2008 year in review

Need a taste of what 2008 looked like for me? Here's some photographic evidence.

This is Eric and I the day we became engaged (April 5, 2008). We spent the day touring the South Saint Paul Stockyards (before they closed for good April 11, 2008). Then to Paul's Cathedral in St. Paul. Eric topped it off with a walk around Lake Nokomis (Minneapolis) where he proposed next to a frozen lake looking at the downtown skylight.

Here I am at my first road race, May 10. I ran a 10K (first race ever!) and placed third in my age division (earning this medal). I wore the medal all day, even to downtown where we celebrated with the Hilton family.

Here's my nephew, Carter Jace. We're up at the farm and I'm sure I'm tickling him. C.J., as we call him, just turned 2!

Eric's first visit to Duluth was when I ran the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. We enjoyed a nice Friday afternoon on the shore of Lake Superior, and snapped this photo when the wind wasn't whipping.
By the time I saw their faces, I needed a whole lot of "cheering on!"
My "SuperFans" Doc and Deutsch - cheering me on the last 100 ft. of the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon. It was fun that Eric and Becky could be there, and my mom and dad came, too!

Eric and I like the Twins and going to baseball games! Here's a shot of us "haming it up" during our "Parents Weekend."

C.J. and my brother Jason are pictured above. It was an entire family outing to the Minnesota Twins game when both my family and Eric's family met. Joining us for the day were Jack and Mary Burt (my parents), Jason, Mandy and Carter Burt (brother, sister-in-law, nephew), Susie Mousel (Eric's mom), Stephanie Mousel (Eric's sister), Eric and I. Quite a crew! Unfortunately, the Twins lost, and Eric has been banned from the Metrodome because they just don't win when he's in the stadium.

Here's Eric's mom, Susie, and sister, Stephanie, with us at Minnehaha Falls. We had the opportunity to host them in Minneapolis so our families could meet. It sure was nice being able to play host in such a park-friendly environment.

Happy Fourth of July! This photo was taken in Miller, SD, where we drove the pick/float for Eric's friend Roger Gerdes. On the actual holiday, we did some major landscape work in Eric's backyard, not limited to: landscape tiles, landscaping timber, edging and a pond.

Here's a glimpse of my "Ribbon Quilt" I made for my parents. It encompassed cattle-showing ribbons from 20 years, and photos. I entered it in the Itasca County Fair and took home a blue ribbon (although they forgot to put it on the wall-hanging, so I felt like a loser the entire fair).

Here's what it looks like when you get kicked in the face while clipping a heifer. :( I was helping our 4-Hers get heifers ready for their first show (July 11) when one of them tapped me in the melon. I ended up buying all the fabric for my wedding dress the next day - and got some strange looks. Surprisingly, I held my tongue when this happened. Can you believe it?

Here's one of my favorite picture of Eric. It's August and we're at the North St. Louis County Fair - and it's his birthday. We celebrated with an ice cream cake after the cattle show. I look forward to many years planning next to my man. Although we aren't planning in the picture - I'm seeing how good he can show a heifer.

Here I am asleep in the straw at the North St. Louis County Fair (Chisholm, MN). I was so pooped! Next to me is Angel, a heifer calf that was "Reserve Division" at the MN State Fair. She's a honey!
Sid Bowman and I after a day of wet motorcycle riding. Becky Deutsch was Sid's passenger. Did I mention I really enjoy riding bike?

C.J. and I playing at his house in October. He looks so excited because Becky Deutsch is across from him and we're playing with his toys (and both his grandmas are there, too).

Activist

I'm not sure why, but I cringe at the word "activist." Perhaps it's because each day in the U.S., I feel a silent attack from the growing number of animal activists who want to tell me exactly how I should run my business. While I wasn't old enough to know what it felt like during the Cold War, I'm guessing this is a similar feeling.

Or perhaps it's because to be an "activist" you have to be really passionate. You have to be unabashedly afraid to stand up and tell other people (complete strangers) that this product/idea/issue is important to you. And you have to back it up with examples (and, facts - but not everyone follows that logical thought pattern).

It could be my Norwegian upbringing (where we'd rather not cause a fuss and prefer to sit in the back of the church). Or maybe its the result of being spoon-fed "culturalism" and "diversity" in the educational system.

Regardless of how I feel about the term "activist," I am one. And you should be too. I'm a beef activist. I'm a farm activist. I have stood up for raising livestock and the rural family lifestyle since before I knew what the term "activist" meant. It's my passion, and I've told complete strangers sitting next to me on an airplane about growing up on a farm and raising beef cattle. Women's bible studies will never be the same now that they know they've got an accessible "meat-guru" they can turn to. Wondering what to grill tonight? I've got a suggestion. Beef. Whether I raised it, or someone in central Kansas did, I know they put the same diligence in producing the product that I did - maybe even more.

