexually assaulted. 1 in 6 women! That number saddens me and infuriates me all at the same time. Next time you are in a group of women look around. Most likely one of those women have been sexually assaulted whither it was complete rape or attempted. This number is far to high. And I am not taking anything away from the other side. 1 in 33 men are also sexually assaulted. But when did this become the normal? When did no stop being no? When did people stop looking at others as human beings and not care? It terrifies me to think about my nieces and nephews that are growing up in this world. I have nine beautiful nieces and two amazing nephews that I pray will never go through sexual assault. I pray that they will never go through the pain and the shame that goes with it. So next time you see the #metoo take a moment to think about what that person has gone through.

Women need to stick together. Men need to have our backs as we need to have theirs. No one should ever be told they can’t. No woman should ever have to look herself in the mirror and feel shame. Every woman is built differently, every woman is strong and every women is powerful! Don’t ever let someone tell you that you aren’t pretty. Don’t ever let someone talk you into something you don’t want to do. This is your life! Take control of it. Find your happy. Find your tribe that will help you be the best you that you can be. Make your mistakes and own them. But above all LOVE yourself because in the end you make your own happiness.

I am also so grateful for my tribe. My tribe has amazingly strong, beautiful, compassionate women in it. We all bring something to the table. We are all different. We all learn from one another. I know they have my back when and if I need them. I have their backs. Today we celebrate women because of the strong women that took that first step to say we are equal and we can do anything we set our minds to. Follow your dreams and be you!