06/03/2026
Story time….Buckle up, it’s a long one.
Last year at the beginning of July, I was visiting with someone about potentially adding a couple more cows to our herd. They weren’t highlands, but I thought the babies they will make if crossed with a highland would be ADORABLE! I love genetics and wanted to try it. I was tempted and seriously considering buying them, but money was tight and I had pretty much decided against it. I had told the lady I would get back to her within a few days and let her know my decision. Josh kinda knew what was going on, but had left it in my court. Whatever I wanted, he was good with. BUT…Josh was much more of a go big or go home type of personality when it came to big purchases and I guess he thought this was a risk worth taking. When I went to bed one night, he must have taken my phone and texted the lady that we would take them. He made the deal, paid the deposit, and never said a word.
And then…I think it was about a week later…our lives were absolutely shattered when Josh died without any warning.
On that very day, I got a text from the lady I had previously been talking with saying we should arrange shipping for those cows. I was confused, but was an absolute mess, so I told her what had happened and said I can’t think about cows right now. And do you know what she said???? Keep in mind, I did not know this person…had never met her….only briefly talked with her…and she said “I’m not sure of your situation, but I am heartbroken for you and your kids. I know that I don’t know you, but if you need someone, I can come to you. It might be weird. It might be really awkward, but if you need me, this could potentially turn into one of the truest and most genuine friendships you have ever had.” You guys…she lives several states away and just wanted to help. ❤️❤️❤️ Luckily, I had an absolutely wonderful support system and it wasn’t necessary, but her offer blew me away.
Anyways…I told her I couldn’t think about cows and the next several months are just hazy and I can’t remember a thing. She checked on me often…asked how we were holding up or if there was any way she could help, but never mentioned cows. Several months later though, after the dust settled, she sent me a message telling me that she had kept those cows. She knew Josh wanted me to have them and that they were emotionally invaluable knowing that it was our last purchase together. It was at this point that I looked back at the messages and realized what had happened. She could have sold those cows again. She could have kept our deposit and never said a word. Instead, she kept them until I was ready, took care of them all winter, invested more than she planned in them with more feed and vet bills, and then still offered them to me. And she was right…the story behind these cows meant I had to have them.
And so…after 10 long months, we arranged to get these girls here from Oklahoma with the help of several others and it feels so good. Not only that, but I have a new friend that I will always be grateful for!
These cows have names and I’ve heard it’s bad luck to change an animals name, but there is no rule about nicknames. 😉 I thought it would be appropriate to finish up my theme of music inspired names with some nicknames for these girls.
With that, I’d like to introduce Rio and Walker.
Rio is named after the group Diamond Rio. I’ve always loved the song “One More Day.” Every word is true and I find myself thinking so often that I wish I could have “one more”…one more hug, one more bad joke, one more sunset, one more car ride, one more day….but one more would never be enough…I would never be satisfied.
Walker is named after Clay Walker…not the most girly name, but I asked her and she doesn’t care. 😉 The song she’s named after is called “A Few Questions.” It was never really a popular song, but has always been a favorite of mine. Take a few minutes to go listen to it. 🤍 I have so many questions that I don’t have answers to….Why Josh? What did I do to deserve this? How can I teach my kids the things that a Dad is supposed to teach? Will Rhyatt be able to remember Josh? But I’ll just have to be patient…and someday I’ll go toe-to-toe with the Big Guy and hopefully get some answers. Until then, I’ll just do my best to live a good life, raise good humans, and make the most of every day and every chance.
So….Angelina…here’s to you and our new friendship. 🍻 Thank you so much! This will be a story I’ll never stop telling.
Oh, and one last thing….The trailer that brought these girls here might have been loaded a little heavier than Josh initially intended. 🤭😉 Stay tuned. ❤️
