gratitude

Restoration Part 2: Half-way There

Restoration Part 2: Half-way There
I can't express the amount of gratitude that was felt throughout our family when we were all able to spend time together again.

From living on our own to years of living with family- it was not always easy. In fact, some days it was horrible and unbearable. Other days, I was able to remind myself that though I didn't choose to live this way, it was a BLESSING. Through all the time that we spent living in less than ideal situations, I will forever cherish the time that we spent with family members that opened their homes to us.

My youngest and I spent several months (maybe close to a year) living with my grandparents- that time I will never forget and I am so grateful that we had the opportunity. We have lived with my dad the longest- again, a blessing.
My dad has always worked a lot and as an adult, I was busy with my own life- we didn't see each other much. I am beyond grateful to have had some extra years with my dad. Bonus: my little sister moved in with dad too so we have had several years to grow together ❤

The last 4-5 years we have been super grateful to live together and being close to family. However, the roof over our head has left something to be desired. Dad and I found a great duplex about 7 years ago that boasted 3,000 square feet (1,500 main floor and 1,500 basement) just in the nick of time. It seemed great- a little outdated, but otherwise perfect location, great yard, and plenty of space. 

Over a few months, the basement (which I had claimed as my own) started to smell more mildewy- and then the basement flooded during the first snow melt since our move. That lead to closing off one of the basement rooms that never properly dried out. We constantly ran dehumidifiers and air purifiers to no avail. So, we have coped with it. And now, every rain we get a flood that starts in the bathroom and moves into the main living area. To say that the basement bathroom is in rough shape may be an understatement considering the number of times it has flooded.

Since that first flood, I have not had a proper bedroom (and rarely a dry bathroom). When I talk about how freaking excited I am for our new house, you can't truly understand my level of excitement without understanding that we (myself, my husband, and our youngest) basically have been living in a studio apartment that floods regularly with 4 dogs. It's been frustrating, embarrassing, disgusting, crazy, and somehow, still a blessing.

We have been able to prepare for our family's full restoration. We have saved some money, taken some trips, had great house parties to celebrate our girls and the people we love. Through it all, the struggles have been worth it. I never thought that was possible. And maybe that isn't 100% true- because none of us would choose to go through some of our tribulations again, but if it wasn't for the darkness, we wouldn't truly enjoy and be grateful for the light.

If  you want to know more about how I have been able to make it through all of the curve balls life has thrown at me, jump into my Facebook Group.

Meet Margaret

 

I've worked with and studied horses for the majority of my life. I have seen my fair share of injuries and lameness. I've had horses that were trained and some that we broke to ride ourselves.

Through this, there were horses that didn't heal as fast or as thoroughly as I'd hoped. There were also horses that had chronic behavioral issues and/ or were difficult to train. At that time, I believed that was the end of the road with those horses- they had reached their highest potential and it wasn't enough for my ambitions.

Sometime in 2017, I came across a Facebook post that showed before and after massage photos and told the story of a horse that had been struggling to pick up his left lead and was constantly knocking poles in the show jumping ring. After several massages, there were no more pole knocks or problems picking up canter leads. That had my attention. I followed the page that made that post for a little over a year before I finally took the plunge and signed up for the equine massage certification program through Midwest Natural Healing for Animals.

Watching/ following that Facebook page inspired me. I wanted to be able to just look at a horse and KNOW what problems they may be dealing with and how to fix the root CAUSE. I can confidently say that I have learned all of that and more.

I find joy in the relief and release that I provide to horses from all disciplines- I find that helping the horse physically creates a better situation for everyone. Obviously, releasing tension in a horse will lead to relaxation, and relaxation can open the horse up to a deeper connection to the handler. This can also lead to advancement in training and higher performance.

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