Cowgirls Don't Cry...(we'll sometimes!)

It's all about the pictures, that's my motto. We put our first and only born child in harms way just for the pictures. When Mollie asked to do the Mutton Bustin' at the State Fair, is surprised us. I was secretly excited because I knew the pictures would be priceless but was nervous (I didn't let her know!) because I knew she would get hurt. We told her she would fall off but it was no big deal (that was our story and we were sticking to it!). I signed the release form in case she was killed by a runaway sheep and Daddy took her to wait in line. Meanwhile, I stood in the arena cheering her on with camera in hand and a pit in my stomach! Jerry later told me that after watching several other kids crash, burn and then cry, that she said she changed her mind. He had already put her on the "lambie" as he called it and said it would be fine (so much for protecting our child!)and they opened the gate. The sheep took off, (these sheep were fast, they were on a mission, no lollygagging around here...note the look of terror on her face and the wind in her hair in pic 2!) she held on for dear life and the look on her face was hysterical! (click on the pictures for a close up, it will brighten your day!) She hit her knee on the gate on the way out and held on as long as she could. I was proud, she made it halfway across the arena before she hit the dirt. I was whooping and hollering and she sat there and cried. Dad, who had been running after the sheep, scooped her up, dusted her off and the crying was over in a minute or two. I was glad there were no major injuries and proud that she had the gumption to go through with it. Later, at the midway, she kept telling kids in line about her riding the sheep. She was proud of herself but when we asked if she wanted to do it again she said, "No!" Maybe next year!