Monday Random Thoughts

So I'm still without a computer.  I have plans on taking my computer to the apple people and seeing if they can do anything for me.  If not, I will use Seans PC but I have to get all the virus' off of it first.

I'd just like to say thank you to all of you who gave suggestions on what to do or cried with me during this difficult time in my life. Hopefully I can get all the photos off my hard drive and Sean's computer will work after it is fixed.  Honey Momma really made me feel better about it all...thanks!!!

My ear infection is still giving me pains... but look what I did this weekend!

(photo taken from camera phone, horrible quality..don't judge me)

No, I didn't get a red chair (which is what I was asked when I posted this on facebook with the caption "Look what I did!") 

Since I don't post many pictures of myself on my blog I'll just go ahead and let you know I cut my hair off... like six inches!  My friend Holly, who is a hair stylist did it for me and it looks great!  I'm going to have to get some super strong hairspray so I can poof it up a little bit. I've had long hair for four years now and It was time for a change.  Plus, I think this style makes me look a little more professional than my long curls did.

I hope Sean Likes my hair...He left Saturday and I cut it Sunday!  He'll get a big suprise when he gets home!  He's in Arizona until the beginning of March and I would update my little "sean map" but again I don't have a computer :)  He's up in Tucson today so say a little prayer.  His first check came in the mail today and it felt so good to depost it into the bank! 

Birdie slept with me last night, like right next to me and she kicked me in the back all night long..and she snored.  So I got very little sleep, but I'm glad she slept good.  Sometimes I swear she's human.

Anywho I hope you all have a great Monday, and I am having withdrawls from taking photos, but I haven't had any time!!  I dont' know what I'd do with them anyway beside keep them on my card.  Maybe by next week I'll have a computer and be able to post photos on my 365 page. 

Yay!

WOO HOO!!   Sean won $1400 at the Rodeo last week!!!  They just posted it on the website so we had to wait a grueling 4 days to see if he stayed in the money!  I'm so excited and so proud of him!!  Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers...keep on praying for his success...we need it to keep on staying afloat!!  Hopefully this is the start of more and more success!

Just when I think we aren't going to make is God gives us what we need to survive!  Good is good!

Valentine's Day Poem

Today for the first time I decided to participate in Mama Kat's Writers Workshop...



The Prompt today is write a poem to your lover, or something close to that.  So here goes.

Dear, Sean
I Had big plans for valentines day,
But you saddled up and went away.

To A rodeo you’d rather go.
Than sit with me at the movies on the font row!

So now Valentine’s Day with friends I will spend,
And we will hate on all you stupid Men!!

To be honest though, I’m sad to say,
I really, really hate Valentine’s day

I think its Made up by a Card Company,
So we spend all our hard earned money.

So this year no cards from you to me,
A check from the rodeo is what I want to see!

Love,

Who?

My husband has a mistress.


Yeah, I know it sucks. He's with her all the time, dreams about her, loves her, and I'm a little afraid he'd pick her over me. She gives him money sometimes, which in turn he gives to me. Those are the only times I like her. I know he loves me but she's so exciting and fun. He gives her that rush of adrenaline that I just can't give him.

Most of his friends are in love with her too...infact she's mistresses to a lot of them too. I'll never understand his love for her. I'll never understand why she's so irresistible and charming. I've seen her a few times, I guess I can see the appeal. She somehow holds a spell on my husband that I just can't break.

Sometimes, she really makes my husband feel like crap. That's when I hate her the most. She can be a witch like that sometimes and just take his money and throw it away and give nothing back. She makes me sick at my stomach some nights, yet Sean still loves her. And I don't think he'll ever quit seeing her for doing him wrong.

I'm extremely jealous of her. I wish he'd give me the time that he gives her. All of my hard earned money goes to her, which hopefully someday she'll pay us back. The bad thing is, I can't hate her like I want to. I can't punch her in the face or cuss her out for stealing my husband. I wish I could....

It would be much easier if his mistress was another woman... I could compete against that...but it's not..

 I'm competing with The Rodeo, and she's hard to beat.


 
 
 
 
 
 
* Disclaimer The "She" my husband is having an affair with in this post is "The Rodeo" incase you missed that one... 

