Hello everyone,
It’s Queenie here back at it with a new blog post with a little twist but first let me catch you up on life. I know I am a little behind but about two weeks ago I showed at the Illinois Beef Expo where I got second in my class. Let me tell you something, that sure was an exciting time! The weather was beautiful and I was treated just like the high maintenance diva that I am. Summer cannot roll around quick enough for me to get back into the ring and show myself off some more. Okay, okay enough about me; now it is time for that twist I was talking about.
So as we all know, the four legged creatures around here tell the stories but this time I am going to give up the throne for a little bit and let Sierra do the talking, well sort of. As any other day, she was telling me a story about things that have been happening recently and well today this story touched me a lot so I have to share with you all the exact words she told me:
“Queenie, get in your pen come on, come on it is feeding time and I have to tell you some things. Recently, someone asked me what my good luck charm was and without hesitation I answered ‘My bracelet, actually it is an In Loving Memory bracelet’ but then I had to stop myself before I started sharing all the stories of what a great guardian angel there is taking care of all the cattle in heaven and helping us all out down here. I know you didn’t know Justin long, but I know you knew him well enough to understand the impact he had on everyone. Well, this moment also got me thinking about how I can’t thank Justin enough for all he has done for me when he was my fitter but even now as he’s up there watching over us. I don’t think I’ve been able to get through some situations without telling myself to just smile, try harder, and be myself.
As a showman you expect joy, defeat, hard work, dedication, lack of sleep, and the comfort of fairgrounds all over the country being your home with people that become your family. What you don’t plan is dealing with hearing part of your show family left this world too soon. You don’t plan on facing grief and emptiness when the showing gets back into full swing.
You know, the grief it comes in little spurts even the ones that I should be expecting. It’s when I was holding your tail at Princeton then I realized it wasn’t Justin that I was saving from you whacking in the face. I started to grasp it wasn’t him perfecting the belly when we were getting close to the first call of our class and then the emotions hit but then they stopped. I can’t explain it, but then the emotions automatically turned around and it was as if Justin was standing there saying ‘She looks good, good luck’ and it was all better from there. I looked down at my bracelet, I adjusted my harness and I took a hold of the halter and I couldn’t help but understand that he was there helping us get through the ring.
It hit when we were all packing up at Illinois Beef Expo saying our goodbyes and the only hug and high five missing that day was Justin’s. I didn’t catch him pacing along ring side as we turned the corner but i know he had a front row seat the whole time.
But the emotions don’t just happen at cattle shows, it was when I was giving my prepared speech at the section contest that I remembered to try harder than I originally planned, smile bigger than I ever have during a speech, and be the most of myself that I could be. That reminder and lesson from Justin gave me the blessing to be qualified for Districts. That same lesson gave me confidence and allowed me to compete at Districts in my favorite record book area, Beef Production Entrepreneurship.
It’s when life doesn’t go according to plan but I have to remember to keep going strong and laugh it off. It’s when there’s a newborn bull calf waiting in the barn when I really wanted a heifer calf but I have to look at it as a blessing that the calf is alive. That’s when I find myself taking a page out of Justin’s book, being the best I can be and always coming out with a positive outlook of the situation.
It’s almost been 5 months since heaven gained an incredible cowboy and sometimes there’s moments that trigger that he’s not here to celebrate but then there’s blessings that show us that his name is written all over it. It’s hard walking out of the ring and not being greeted with his high five, but it’s comforting to know he’s helping out in every way that he can just in a different way than we are all used to. May he help us in many different ways and encourage us to live every day like he would. Even though things aren’t the same, I’m ready for summer and all that it holds because I know that Justin is looking out for us every step of the way. I can’t thank him enough for impacting me so much in such a short time. He’ll be right there with us Queenie, you’ll see.”
May you all be blessed this showing season and just remember to always smile more, try harder, and do you.
Waiting on summer,
Queenie
toldstraightfromthehalter 