Carriage Horses from 1918

R & I have a good friend, Bob, who has been into carriage horses for about 35 years - I say friend, which he is but he is also my boss! Bob owns a carriage making business near where we live. Keep in mind that we don't live in town, so I use the word 'near' loosely! Bob makes and refurbishes carriages and has trained many horses and people to drive. He used to do weddings, funerals, prom, etc. Bob is a Morgan horse lover, of which I am not, but he is one heck of a carriage man!

Anyhow, he has offered to help me start Gunner using some basic driving techniques. Did you know that horses that learn to drive first often make better saddle horses? I didn't either but its true. I have done a lot of training in my days and ridden a lot of types of riding. I have not ever driven a carriage let alone trained a carriage horse. So in spring, when my neck is healed and Bob's back is healed (he just had surgery also), we will get together to start working with Gunner.

Bob sent me the following article from The Washington Post, December 22, 1918:
Arrangements have been completed for the Christmas dinner for horses to be given by the Washington Animal Rescue League at Twelfth and Little B streets northwest on Tuesday, the day before Christmas. The Haymarket space has been devoted to the equine holiday, and there will be a tree loaded with such delicacies as hay, corn, carrots, and apples. Each horse will get a substantial feed of oats. The drivers will be served with free hot coffee, and there will be music.
The Christmas dinner for horses originated in Washington four years ago, and is now a feature of the holiday in several American cities. The Animal Rescue League works solely for the welfare of animals and has been very successful in enlisting the sympathy of horse owners and drivers in the work of relieving unnecessary suffering.
Tuesday has been fixed for the horses dinner because of the fact that on Christmas day they have done their work and are resting in the stable. The league, therefore, has chosen a busy day to reward the horses that have been active in delivering holiday packages. Every driver is invited to get a cup of coffee while his horse is feasting.

This article is also from The Washington Post, three days later, on December 25, 1918:
The Haymarket, at Twelfth and B streets northwest, was an animated scene yesterday, when market horses were made the guests of a bountiful Christmas dinner. Motion picture photographers were there, and they secured views of the horses helping themselves from a Christmas tree on which were strung corn, carrots, apples, lumps of sugar, and other delicacies. Horses have been hard at work delivering Christmas packages and were given a chance to pose while partaking of a hearty dinner of oats. Every driver got a cup of hot coffee, but the horses were the real guests of honor.

Several ladies of the Washington Animal Rescue League were in charge of the dinner. They were ably assisted by Boy Scout Christen Davis, of Troop 59, and by Scouts Newman and Atkinson. The two latter furnished music. Portable troughs were carried to the horses in some cases, and they enjoyed their oats in spite of the rain and the busy hauling of trees and turkeys. One or two automobiles were also used in carrying oats to horses at the other markets. In all, it is estimated that several hundred horses received a reward for faithful work they had done to make Christmas happy for humans.

Eli - Adoption Placement Success

One of my childhood friends from California, we will call her  CC, was recently matched with her birth mother. She has given permission to share her story here, although some things will be generalized, some will be left out and the agency name will not be shared, everything else is her story.

From CC
"I feel almost self conscious about sharing our joy when I know it can be agonizing waiting for something to happen when you are trying to have a baby or waiting to adopt. Please know that we love you and are praying for all of you that you will be reunited with your birth mother and child soon.

We knew that it would be next to impossible for me to conceive and after confirming that with the specialists we opted for adoption rather than going the route of an egg donor and surrogate. I did a lot of research online about adoption agencies, facilitators, attorneys, etc and we eventually ended up with Adoption Agency XYZ (an adoption facilitator). We chose them because they limit the number of couples they work with to 10-15 at a time and are located within a series of women’s health clinics where abortions are performed and adoption is offered as an alternative to all patients. Their fees were also the most reasonable. We just felt that it was the right “fit” for us.

They pretty much only do “open” adoptions and I’m told that most are open these days. We were told that the typical wait time to be matched through our agency is roughly 7 months if you’re not too specific on the criteria of what you are willing to accept in an infant/situation. I can also say that after we signed with them I personally learned of two other couples here in our town that also used XYZ and they had good experiences with them. XYZ doesn’t normally work with out of state couples, but they do have one out of state couple right now. The most important choice is finding the agency that is right for you. You will know when you find it and it will feel right. We knew right away that this agency was right for us and that we would be chosen and our child placed with us.

We did a lot of research on what other couple used in their photo profile books and Dear Birth mother Letters as well as looked at hundreds of websites to help design our photo profile and narrative (questionnaire responses). Most of their couples don’t use websites and only have very informal homemade photo profiles or photo books from an online photo site like Shutterfly.com, etc. The Birth mother letter is the hardest thing to try to write.