Nerves

Sean's up in Ft Worth this morning sometime. He'll run his first steer before lunch. I'm not sure what time he goes but I just got this fluttering feeling in my stomach... like I get right before he runs his steer at the rodeo's I'm at. I wonder if that means he just ran his steer?! I'm loosing it obviously...

I've been fine all morning but now I'm nervous for him. I want him to succeed so bad. I've prayed for his success and his peace and clarity of mind, I've prayed all week long. Since I started reading the book I've been blogging about, I've been praying hard.

He's worked so hard the past month, working out every day, practicing every day, filming his practices so he can critique every run. I just hope he does good, if not this week then eventually. I know if this isn't what God wants him to do that God will help him find his way..its just that Steer Wrestling makes Sean so happy. I hope this is what he is called to do.

I forgot my Cell phone this morning so every time my office phone rings I think it's Sean, and of course it isn't. I need to take some valium or something..This is totally not normal to be so nervous about a silly rodeo! I need some chocolate..

Where's Sean

One of my many great Christmas Presents from my Mom was Photoshop Elements 8. I Love having it because I can do so much more with my photos!! Like my banner for instance...Photoshop. Now that my hubby is on the Rodeo trail I have much more free time to photoshop weird things like my head on supermodels bodies and stuff like that. One thing I'm going to add to my blog that I have photoshopped is  "Where's Sean" and with this little gadget I will let you know where Sean's rodeoing at, which I know is something you are all just going crazy wanting to know. 

Meet our Sean for this little game

 Hi Sean!

So anyway if you're still reading this and don't think I'm out of my mind.. this is kind of like Where's Waldo...  And were is Sean right now you ask??

 Stephenville TX!   And were will Sean be tomorrow??  WITH ME!! I'm so excited, he's decided to come home this week instead of waiting until the week after next, to spend a little time with me.   I think he misses me but don't tell him I told you that.  Then It's back to Texas, then on to Mississippi, Back to Texas, and then New Mexico.

Today he was in Odessa, we had no luck at Odessa, a broken barrier cost us a few thou but I'm going to stay positive and keep on praying that God's will is to let Sean be a Professional Rodeo Cowboy!

I know you're always dying to know where my husband is so now you can keep up with where Sean is on my sidebar to your Right.  I'll be updating it with where Sean is in the US because I have no life and I like to play with Photoshop.

Sean is going to be so embarrassed when he sees this...he thinks I'm blog crazy. 

Maybe I am.

Jenna T.

PB&J

For the past week I've been husbandless. Sean left last Saturday for awhile to go to a few rodeos. Jason, Sean's brother, has been helping me around the house and said he would sleep in our extra bedroom or on the couch if I got scared at night, which is really sweet of him. I'm taking two, two week classes for him to bring up his GPA so he was kind of guilted into being my slave. So far he's done my laundry, dishes, and some dusting! So far I've done about 10 quizzes and work sheets on Music and Sports Officiating (who knew that was a class?)

Yesterday Sean was up at Denver. He didn't do any good. He drew a bad steer that never left the chute, so he never had a chance at throwing the steer. I swear he has THE worst luck of anyone I've ever met! I used to be really lucky, but his unluckiness rubbed off onto me.

Last night he called and said they were leaving Denver and were trying to get to Amarillo by the morning because they had to get a saddle fitted for the horse they are riding and the saddle is in Amarillo. I almost laughed out loud and then started singing the George Strait song "Amarillo by morning" to Sean. After that, that song was stuck in my head all night. As I was bathing Birdie last night, singing that song over and over again in my head a few of the lyrics jumped out at me.. "I ain't rich, but Lord I'm free."

This may have been totally obvious to some people but I just realized that Sean is a "free spirit" of sorts. He doesn't like to be held in one place and he doesn't really like to be told what to do. He's a fly by the seat of your pants type of guy, he NEVER makes plans. He doesn't care about "things" and doesn't have to have a lot of possessions and is happy just being himself and rodeoing.

I on the other hand am exactly the opposite. I like structure. I have a planner that I keep daily and I HAVE to know what I'm doing ahead of time and I have to have plans. I like things, I like direction, and I like being told what to do, because then I don't have to make too many decisions. I want to have a 10 year plan and want to save for my future. Sean isn't worried about tomorrow.

