Well, this could take a while, as I have much I need to say.

I believe I should start with last Tuesday. I was having a less-than-amazing riding lesson. The horse I had, for the third time in a row, would not move hardly at all. I only got him this time because I was going to get spurs prior to that lessson. This particular horse would have responded then. Anyway, I was just sort of sitting there. Admiring the view. I mean what else is there to do when the horse WON'T STINKIN' MOVE!!! I'm usually a pretty good rider (explanation later) Macy, the daughter of the owner of the ranch (I think she's 15) comes up and starts slapping the horse across the rear with a stiff braided rope. He gets mad and starts bucking and I bite the dust (literally).  This is not to suggest that I was so incompetent as to just fall off at the first sign of a struggle. I tend to have a pretty good seat. I dare any English rider at my level to try and do better. (Sam, this was not meant to be mean. You're above my level and this horse was MAD!!!!!!!!! But Western riders are supposed to be able to ride a bucking horse and if I couln't do it, then... WELL! <----- SARCASM!) Anyhoo, I fell on my wrist and sprained it pretty bad. It took like two whole days for it to pretty much stop hurting. <------ SARCASM AGAIN! (I tend to be a quick healer) So, I'm all better now, a week and a half later. This previous Tuesday (being the day two days prior to today, yesterday's yesterday) I had another lesson. This one was infinitely better! I rode a horse named Spencer, who I've had prior experience with. He is so much smoother and much much calmer. AND OBEDIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was learning how to do turnbacks. I don't know if any of y'all know those. If not, it is when you lope (canter) at high speed along a fence and then stop suddenly and spin into the fence and take off the other direction at top speed. I got to be fairly proficient at that and then Macy asked me if I wanted to go and watch one of the ranch sorting (a cattle working sport) lessons. So we did. After we had finished and I hadfinished unsaddling him (actually she helped for the sake of time. Usually I do it alone) she offered again that I could start doing the ranch sorting anytime I wanted to. So natuarally said.......... I you think I said "yes" you are terribly wrong. I do not trust my skills that much yet. And thats what I said, that I don't think I'm good enough yet. She said that I was more than ready. She said there were riders there that were as good as me that they don't let halter, saddle, or wash the horses alone like I do. So, I said another week or two of normal lessons and then I'll start on the cattle!!!

Next, and probably more important right now is the fact that I am no longer in my enemy state. I'm in a motel room in Grove City, Pennsylvania right now. I took a tour of a college in Cedarville, Ohio earlier today and was extremely impressed. If I decide that I am ready to leave my family, then that is most likely where i will go to college. I have decided that Ohio is the most beautiful place I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!! Ohio has this stuff the call grass. I have heard that California is supposed to have it to, but all I see is dry stuff and dirt. they have trees that actually change colors in the fall and show signs of being green when not red, orange, yellow or bare. In California the trees are brown, with the occasional black mixed in from our friends the giant wildfires. So, the school, Cedarville University, was amazing! I reccomend it to anyone looking for a Christian college. I would already have officially chosen it except that I'm still a little nervous about the idea of living across the country from my family with no one I know out here. A couple hours from my house in CA is a school called The Master's College. It is also an amazing Christian college. I will be visiting next week. I actually do know a couple of peoiple there. (Sam you may remember Jess and Melissa Arnds from youth group in the church back in CA. I'm sorry if i only address you in these, but I think you're the only one who reads my blog) But, if God shows me that I'm ready to leave home, I think I will be in Cedarville, Ohio. I already met the man who would be my advisor there. He heads up the History and Government department and is the advisor for the people who want to major in one of those areas. I want to major in history, so this is where I would fit. I'm visiting Grove City college tommorow. I'm not really interested in it, but I said such to late, so we had to come or we would hav4e lost the deposit on this amazing <-----MORE SARCASM! motel room. I wish I had voiced my indifference to this college earlier, we could have gone to the Creation Museum or the air force museum instead. Actually, the inn we were in last night in Cedarville was incredible. It was like a motel, except it was run by Christians and was themed in the era of the American Civil War (one of my 6 favorite wars)  It was so beautiful! No words can describe it.

Well, that's enough for now.

Brett