So are you a beef activist? Maybe it's time to start professing what you are. Don't delay. Activists have more power that you think. Read more, here.

A new role model

It's Minnesota State Fair time - the great state get-together. I have so many wonderful thoughts, memories and experiences from the fair, I wish I had time to blog them all. But this one just melts my heart.

Today, I read about Martha Olson, founder of "Sweet Martha's Cookies" which has been a staple at the MN State Fair for 30 years. Wow - she is my new role model. I thought I liked to bake, but that's nothing compared to this gem. Here's a brief look at the numbers:

Years selling cookies at the State Fair: 30

First-year oven capacity: 200 cookies in 12 minutes.

Current oven capacity: 22,000 cookies in 12 minutes.

State Fair booths: Two

State Fair staff: 320

Output during last year's fair: 10 million cookies

You can read more about "Sweet Martha" in the Minneapolis Star Tribune here.

So - who's your role model? Anyone you aspire to be like?

Love

How to tell if you are in love:
You drive 3 hours to spend 2 hours of time together - and not just quality alone time, but sharing it with family.

Difficult conversation

Here's just a snippet of how God worked in my life today. Eric and I became engaged on April 5, 2008. Very exciting! I waited one week to tell the news to my coworkers because I wasn't sure how to handle the news. You see, Eric lives in another town (Brookings, SD) and we've had a long-distance relationship. Marriage means someone would be moving. So we waited a week to have our plan of attack.

Since April, we've had a wedding date in mind, and begun exploring it. The last few weeks its been on my heart to sit down and talk with my boss about my future plans. It's not as easy as saying, "I'm quitting my job!" because I love this job. Yes, it's my dream job. And Eric is working at his dream job too. So one of us would have to give it up to be with the other. I determined a long time ago that I would leave my job because living without Eric in my life, isn't really life at all.

This week, I determined I needed to talk to my boss about my plans. Friends told me not to share my news with anyone at work because they would immediately replace me. I didn't feel that would be the case, but still, I waited. I've really begun praying about this conversation, and infact, said a few prayers this morning about it! So it surprised me when my boss happened by my office and asked me if I had plans for lunch. This isn't a regular occurence, and I can count on one hand the number of times he and I have gone out to eat alone. This happenstance, as some may view it, made my heart jump into my throat - I knew I had a unique opportunity to share my plans, but I didn't to talk about it.

So we had lunch. And I told him that Eric and I had set a date (May 1, 2009 for all those interested). And that I planned to move to Brookings once we're married. And that I'd be open to options about keeping my job, because hey - I love my job.

And my boss is very happy for me. He always has been. I'm very lucky to have such an understanding boss (and talented, to boot!). I'm just feeling exposed, and vulnerable. It was the most difficult discussion I've ever had.

Been a while...

And it's because I've been totally slacking. I enjoyed my last post about the Lyndale Ave. doe - in fact, it reminded me that I haven't been jogging for a while. That's because on June 21, I completed my first half-marathon (Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon) in conjunction with Grandma's Marathond in Duluth, MN. Great time - I met my goal of finishing in under 2 hours.

Official stats:
8:35 minute/mile pace
1 hour, 50 minutes and 4 seconds, start-to-finish
328th - my placing by sex (out of 3,016 ladies)
1,137 placing overall

And today...

I saw the Lyndale Ave. doe's fawn on my morning run!

That deer in the headlight look

I think I know the full meaning of "that deer in the headlight look." Oh sure, I've traveled enough to ambush many unsuspecting wildlife attempting to cross man's civilization, but last night's event tops them all.

It was raining in the Metro area. Enough so that softball was cancelled (boo-hiss!) and everyone made plans to stay snuggly and dry inside. Not me. I made sure to get my 5-mile run in for the day. Donning a neon green shirt, blue shorts and cap, I hit the door. It was only raining softly.

A few weeks back (see my last post), I had encountered a deer grazing near an apartment complex along South Lyndale. Well, as I neared the end of Lyndale, heading down a great big hill that separate's Missisippi's flood plain from development, out popped this beautiful doe. She was easy to see among the brilliant green leaves and slightly damp, heavy air - plus she was reddish-brown, more like Red Angus than doe-skin. It look my breath away.