So why did God bring us together? Two people who have nothing in common except hardheadedness. Why did he put us in this constant struggle of a marriage? I thought about it all night, I dwelt on it all morning, and then I realized... We're kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich...wait stay with me here.

I give Sean stability, he gives me excitement.  It would be hard to have just a jelly sandwich because the jelly would be too "exciting" or messy and the sandwich would fall apart.  Just a peanut butter sandwich would be way to "stable" or sticky to eat...just like a life of full stability would be to boring and would be no kind of life to live at all and a life of constant excitement would get unstable and unsafe. So I guess in my crazy mind, that is why God threw us together in life..to balance each other out.. and I guess that makes me Peanut Butter! 

p.s.  Keep us in your prayers!!  Being apart this long is hard and Sean really needs to win some money!!  He's in Odessa next Wednesday and Ft. Worth after that!!

Winner?

Well I wish I could Begin this post by saying that Everything worked in our Favor and Sean won another saddle, but sadly I can't.
Let me just give you a run down of what happened.

Sunday afternoon The rodeo began at 2.  The Steerwrestling was the second event after the Bareback riders.  Sean was third from last to go, so there were 12 guys in front of him.  When it was Sean's time to run his steer the fastest time so far had been a 4.2.  Sean had to be faster than a 4.2 to assure him money in the round, and money in the average, which would put him ahead of the guy that was Winning the year by about 500 dollars. 

It all came down to one run.  One nod of the head, one jump off the horse, one steer on the ground.  Sean backed into the box and I turned the video camera on.  I was shaking so hard the camera was shaking.  Sean had drawn the perfect steer.  This steer was the one he wanted and the one he knew he could be faster than a 4.2 on. 

Sean nodded, frosty took off, the gates flew open and Sean threw the steer in 3.3 seconds!  Then.. (cue sad music)  the line judge that checks the barrier threw his flag, meaning Sean had broken the barrier, he had left to early, about 6 inches to early, .1 second too early.  This added 10 seconds to Sean's time.  I saw the flag fall to the ground through the corner of camera screen.  My heart fell into my legs.  I got misty eyed and sick at my stomach.

I wanted to throw up.  Had Sean waited .1 second he would've been a 3.4 with no broken barrier, won $2,400, a saddle, and a buckle for winning the year, and a buckle for winning the round. 

I wanted to curl into a ball and cry.  I can't imagine what went through Sean's head. 

We really needed that money, but I guess God has other plans.  Sean was over it in about 20 minutes.  By the time I walked out to the truck he was over it.  I'm still not over it.  I'm still upset.  I wanted Sean to win, bad.  I'm mad a little bit.  Not at Sean, becuase I know he didn't do it purposely. I'm not really sure who I'm mad at, I guess I'm just mad at the whole situation.  He was worried about leaving the box late like he had the night before and just went to early this time.  The steer was supposed to leave faster than he had, he just didn't.  It just wasn't in the cards this time.

I asked Sean how he wasn't upset and he said, "That's the way rodeo goes.  There's always another Rodeo to win money at. You win some, you loose some." 
.....Sean should've married a less dramatic woman is all I can say.  I'm still pissed.

But on a good note we finished the Season with a total of $4,200 won through out the year in the UPRA finals a total of $6,290 in the ARA and $8,972.83 in the CRRA finals.  In reality Sean won about $10,000 this Rodeo Season. (some of the rodeos we went to were co-sponsored by the ARA & CRRA so you got money in both association for winning one rodeo)  Plus he also two saddles and two buckles.  If you consider all the money it takes to get to the rodeo and entry fees, I think it's safe to say we came out way ahead this season.     Not too shabby for amatuer rodeo if you ask me?  

Next step..Pro Rodeo. yikes!

Nerves

I think that I'm going to have a good long rest this winter after all these Rodeo Finals are over.  I've been so nervous these past few months with all the finals going on that I might have a heart attack.  Sean is 915 behind the guy in First place for the End of the Year Championship.  Last night he didn't place because he was a little bit late and had a long time of 5.6.  He is still sitting 4th in the Average but that doesn't pay but 500 and we need more than 915. 

The money would be really nice too if he'd win the round and place in the average, it would win us around 2000 or more.  I don't know if I can take the pressure.  I sure couldn't if I was in the rodeo.  I'm just glad Sean can handle it.  Let me just try to describe what it's like....

