list of inspiring things, part 2.

sometimes i post lists of things i'm going to write about and then i never do. i never finished the last list i posted here.

moving right along.

i've discovered recently a familiar part of me that i didn't realize i missed. last week my workplace was closed for an extended labor day closure. i had the opportunity to make the most of that time away from the office, and enrolled in a 4-day intensive at the national school of academic equitation, where i've been taking weekly lessons since july. to say that i've found a long-lost part of myself again is putting it lightly. i've rediscovered something that i really, truly, and honestly love. and it feels really good to work really hard at something you feel that way about. for the last few years i've been telling myself and others that i have yet to put my finger on that one thing that i would love to do (and "do" as in a forever sort of thing, like a lifelong pursuit). i've found that there is something i feel that way about... and it's not new, i just haven't given it any attention in a long time. when the mister nudged me to give it a try again and pay it a little attention (he tends to always nudge me towards the right things), i started experiencing some really emotional things. things that could only be described with super-overused words and phrases like " totally love it," "passionate about it," "makes me feel alive again," "it's my favorite," "it feels fulfilling."

i didn't realize how much i was missing this until i was experiencing it again... and let me tell you, i've never experienced it in this way before. "it" is this surreal connection and interaction with the horse underneath you, the horse you're standing beside, the horse you're trying to catch in the paddock who more accurately catches you by the way he plays with the velcro cuffs on your jacket and nuzzles your pockets where the carrots are kept... the horse who responds better to the slightest sensation on the rein than he would to a strong squeeze of the leg.

the mister and i have been having ongoing conversations lately regarding our story. what do we want our story to be about? what is our story now? do we want it to be this kind of story, or do we want to add or change elements to make it a better one - one we are more intentional about? what story do we want to live our for our littles someday? what do we want them to see in us? will we be able to show them how to live an epic story? we want this story to be full of the evidences of the way God has worked in our hearts and lives and changed us, the ways HE continues to change us, and we want it to have parts where we jumped off ledges and trusted HIS goodness and went off the beaten path. our story needs to have more elements of the things we're passionate about.

i've discovered recently that i want horses & riding & training to be a big part of my story; and matt wants that to be part of his. so it's going to be part of our story. it's going to play a bigger and bigger role as i learn how to integrate it in the best way for our story.

just between you and me, it's feeling like it could be one of the best parts.