The doe was crossing from one side of the road to the other (closer to I-35W, the poor beast!). It bounded out of the wood with a mission, but came to an abrupt stop as it saw me panting my way down the hill. She turned to retreat, but stood long enough to try and figure out what I was. We got within 10 feet of each other, each locked in a calming staredown. She leapt back into the wood, took two or three steps, and paused to look at me once more.

By the time I reached my turnaround (when I hit the river), I was silently thanking God for the beautiful and unexpected gifts he gives me. Just outside my window as I type this, a small bird came and sat on the ledge, twittering and peering in on me. It's so good to be alive and to be sensitive to the smallest of details.

Wow - wildlife!

Marathon training - correction, half marathon training continues. It's Tuesday, and I've already logged 21 miles (10 Sunday, 5 Monday, 6 this morning...)! And let me tell you, this week, even the wildlife are supporting me.

It began in Brookings, SD, where I tackled a new trail for the 10-mile effort. Basically, I got on the bike path and followed faded chalk markers from the Brookings Marathon (held May 10). Along my way, you wouldn't believe how many cottontail rabbits I saw - at least a dozen - and one that even wanted to race me. I knew about the cotton-tail plague in Brookings (hence South Dakota State University's mascot, the jackrabbit), so this didn't phase me. Later during my run, two ducks were getting "friendly" in a pond, if you know what I mean. It didn't matter what the wildlife were doing - the weather was fabulous, and no wind.

On Monday after work, I hit my favorite lake to run, Lake Nokomis (side note, this is where my fiance proposed to me!). It was a gloomy run, meaning the park was almost all but deserted - just the way I like it, except for the absence of dogs - I love running their for all the interesting combinations of canines I spot. But on my jog, I ran into a most likely creature - a painted turtle, just hanging out by a garbage can. I couldn't stop grinning after seeing that rascal. Coincidentally, he popped his head into his home at the sound of my labor breathing!

To top it all off, this morning was another gloomy run. On my way to the Mississippi Landing on S. Lyndale avenue, I surprised not only myself, but a white-tail deer nibbling on tender blades of grass at an apartment complex. Holy cow, of all things to see in Bloomington, MN, I didn't expect to see white tailed deer! Perhaps I should reconsider hunting on the family farm and set up a stand on Lyndale...

Pioneer woman

My mom never ceases to amaze me. She grew up living in town and fell in love with a man who loved living on the farm. The farm way of life suits my mom - except when it comes to working cows. Growing up, my mom had the honored job of watching the gate while dad and I would sort off cows. That was 20 years ago. And while we still have her watch the gate from time to time, she's become an integral cog in our operation's wheel. At a time when we are celebrating high school and college graduations, I'd like to pause and celebrate my mom's graduation to: pioneer woman.

Let's set the record straight. Our farm would be a disaster if it weren't for my mom. She keeps food in the house, floors swept, and papers piled. She keeps track where we stash the tattoo digits and Estrus Alert patches we only need once a year. And she also manages the unsightly mitten/hat/glove box - a feat no ordinary woman can do. Outside of the house, she mows lawn, pulls weed and burns - you could say yardwork for my mom is like what snowboarding is for me - therapy. Mom's goals this year include demolishing a building, cleaning up all the scrap metal (and splitting profits with Becky Deutsch) and painting the bunkhouse.

But last night, Mom went through graduation. She, along with Dad and Becky learned how to insert CIDRs (pronounced "cedars," like the trees). Never in a million years did I image my mom getting this up close and personal with cows we were synchronizing. But she did. And I love her all the more because of it. Congratulations Mary - you have just graduated from City-Slicker High and are ready for Moo U!

Cries of spring

Hark! Spring has sprung in the Twin Cities area, and it seems to have completely taken me by surprise. I have been looking for signs during my jogging escapades these last few weeks, but now it seems like spring has sprung on me! Here's the rundown of what I saw Thursday, May 8 on my first-ever run along Minnehaha Parkway:

1. Daffodils and tulips growing along Minnehaha creek.
2. A bleeding heart in full bloom growing amongst the cracks of a stone bridge.
3. Ducks, ducks and more ducks! These fellas had deer-hunter orange feet and handsome mallard heads.
4. Road construction on the I-35W overpass, which shut down the sidewalk for bikers.
5. Fruit trees in early spring blossom - both white and pink.

Running along Minnehaha creek from Lake Nokomis to Lake Harriet was amazing. The bike and walk paths weave along both sides of this little spring and even under/over exisiting roadways. Very neat. The trails through here don't exploit you to public roadways, but shelter you from them. It's a place where the wildlife doesn't sit quietly, but run along side of you, along paths and from tree branch to tree branch. Except for the multipe road-way crossings, you wouldn't believe you were in the Twin Cities. Great place to train - folks call it "The Parkway."

