The Best Life Lessons are Learned in the Barn
The roller coaster ride of being a parent is one I wouldn’t trade for the world. Amid the twists and turns, I’ve learned a lot about myself in the process. Sometimes the things that drive you the most crazy about your kids are the very things that drive you the most crazy about yourself.
Lately, I've been reminded to be grateful for the opportunities our family has had to spend so much time together in the barn...where we've been able to learn (and re-learn) some of life's most important lessons. Here's a look back at some from 2023.
When I opened the door, my jaw dropped. Clothes covered every square inch of her room, as if 20 suitcases had simultaneously exploded. Scattered amongst the clothes were piles of papers, race bibs and boots – a road map of the crazy journey she’s been on this fall. Despite what every mother in her right mind would be tempted to do in that moment, I paused when I saw her black heels in the middle of the mess.
Inside of those heels were the remnants of green shavings from the final stop they made at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville – a symbol of the last of several “lasts” for our high school senior this fall.
Our daughter has been looking forward to her senior year for some time. But not this mom. I know she has to grow up and move on to the next chapter in her life, but I’m quite content to spend my Saturday mornings cheering her on at the cross-country course, listening to her practice for her FFA contests late at night and watching her work with her livestock out in the pasture.
In less than three weeks, she competed in two contests at the National FFA Convention, hung up her spikes after her last state cross-country race, showed her ewe lamb at NAILE, competed in the National 4-H Quiz Bowl and helped lead her last county 4-H Achievement Celebration.
The pressure has been high around this house, but the lessons have been life changing. Here are a few that stand out. Read the rest of the story here.
It doesn't have to be eloquent. It doesn't need to be deep. It doesn't even have to be properly written to make an impact.
But, you do have to speak up.
When our 9-year-old daughter showed me her opinion piece for a class assignment this morning, my heart melted. Her task was to write about something she has an opinion about -- and one thing is for sure, this girl has an opinion about pigs. She cannot comprehend how some kids may not share that same passion for working with pigs. I realize her viewpoint is limited, but I applaud her desire to share her passion and share her opinion.
The reality is she's going to have far more reach amongst her peers than I will.
“I want you to know the importance of the people you allow into your life,” my long-time friend and preacher Ray Perryman said before the crowd of families assembled at the National Junior Summer Spectacular. “The company you keep has absolutely everything to do with where you end up. Be careful who you allow into your life.”
It wasn’t lost on me in that moment that this topic had come up several times that week alone. Brandon Yantis, a good friend of ours with young children, had just shared he’s learned how important it is to surround your kids with the right people and help them find the right friends.
The neat thing is I’ve known Brandon since he was a kid. He was 13 when the National Junior Swine Association started in 2000. He instantly bought into the program and the opportunities it could provide. If I needed help, he was by my side. He worked hard. He listened. He was constantly seeking advice from experienced breeders.
He grew his small bred-and-owned operation over the years and we have had the privilege of buying pigs from him since our kids began showing in 2012.
It’s been fun to watch him grow up in the swine industry, pursue a degree in swine nutrition, get married and now raise three boys. He’s a good dad. He’s engaged and plays with his kids, keeps a close eye on them and pays attention to who they hang out with.
I think that’s why his comment hit me hard as we watched my 17-year-old daughter walk away hand-in-hand with his 7-year-old son. Read the rest of the story here.
The other night my daughter and I had a conversation I hope we never forget.
She was the back-up to the back-up for a relay that ran in the state track meet last weekend. Being the back-up to the back-up is a weird spot. We talked about how there will be a lot of times in life when we find ourselves in those weird spots.
But sometimes those weird spots allow us to do something far greater than we can imagine. For example, last weekend it allowed her to warm up with her teammates and be a listening ear to help calm nerves and encourage them before their race.
Would she have liked to be running on the infamous blue oval? Of course. But it served as a reality check for me as her mother. Even when we run into momentary “weird spots,” we should never doubt the purpose of where we are at in a given moment in time.
Often the very best thing we can do is encourage someone else along in their journey. Our world needs it more than ever and the statistics back it up. Read the rest of the story here.
As the parents of three kids, my husband and I will quickly admit that life feels a little busy right now. From livestock shows and wrestling meets to gymnastics practices and FFA contests, it’s easy to run out of time to get everything done. We often question if we are doing the right thing as parents.
I think that’s why one of our pastor’s recent reflections is stuck in my head. He said, “Every decision is an investment.”
It’s a simple, but poignant truth. Every decision we make is an investment in something.
This holds true in our faith, families, and yes, pork operations, too. Read the rest of the story here.
