Just a little different than your average mama :)

Last friday I walked into the livestock center at BYUI to complete a task as the communications specialist for the the BYUI cattlemen's society. Normally when I am out there for a class I wear the regular blue jeans, button up shirt, and cowboy boots. This particular day I was dressed and ready for our co-ed basketball game later that night. This outfit entailed a gym shirt covered by a loose Nike hoodie, my school issued gym shorts, my pink Nike socks, and my blue vans. Every person that walked through that livestock center while I dealt with the department advisor as well as the department secretary looked at me like I was crazy.

This has occurred before. On days that I used to go long boarding with Robby and Luke before class, I would be in my chucks and my Neff beanie. Other times, I had just come from the mountain and was still in my snowboarding gear. There might have even been a time or two I showed up for class actually looking like a girl that didn't involve boots and a cowboy hat lol. Every time, I get this reaction out at the livestock center. They stare, they whisper to their friends, and deep down they question if I could possibly be in the right place.

Sometimes teacher's out there ask for a show of hands of who all has worked on a ranch, or had experience with cattle. I almost always get this strange look when they notice my hand is raised. Sometimes they even call on me to figure out how the girl in the skate shoes and weird hat could have possibly been around cows. They expect me to say something ridiculous, like that I pet one at a petting zoo once. My favorite is when I actually show up to class in cowgirl attire for the first few classes then one day I come in in a beanie and a burton jacket and they give me this look like they don't recognize who I am, "that crazy person hasn't been in my class this whole time right?"

Well let me tell you, I am in the right place. I am an animal science major with an emphasis in animal reproduction. I have gotten A's in all of my horse and cattle related classes and might be able to teach you a thing or two about the equine and bovine reproductive systems. I've worked on ranches, I have my own horses back home and ride any time I can. I am in the presidency of the cattlemen's society and have learned a lot so far. I love working with horses and cattle and although I may not have as much experience as those kids that grew up on their own family operations, I do have one thing, and that's passion for the lifestyle and all it entails.

You know what else, I am more than just a cowgirl and a student of animal science. I like a lot of things. I love the challenge and thrill that snowboarding and long boarding offer me. I love music. No, not just country, all kinds. I love to dance and can't help it sometimes when I am walking through the hart building and hear the zumba music blaring. I like sorting cows and competing in the ranch rodeo back home. I like sports and playing basketball and volleyball on campus. I actually like my animal reproduction classes and will miss them when I graduate in December. I like spending days with Robby and Berkley in the mountains on dirt bikes or 4 wheelers. I like sitting in a duck boat fishing for bass with my grandpa. I like being on my horse alone early in the morning. I like going to the movies and bowling with friends. I like going to rodeos and cowboy mounted shooting events. I like design and being able to create. I like running our new business and being my own boss. Most of all, I love being a mom. I love my daughter more than any of these things and would give it all up for her if I had to.

My point in all this is… why is it so hard to believe that my lifestyle could entail more than just one discipline? I have noticed this especially in the horse and cattle world. To these old school cowboys and buckaroos its do or die and there is no room for anything else. Well, ya know that might be true for you, but for me… I like my life the way it is. I like that I am crazy busy sometimes doing 100 different things. I like that I know a little bit about a lot of things versus being an absolute expert in one field. I like being a jack of all trades and a master of none. I like the fact that my husband isn't a cowboy, it doesn't tie me down to one certain lifestyle. Instead, he is like me and we both love a lot of different things. I love that about him, I can totally be myself, and he loves me for it. In some realms it seems this is frowned upon, but my question to you is why? Why is it so insane for me to have passion for more than one thing?

I am a mother, a wife, a snowboarder, a long boarder, a wakeboarder, a dirt biker, a camper, a fisher, a hunter, an artist, A DJ, an entrepreneur, a latter day saint, a writer, a blogger, a student (not only of animal science but also of life and the gospel), a cowgirl, a cattle enthusiast, a dancer, a designer, a skater, a sister, a daughter, a grand daughter, a leader, a coach, a friend, a screen printer, a team mate, a basketball/volleyball player….and much much more. I am proud of this and I can say that Robby and I will most likely raise some pretty diverse and well rounded kids. I think it's great that you have passion for something in your life, that's great and I am happy for you, but please don't judge me for having passion for a few more things than the average person. This is who I am; my life is happy and full and I wouldn't change a thing!