10 Hens & A Tom

My brother, bless his heart, is a last-minute kind of a guy. He calls Monday afternoon, "Alaina, can you do me a big favor?" Ok, I respond, somewhat hesitantly. "Can you watch C.J. tomorrow so I can take Mandy out for her birthday?"

Yes - this is not a problem. Mentally I flip through my schedule for Tuesday - run and softball practice. I was secretly hoping he'd say, "I'm making dinner, come on over!" So I cancel out on softball and decide to run my 4.5 mile hill-workout before work. That means getting up at 5:30 a.m., driving to the area with a nice hill to work out on, and getting back home in time to shower and go to work.

Surprisingly, I woke up Tuesday morning and tackled this challenge. It's a bit scary running along the Mississippi River in pre-dawn light. At every creak in the trees and rustle of leaves I thought it was some wayward soul coming after me. I didn't see a soul for 45 minutes - but what I did encounter was truly magical.

My first spectator was a Minnesota loon swiming quietly along the banks of the Mississippi. Then there were the big, fat red-breasted robins, annoying white seagull birds, and a "herd" of ducks. On the second half of my workout I saw a serene blue heron and a swimming otter, or was it a beaver, in the lake? But my biggest group of fans were the 10 hens and a tom.

As I made my loop around the park, I committed myself to doing my last "hill-work out" (running up the hill at full speed, over the top, to build endurance) by the marina - a formidable incline for this novice runner, and about 0.2 miles long. As I started up the hill, I saw a second diverent path that followed along the river. On that path, I thought there were bird-like statues guarding the entrance for motorized vehicles - how clever, I chuckled to myself. But I was wrong. As I got closer, I realized these were real life birds - turkeys!

My fiance tells are great story about turkey hunting and calling in big Toms. So, I gave it a try as I jogged by. *blolololololgh!* The turkeys cocked their head sideways at me. I called again. *BLOLOGLOGLOGH!* They didn't even skitter away, I was just as out of place to them as they were to me. But oh, the giggle I got seeing those unsuspecting visitors.

It was well worth getting up early and working out so I could watch my nephew, Carter Jace. He's able to jump now, and babble some coherent words. But watch out, when you ask for a kiss, he only puckers up and plants one on your lips (not your cheek!).

Sorry for the absence of blogposts... major life changes taking place... expect more details in the next week.

$5/hr. stress relief

I just couldn't bear it anymore. The Twin Cities got hit with about 12 in. of snow over Easter, and it didn't melt. Come Monday, I was sitting in my office perplexed as to why I couldn't get motivated to write and overall feeling helpless. So I took the afternoon off from work and visited Afton Alps - stress relief for only $5/hr.

The weather was nice, about 40, but there was a brisk wind that nipped you while riding the lift. I spent my time in the Highlands, a sweet part of Afton that has a culvert-style tunnel, rollers and plenty of open country to experiement with jumps, 360s and speed. In places the snow was courduroy, perfect for me to work on my carving. I described the snow as butter, soft and easy to carve, which gave me a great deal of confidence in my snowboarding ability. In some places the snow was so soft that I couldn't turn.

While working on my 360s (effective edges) I fell into 3-4-in. of "slush" just like a snow cone. At times I tried to jib - getting up a birch tree near a lift in the back - but failed miserably and didn't leave the snow. You know you're having a good time when you faceplant right in front of the chairlift. Or when the liftie asks you if you have dinner plans (response, "Haven't even thought that far ahead, thanks, but no thanks.").

One query I have: What stunts can be pulled on the lip? I made many good approachs, but didn't know what to do when I got there. I think some of my stunts could have been classified as Ollies, but having no verifiable witness except the liftie watching me, I can't be 100% sure. If it sounds like I'm progressing in the world of boarding, don't jump to conclusions - I'm still doing speed checks before jumps and rollers - lest someone call me a poser. No - yesterday was a true day of just working on my skills in hopes to be better.

If you can't follow the terms (highlighted in "calf scours" color), I sugget you brush up on your lingo by clicking here.

Personal highlight and future snowboarding tip: Bring along an index card with a meaningful scripture verse you'd like to memorize. I brought 1 Peter 5:6-9 with me and have it down pat.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's might hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that your brothers throughout the world and undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

A spring thing

This morning I got up early to workout. And what to my wandering eye should appear? Four inches of snow - wet and near. Yah! It snowed! Not a typicaly response for March 21 - the second official day of Spring. But in Minnesota, March will play tricks on you - yes, it's a month of endless teases.