We “joined” as “members” in early July of this year and got “the call” that we had been chosen by a birth couple roughly six weeks later. We met with the birth mother on August 30th. We all decided it was a good “match” on September 3rd. We were fortunate that our match was a birth couple with the father present and cooperative. The baby was due November 20th. Our couple was a boyfriend/girlfriend that were both 19 and college students, both living at home with their respective parents, no drug use or major health issues. I know you believe in God and are very faithful, but we’re not really religious but had “put it out there to the universe” that we would really like a couple of healthy Caucasian college students. But we had also told the adoption facilitator that we would take almost any situation and would be fine with a biracial baby - which we were told kept the doors much wider open for us.

Being a type A personality there were many times that I wished things were more certain along the way but also realized that I had to just go with the flow if I wanted things to work out. Our birth father had no phone and birth mother was not very good about returning calls to the facilitator but was somewhat good about returning texts to me. I attended one Dr’s appointment after we met initially with the birth mother and then I met with the mother and father once just me and then once all of us to go over the “hospital plan” and post placement plan for future contact, etc. I also arranged for the birth parents and me to attend a private childbirth class the same day. I did have minimal phone contact with the mother every couple of weeks until near the end and then weekly contact.

We got the call at 11 pm on Friday, November 12th that her water had broken and we hurried to pack our bags and make the 3 hour drive to Grass Valley. She was in labor for 29 hrs. It was exhausting as we had no sleep for four days. After Eli was born the hospital gave us a room so we could stay with him. I didn’t let him out of my sight. The hospital was great. According to the adoption facilitator our situation was not “typical” with how little contact the birth mother maintained with the facilitator and that we spent considerable time with the birth parents and the birth mother's family including her parents, sister and aunt while we were at the hospital. They also spent hours in our room with us and the baby. We really feel that we have probably adopted an entire family, not just Eli.

I’m not sure how the process works in your state, but in California going with a facilitator is very different than using an agency. If you use an agency you do the “Home Study” before you can be put on the list to be considered for placement. If you use a facilitator and do an Independent Adoption, the baby is placed with you and then the “Home Study” process starts. Also with a facilitator and an Independent Adoption the birth mother has 30 days to change her mind and take the baby back.

We have been very fortunate from the very start and I am often afraid that something will go bad as it’s been so amazingly perfect, but I just hope that this is our miracle and everything will work out just fine. Baby Eli is perfect - He is eating well and growing fast. I’m not getting much sleep, but I know that comes with the whole package. Our 30 days wont be up until December 20th so I just keep my fingers crossed and pray it all goes well. Our “Home Study” and Court process should take 6 months to a year to complete.
I know that some couples wait years and I know we have been very lucky. I have spoken with other adoptive couples and have faith that your time will come. Some don’t ever get matched and just get the call once the baby’s been born. You may have some notice or none at all. Just be as open as you can and continue to spread the word and your miracle is surely on its way.  You two are wonderful and your child and birth mother is out there somewhere, be patient and know that in time it will all happen"

We are so happy for CC and look forward to visiting her new boy in January!

Wedding and Ward changes

We went to the wedding of one of dear friend's this weekend; JP Chavez and Monica Edwin. We are so happy for JP and Monica, they have waited so long!

The wedding was beautiful and had an autumn theme throughout and was quite spectacular with live music and singing through the ceremony. They had a pianist, harpist, guitarist, flutist and two singers. The bridesmaid dresses were light brown, which when I heard about it I thought it would be less than nice to say the least. I pictured paper bags and burlap sacks - silly I know, but I really had nothing to go on. The dresses were light gauze with satin slips - very classy! You can see one of the dresses on the far left of the photo. The brides dress was very pretty and strapless. She didn't have a long train or veil but her brilliant red hair was curled and done up with bling clips.





It has been some time since we attended a wedding and this one was so special. JP and Monica are devout Christians, although not LDS, and through their belief in Christ, they saved themselves for marriage. An unusual thing in these days and even more so since they are both in their 30s. The ceremony was prayerful and devoted to the Lord. We feel honored to have been part. It is with bitter sweet feelings that I recount the wedding ceremony. It was very obvious to me, having been sealed for eternity, when the preacher said 'til death do you part or Christ returns.' I have never heard the Christ returns part before but it was said several times during the ceremony. They are so in love and have such faith that it makes me cry to think that they are not sealed for eternity. I am so sad for them. I wish they could have all of the blessings that the Gospel can offer. SO... We have decided that as soon as they return from their honeymoon we will invite them to church with us.

You can see the love in their faces! They are such a wonderful couple and we are honored to know them. Their faith in Christ has carried to the to their wedding day and will carry them through many years to come. We wish them the best for a long and happy future.

Speaking of church...
They diced up our Ward like a pie last night. We and 5 other families are now members of the Windsor Ward, which if you look at a map of the Stake and Ward boundaries, it does not make sense. Our dear neighbors and newly baptized members, the Carters, are struggling with the change. Sandee hasn't stopped crying for two days. I shared some of the following with her in an effort to comfort her.

