I have a child.

Well, actually three children, but "I have a child" adds a bit more drama to the introduction...I think.

This particular child has the ability to squeal with the decibel strength of a weanling pig! Earth shatterring notes that could deafen those already deaf! "Huh?"  Don't worry about it, let's just move on.

Said child is much like me in many ways. She's brunette, brown-eyed, and SHORT.

Unlike me, but rather more like her dad, she is ridiculously smart and craves attention.

The attention craving part is probably due more to her being a middle-child and forgive me but I've gotten way off-track here! Sorry.

Anyway, said kiddo has wanted a horse to ride since we made our big crazy move out to the country nearly four years ago.

We bought Bella aka Buggar Girl (Yes, that's the name on her papers) three years ago with hopes of her becomming our riding horse. Well, Bella is lame and a real stinker to boot. You would have to rope me and hog tie me before I would allow any of our kids to sit in the saddle of that accident waiting to happen.

So Bella of course is now no longer an option where riding is concerned for the Snider family. She's just a big fat quarter horse and three quarter grass bag walking the pasture. I don't mean to sound a little cynical there but the economy stinks right now and extra mouths to feed that aren't pullin their weight, tend to draw my ire.

Back to the short brunette that can squeal like a piglet.

She's begged us and I mean quite literally begged Tim and I for a horse that she can ride.

 She's cried herself to sleep many nights, repeating over and over, "I want a horse, I want a horse, I want a horse...."

She's promised everything within her capacity to promise that she will help take care of it.

 She's even worked at saving her money which is laughable because she's had to start over many times after blowing it on gum at Stuffmart.

So, we being the kindhearted and understanding parents that we are (SUCKERS), started looking for a bomb-proof pony for all the kids to be able to ride.

We've prayed about it and told the middle-child to do the same. 

Tim spotted a Welsh pony for sale on Craig's List. Nothing was said to the children but Tim called about it and then went to look at it. We discussed. The price was right. We discussed some more, but more importantly prayed the Lord's will in it all.

Nothing was still said to the kids and last Sunday on our way to evening church, we stopped and looked at the pony. The kids caught on and begged and pleaded but wonderfully Tim and I had already made up our minds and bought it. She's a beauty and we've already fallen in love with her, as much as you can love a horse anyway. We're praying that she'll be a blessing, that she will be that pet that the kids look back on with fond memories when they're older and tell their kids about someday.

Her name is Trixie and my little Lillie (middle child) heads out to her pen first thing every morning to pet her and tell her how much she's loved.

And somehow, in all of this horsey drama that has unfolded over the past months, a childhood love for horses has been awakened in myself.

Silly as it may sound, I'm looking forward to riding our fair little horse myself .

In all things give thanks!

Blessings, Julie