Today the rodeo is at 2:00 pm.  I woke up this morning with my heart fluttering, nervous already. I have such High hopes.  I dreamed about Sean winning the round, and winning the year end and another buckle and saddle.  I can't eat because my stomach is so nervous, but I have to act normal so my nerves don't make Sean nervous.  He's so close to capturing the title, so close to having a big payday.  The suspense is killing me.  I just want these next hour to fly by so we can hurry up and start the Rodeo.  I'm doing anything I can to keep my mind off how close we are to winning, and how close we are to loosing.  So I guess writing about it is not really taking my mind off of it.  It makes me feel better though.

I really just want to go shopping and have Sean just call me and tell me how he did.  I can't stand to watch.  Every time we're in a tight situation like we are in now I get sick when he backs into the box.  I really don't know how he does this.  Actually, I think this adrenaline rush is what is so addicting to him. 

It takes about 30 seconds between the time He starts by backing the horse into the box until the time it's all over.  Those thirty short seconds determine whether my heart drops into my stomach in disappointment or my eyes fill with tear of Joy for my husband and his win.   Those same 30 seconds determine whether we struggle to pay the bills for the next month or whether we've got it covered no problem. 

You'd think I'd be used to this by now...I'm not.  I guess I'm going to have to get used to it, because he wants to rodeo full time starting in January.  He and two other guys have the months of January and February planned full of Pro-Rodeos.  They start in Denver and stay west for a few weeks.

Great.  Why didn't I just marry a guy with a desk job?   Secretly... i wouldn't have it any other way than it is now..keeps me on my toes.

Good Luck Sean, You're a winner either way to me.   

Rodeo Weekend

Hello from Sulphur Springs TX!  Last night was Round one of the UFR (United Finals Rodeo)  It's wet and cold and miserable here, good thing the arena is indoors and heated!!  Sean entered into the finals in fourth place and after last night he is still sitting in fourth place but only by 10 bucks!!  He placed third in the round with a time of 4.5!!  Third one him $575 woo hoo I'm going shopping!!
He is now $915 behind first place but it's really anyone's game because the rounds are paying $1,200 and the average pays $2200!  Only eight guys out of the 15 in the finals caught their steers so Now Sean's only competeing against seven guys for the average!! 

Be thinking of us because We could really use the money!!  and I really want Sean to win the saddle!!  We only have on problem, Sean pulled or tore something in his Left Shoulder tuesday night at practice and is really in pain.  It's the opposite sholder of the one he uses to Steer Wrestle so that is good, but it's still keeping him from being %100. 

The lighting in this arena wasn't too hott.  I took some photos but not all of them turned out like I had hoped.  I was using my 400 zoom without a tripod so I think for what I was shooting with they turned out ok.  Tonight I'm going to use my 150 zoom lens that has a larger apeture so hopefully I can get better shots!!

Sean:

Wordless Wednesday

It's Wordless Wednesday! Head on over to 7 Clown Circus to see other Wordless Wednesday Posts!

Check out the cool shots of the Rough Stock riders I shot Saturday Night!



And then I was dragged to Hooters :) Becauses the chicken wings are delicious I was told...Riiiight.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This weekend MckMamma posted about her melting experience in the oven. I had a little "hot" experience myself but it included a spatula and my tongue..

I certainly did not taste the stir fry out of the skillet which was not on high on the burner 5 seconds before. I did not idiotically put it in my mouth after blowing on it twice..thinking that would cool it down. It most certainly did not burn my tongue and roof of my mouth and keep me from tasting the stir fry or anything else for that matter for the rest of the weekend. Sean informed me that the stir fry was the best he had tasted ever..wish I could have tasted my culinary masterpiece....

I did not become obsessed with taking pictures of bull riders this weekend at the rodeo finals and get some cool looking shots!

I did NOT get the crappiest photos of Sean Steer wrestling because ya know.. it's hard to take photos when you are trying to watch the action and make sure Sean makes a good run. It's just really hard to do. I'm sorry Sean, it's just hard. I totally did not forget to buy the photos of Sean bulldogging from the professional photographer while we were there ...I wouldn't forget to do something my husband asked me to do because He Never forgets to do things I ask, like taking out the trash for instance.