Years back, I probably would not have cheered - I would have looked glum...fearing another indoor softball practice. But now I give a shout of joy because it means there's one more flicker of hope for me to go snowboarding one more time. Of course, I go 'round-n-'round in endless debate about, "Should I go if I don't have any friends to board with?" It seems snowboarding, like any activity, is so much more enjoyable if you can share it with others.

So here I sit, staring out at the pure, white, wet snow thinking about how I could be carving turns, falling in unique ways and praising God all at the same time. Someone asked me where I'd rank (scale, one to 10) on my longing to go snowboarding today... and today, I'm a seven.

Calvin' time

The snow is beginning to recede in Northern Minnesota, giving way to wet, squishy sod. My father and I yearn for the moisture, recognizing its role in securing a healthy stand of grass for both cows and winter feed. However, we're cautious - because we don't want mud. No, mud is likely to swallow you up, dirty the landscape, and more than once we've come right out of our boot in an attempt to get someplace too quickly.

Mud makes us slow down. That's probably why we don't care for it much. But we also don't like mud because of these newborn babes. A temperature hovering around 30º F is ideal.

I found a great poem that encapsulates the way I feel towards calving - probably the most exciting time on our farm next to "breeding" season (which I enjoy because of all the crazy jokes, stories and metaphors I come up with). It's called "Calvin' Time," by Joe Kreger. Just a snippet of it here to pique your interests:

"Sometimes, I just like to stop
and lean back on ol' Buck's rump,
watchin' all those baby calves,
as they buck and butt and jump"

Which Fraggle Rock character are you?

Have you ever seen Expedia's traveling gnome in its advertisements? Pretty clever. While browsing through some random travel photos from a friend, it made me think of that gnome. Beautiful, exotic places that seem so different than what's outside of our drab windows. It was a nice humor-break.

If you're looking for a humor break, might I suggest this quiz: Which Fraggle Rock character are you? It's hilarious. If you remember Fraggle Rock you were most likely born in the late 70s to early 80s. I scored as Traveling Matt Fraggle. Here what it had to say about that explorer:

You left everything you knew in Fraggle Rock to begin the exploration of the last great frontier of Fraggledom Outer Space. You send postcards back to your nephew in the Rock from time to time to impart your wisdom to him in hopes that the brave service to all Fragglekind will be beneficial to those who need it. You're not sure that you want to come back home because the world of the Silly Creatures is very interesting, but your homesickness shows through in almost every postcard you write.

So - what kind of Fraggle are you?

Joy in confessing?

Driving home late last night, I phoned two friends. The first my boyfriend, Eric, the second, my best friend Becky. I was calling to confess - I was in the wrong place, with the wrong people and I had violated trust and liberty given to me.

Before calling, I was wrestling with my options before God.

• Option #1: Confess to God, don't tell anyone else of my goof-up.
  
• Option #2: Confess to God, tell best-friend.
  
• Option #3: Confess to God, boyfriend and best friend.
  

I chose Option #3. In that decision making process, I didn't have a hard time telling God what I'd done wrong. It didn't cause me any particular grievance or pain because, hey, the bible tells me God forgives. It was the other two I was worried about - maybe they wouldn't forgive.

It's hard to tell people you messed up. It's difficult to get down on your knees and tell them the truth, the cold, sometimes painful truth. It's even more scary holding out for the other person's response. But yet, there's joy in it. Instead of hiding behind sarcasm and lies, you step out into the light. At first it's cold, lonely and all-to revealing being in the light. But eventually it warms you.

And that's where I am this morning - anticipating the warmth of truth all the while not trying to listen to the "You're not worthy" comments flooding my brain. Any offers of hope or related stories?

Welcome world!

As I type, it's nearing 50º F outside. Wonderful. I'm plotting my first outdoor run of the season this afternoon with running mate, Brent. We're training for the Garry Bjorklund's Half Marathon (run in conjunction with Grandma's Marathon, Duluth, MN). The 13.1 mile trek doesn't seem that formiddable, until you learn that I have an aversion to running.

Ok, maybe not aversion. I just don't see the point in running unless there's something to chase. For instance, I have no problem kicking up my heels to skirt in a wayward calf at the farm. Nor do I get winded rounding first base looking for second. But there's a reason and a purpose for running then ... on your own it pits YOU vs. EVERYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO DO. It leaves me wondering which is strong, "My mind, or my will?"

Tonight I hope to continue Day 2 of training... 2 miles!