I was shocked at first because we loved our Ward, the people, my calling was perfect and we had great activities that made us not feel out of place because we live in the boondocks. We all know that once we start to feel comfortable, the Lord gives us changes and challenges to stretch us. I guess I should have acted a bit more uncomfortable!

We met the Stake President when we renewed our recommends this past February and we found him to be a wonderful and caring man. I have a sense of comfort that Windsor Ward (our new Ward) will be very well organized since it is his home ward! Since Windsor was not cut, I anticipate it will take them a bit to find us callings and get used to having members in the boondocks! We will find our place, all will be well.
After speaking to one of the brethren it was made clear to me through his words and prayer that we are a very important part of the Windsor Ward. You see, they have property to build a new church in Windsor but do not have the membership to support it. They added us to help their Ward grow to the north so that we may be able to build a new building for the Lord. We have been chosen!
I have been praying since last night and I feel strongly that this move is mean to make us stronger in some way. This is an opportunity to learn and grow. There is a lesson waiting for us in Windsor Ward, a lesson that will help us to grow in faith, strengthen our testimonies, become more self-sufficient and to allow us to participate in a great work for the Lord. I miss so dearly my friends, seeing them every Sunday and visiting each month but the Lord knows that we need someone in Windsor Ward and someone in Windsor Ward is needing us. it is our jobs to be faithful and of good cheer so that we can recognize it when the Spirit prompts us.

The best part, the part that puts my heart at ease is this - the time may change, the people may change but the Gospel is always the same no matter the building, time, people or Ward; the Gospel is always the same. We will find our home in the Windsor Ward.

A Debt Paid

In Jerry Bridges' book The Gospel for Real Life it states the following:

“The purpose of this book is to explore those unsearchable riches. To appreciate them, however, we need to look briefly at our sinful condition. Though we live in a time when people don’t like to talk about sin, only those who understand to some degree the enormity of their spiritual debt can begin to appreciate what Christ did for them at the cross. Without some heartfelt conviction of our sin, we can have no serious feeling of personal interest in the gospel. What’s more, this conviction should actually grow throughout our Christian lives. In fact, one sign of spiritual growth is an increased awareness of our sinfulness.”

I recently met an elderly man who would cry whenever he would hear the name of Jesus. I have been thinking about that a lot lately; mainly because I am not there, not even close. It strikes me that perhaps one of the reasons he would cry upon hearing our Lords name is that he had a great understanding of his own sinfulness and therefore a greater appreciation for what Jesus did for him. As I was reflecting upon that this morning God brought to my mind the story found in Luke 7:36-49. I encourage you to read the entire story and associated parable but it is summarized by Jesus in 44-47:

Luke 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

The fact is that I not been “forgiven little” I have been forgiven much – all of us have! Unlike this woman I do not yet comprehend the enormity of my spiritual debt that Jesus paid for me.

John Piper states that we will never fully comprehend the depth of our sinfulness but as we grow spiritually we can gain a greater understanding of it. By God’s grace may he reveal to us more and more how great a debt He paid for us and thereby causing us to truly treasure Jesus above all things!

The gospel tells us that Jesus Christ paid our debt, but it also tells us far more. It tells us that we are not enemies or objects of His wrath. We are His sons and daughters, heirs with Jesus Christ of all His unsearchable riches. This is the good news of the gospel. This is why the women in the story wept and the elderly man cried. We need to remember this every day.

_____________________________________________________


A few weeks ago we got an email from someone we do not know but her words touched our hearts and we feel compelled to share.

We will call her E, we consider her a new friend and she has a dear and sweet spirit. I feel as though I have known her for a long time, her words and the spirit in which they were delivered feel so familiar.

She read our blog and said "Sometimes you don’t realize how far you have come until someone points out that progress, or perhaps you see that progress in another." To know that someone reads this blog makes me smile. To know that this blog touches some one's heart makes me cry and increases my faith that we are indeed on the correct path. I find great peace in the fact that there are others who fins our story to be similar to their own, who struggle our struggles and tread our same path.

I wrote back to E something along these lines: It has been a long hard road and we are still traveling; but each day, week, month and year we grow a bit more, learn a bit more and find our way down the path just a bit more. We get so caught up in how far we have to go that we don’t take the time to look back to see how far we have come. On our blog at one point earlier this year, (February maybe) I remember talking about the road and two different feelings; having come so far on a quiet road vs. not being able to see the path through the mist.

I often forget how far we have come and yet at times it seems like we are back at the beginning again. *like a yo-yo* I believe this all part of the plan to keep us moving forward, if you think you are getting close to being done, you must be reminded of how long eternity is and how the road can change! And that is how we receive the blessing of new challenges! *The blessing of new challenges; 2 years ago those words would not ever be used in the same sentence. I truly believe that by trials and endurance, we grow and gain faith. It is through that new faith that we are blessed. *

Anyhow, it was nice to know someone reads our blog! E, thank you for your kind words!