I did not have the best weekend ever and Did not Brag to everyone I know about my Husband and his accomplishments...I wouldn't brag..never!!!

Look!! The trees are starting to Change in Centrala Arkansas!! Wish I could figure out how to focus on the correct objects ..oh well! Have a great week!!

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Well Saturday Night Sean's time was a 5.1 which won him second in the Average just a half a second behind the average winner who just so happened to be Little Brother Jason! After it was all over Sean ended the year with a total of just under $9000.00 won, around $1800.00 in front of Chet, to make Sean the 2009 Steer Wrestling Champion!! Jason brought home $2300 which put him the third highest money winner of the year. He received buckle for winning the average! So the Thomas boys showed out this weekend!


I'm so lucky to have such a talented husband!! Next stop....Shreveport LA!

More info about this weekend to come!

Update

Update...

I'm doing this in a hurry because I don't have time, gotta get back to watching the Razorback game!! Go Hogs Go!!
Thank you to everyone who wished us good luck and said prayers and sent positive thoughts our way...It worked!!! Sean placed second in the round last night with another time of 4.1!!!! He is now $880 ahead of Chet and winning the average. Each round pays 800 to win so Chet could still pass Sean up tonight if Sean doesn't do good. Little brother split third and fourth in the round and is only .10th of a point behind Sean in the average so we have a little bit of sibling rivalry going on in our trailer. They are both talking so much smack to each other it's hilarious!! So keep us in your thoughts and prayers!!! I'm so nervous I can't think straight!!

Only in Arkansas

Well I've been quite a bit busy the past week. We've been getting ready for the CRRA (Cowboy Regional Rodeo Association) finals in Ft. Smith. Tonight was the first go round. But before we get into the rodeo...check out how much Birdie has grown!! She's looking more and more like a lab every day and less like a awkward puppy.I've probably explained this before, but for those of you who don't know, Sean has more money won than any other Steer Wrestler (bulldogger) than any other guy in the CRRA. He's ahead of Mr. Chet Woodall out of Oklahoma, by 200 dollars only!!! The year end winner wins a saddle, a buckle, and bragging rights, etc. Sean and Chet have been battling it out for a couple months now. Chet's been in the lead all year and Sean just passed him up a few weeks ago. It all comes down to who wins the most money at the finals.

Tonight was round one of three. They pay four places in the rounds and six places in the average of all three rounds. Sean, being number one, was last to go. This guy, in the picture below, number 15 in the standings, was first to go. He's gonna feel that tomorrow...

Little Brother Jason is sitting in fourth place in the year end standings. He showed out tonight throwing his steer down in 3.9 seconds winning second in the average, a guy in front of him was a 3.7. Chet was second to last, being second place in the standings. He had an awesome run, throwing his steer down in 4.1 seconds, making him third place for the night. Which would win him about 400 dollars and pushing him 200 dollars ahead of Sean, if Sean were to not place.

As Sean backed his horse Frosty into the box my heart started beating so fast I thought I was going to cry. I don't understand how he stays so calm. Maybe it's beer?? Ha! Seriously though, I wouldn't be able to stand the pressure, knowing I could win the year end saddle and buckle and I had to be better than a 4.1 to make sure I didn't loose the lead?...couldn't handle it... I would buckle under the pressure.

Sean nodded and the steer took off with Frosty close behind. Sean slid off the saddle beautifully and the slammed the steer down. It was fast, I knew it was fast. I was standing behind the boxes so I knew the barrier wasn't broken. All we had to do now was wait to hear his time. I couldn't help but pray, "please beat 4.1 please beat 4.1." I knew it was way faster than a 4.1...i just knew it! Except...I was wrong. His time..... 4.1. He had tied Chet.

