04/01/2026
I finally feel like I might be making it back to the land of the living after last week’s county livestock show. I realized this evening I only shared one post the entire week—but what a week it was from start to finish.
It was a week of showing every day for the kids, the Queen’s Contest, working at night, losing my voice (which still hasn’t returned), and an unexpected accident and surgery in our family [another story for another day]. It made for a week we’ll never forget.
The kids started their week with photography, one of their favorite competitions at our county show. All three took home banners in every category, with Sarah winning Reserve Champion Senior Photo!
Emmy was the only one of our kids to compete in ag mech this year, where she upcycled an old TV into a cat condo. She didn’t want to sell her project, so while it earned her a blue ribbon, it’s now proudly sitting in our living room being adored by a house full of cats.
The highlight of the week for Sarah was winning the Queen’s Contest. Sarah wasn’t the only girl who worked hard—there were girls all over our county who spent the last year fundraising. We are so proud of the work Sarah put in, but the other girls did too, all for the same cause. Two girls in particular, Lexis and Gracee, were such examples of what true friendship looks like—even in competition. They constantly encouraged Sarah and cheered her on. To me, that’s what this is about: community over competition.
All the girls chose their own ways to fundraise. For Sarah, much of that was through Mahjong. Among other things, Sarah sold dog harnesses and treats, partnered with our friend Denae for a sweet pup, raffled a bling basket, raffled over 80 sets of tiles, helped teach classes, ran merchandise booths, and for the last three months spent every Saturday away from home—either selling, teaching, or showing—while still keeping a smile on her face.
Thursday was Dairy Day, and our morning took an unexpected turn [that story for another day]. But our barn family stepped in to help. Nicholas jumped in to bathe his and his sisters’ cows while they handled ag mech and Queen’s duties, and in the end, they had a great dairy show. I had a mini breakdown when I realized I had left some heifers off the entries back in December. I’ve never done that before, and on an already stressful day, it hit hard.
But, our kids showed so much grace. When I stepped away for a moment to gather my thoughts and catch my breath, they found me, hugged me, and reassured me they weren’t upset. I’m so thankful for them. Emmy won dairy goat showmanship, Sarah won 2nd showman, and the kids got to show alongside some of their closest friends, making it a really special day.
Friday, Sarah’s beef heifer decided she was going to kick all of us, so for her safety and everyone around her, she chose not to show and instead helped hand out awards. She got to watch Emmy and Paisley show Emmy’s Holstein beef cross, Snowball. We knew Snowball probably wouldn’t be a show winner, but Emmy loves that little heifer—and Paisley does too.
Since this year’s projects weren’t sale projects, we knew they wouldn’t be eligible for auction, but
Saturday still turned out to be a big day. Ryan won a half side of beef in a raffle, Emmy led the pledges, and in one of my proudest moments as a mom, we got to hear Nicholas lead the barn in prayer. If you know him, you know he’s not the first to jump up as a public speaker, so hearing him pray before the auction meant so much. Our club also won the Herdsman award for our Red, White, and Moo Display, so the day was sweet all the way around!
This week we’re trying to get back to normal. I still have no voice, we’re catching up on projects, and we’ve got lots of Mahjong tiles to ship out. I’m so thankful for God’s hand on our family last week. Maybe this week, instead of talking, my job is to listen—and to catch up on life here at home. ❤️
