This fall marks the 10-year anniversary of a pretty important decision I made.
In August 2003, I made the move from Alberta farm girl to Kansas college student and livestock judging team member.
I wasn't sure what the end goal was, but I knew that if I wanted to get on the right path I had to get to the Midwest. Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, seemed like the perfect fit. I had a student visa, scholarship, three bags of clothes, no car, and hadn't met any of my soon to be new friends and teammates. It was exciting and scary. However, if I hadn't taken that leap of faith there is no way I would have ended up here.
Two years of college at Butler and another two and half years at Kansa State University meant a lot of adjustment, growing up, friendships and heart break, however I knew the entire time I was right where I was supposed to be.
It isn't easy leaving your family behind in Canada, and I know it wasn't easy on them knowing that I probably wasn't coming home. However, the opportunities down here were so much greater and bigger. My experiences in Canada had prepared me for the opportunities that United States was giving me.
During the past 10 years I watched things moving forward at home without me, relationships with old friends changed, and there were new people filling the roles that I once had. But I knew that I was in the right place because what I was experiencing "down here" were things I couldn't get at home.
I had seen vineyards in California, gone skiing in Telluride, seen the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, saw the White House and President Eisenhowe's home and farm, was an official photographer at the World Dairy Expo, went to Disneyland and Universal Studios, I've been to more college football games than I can count, got to go shopping on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, seen cotton and tobacco fields in Alabama, my name has appeared in stories or author of stories in numerous national livestock magazine and newspapers, I spent New Years Eve in Nashville, made new best friends, watch Garth Brooks in concert and learned what Red Dirt music is all about, I seen the Alamo and drank a margarita on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, I've been to every major livestock show.
I got to work for the largest cattle breed association in the United States, I can call some of the most respected cattlemen in the country my friends, I've traveled 26 different states, and have an amazing job with a company that gives back to agriculture everyday.
I got to work for the largest cattle breed association in the United States, I can call some of the most respected cattlemen in the country my friends, I've traveled 26 different states, and have an amazing job with a company that gives back to agriculture everyday.
Life has been really good.
One thing I like to remind people is that I am not the only one who has had all these opportunities. I am not unique. I however did decide to use my talents and take advantage of what was out there.
And then I met my husband. We met in January 2009, got married in April 2011, and bought our first farm and home in July 2013. If I hadn't left Canada 10 years ago I wouldn't have found him. And he is the best thing about my life.
So here is to another 10 years. There are things I want to achieve, and there will be other obstacles and opportunities that will pop up along the way. The only thing I do know is this is where I need to be to start on the next path.
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