I was so relieved that he had won the exact same amount of money as Chet had, and was still 200 in the lead for the year end. The only problem is...I have to go through all of this again tomorrow!
After watching the video we got a little sick at our stomachs. Sean had a late flag, which means the judge dropped the flag a split second later than he should have making his time longer than it should have been. The judge told Sean after his run, "Man, I had to flag you late because you're steer had a leg underneath him" (which is a rule in steer wrestling, all four feet must be showing) Sean thought as he left the arena that he had just been unlucky and hung a leg.
After watching the video...there was no hung leg. The judge had just miss-judged.
I've told you before, everything during a Steer Wrestling run must be perfect, the horse, the steer, the hazer, the bulldogger, the judge, the timer, everything!
We are a little disappointed that Sean didn't place ahead of Chet but We are just excited that he won his entry fees back so far and there are two more nights to go which means two more chances to Win the Saddle. Be thinking of us tomorrow night around 8:00, hopefully Sean's time is faster than anyone elses!!

PS.
After the Rodeo we went to Sonic and saw this at the drive through...


Only in Arkansas Right??We talked to the interesting Character while eating our dinner on the picnic tables. He's been riding across country on horseback since 2006!!! He's started in Nevada, went down to Tombstone, Down into Old Mexico, back to Oklahoma and onto Arkansas. They are doing a documentary on him, calling him on his cell phone every two weeks and meeting him to film. He was so cool, had all his belongings on the back of the horse, tent, fishing pole, etc. He's actually staying at the Arena next to us tonight in his tent, we are in the live-in quarters horse trailer.

Sean said he would love to do that, I'd love it too but said I'd have to be able to take along more stuff than he did. Sean laughed and said it would take 4 or 5 pack mules to carry my crap across country Which is SOOO not true...

It would take two or three.

Goodnight!! have a great Friday and I'll be posting updates on the CRRA Finals tomorrow night!!


Only in Arkansas Right (from my window on the interstate)

Hmm?

Any Questions?? Have any suggestions for a good Name for this semi-blurry Photo??

Wordless Wednesday

Today's Wordless Wednesday's Prompt is Fall. Since the Fall foliage hasn't hit us yet, I decided just to post some pictures of random people from this weekend at the rodeo. ...except for Sean in photo two..he's not random.







****Don't forget about my give away, Betty Crocker wants to give you some snacks!!! Click here to enter****

Rodeo Weekend

Well we had a Great Weekend had the Arkansas Rodeo Finals!! Sean ended the year in First place and won a Trophy Saddle and Buckle. I'm so proud of him! He placed second in the average at the finals and won one of the three rounds. Here is a picture of all the steer wrestlers in the Finals...they are all short and stocky...the typical build of the Steer Wrestler. ha!Thursday Night Sean was the last guy to run his steer. The time to beat was a 5.7. Sean completely showed off, throwing down his steer in 4.7 seconds, winning the round! I was super ticked because my camera died about 2 minutes before Sean's run..go figure..

Friday Night Sean drew a steer that was a very fast...and I mean fast.

Just FYI there are many many different factors in having a good run on a steer. The bulldogger has to be good, the horse has to be good, the hazing horse has to be good, and the steer HAS to be good. Other wise, things go wrong.

Sean's Steer was so fast that he didn't catch him until the very end of the pen making his time a long 8 seconds. This really disappointed Sean because it put him third in the average instead of first...the photo below really made me feel bad for him. You can tell he was a little sad.

Saturday Night Sean drew another sucky steer that almost tripped Frosty, his horse, but somehow Sean caught the steer and had another long time. His total time of all three nights was 22.3 which normally would be horrible, but because the Steers were bad he ended up second in the average. His spirits picked up on Saturday and his goofy self showed up during the awards ceremony. I asked him to take a picture with his buckle and to smile...

...this is what I got.

Then I told him to shut his mouth and smile and I got this....Finally he smiled. I swear...taking a picture of Sean with a normal smile on his face is like pulling teeth!
Here is Sean's Saddle. It's a really nice tooled Cactus Saddle.

Here's his new buckle. I already put it on his belt. Guess it won't be shiny for much longer after he steer wrestles in it a couple times!

We had a really great time hanging out at the Arkansas Finals Rodeo this year! Every night we hung out after the rodeo with everyone and they played guitars and talked about rodeo stories...which turned out to be quite interesting and quite hilarious. Well we're rodeo free until weekend after next where we will go to Ft Smith for the Regional Rodeo Finals (which includes mostly people from AR, OK, & part of TX.) Sean leads the year in the Regional Association by about 300.00 so he HAS to do really good in the finals to win the year and the saddle and buckle. So keep him in mind weekend after next!!