a glimpse .

hi. 

june 14 - ms. katie and ms. jenna went to silver dollar city. i didn't feel like spending the money + i don't love roller coasters. i went to crystal bridges and walked through the art museum.. so many styles of art... then i went to a new location of airship coffee..stopped and got some things for making paper.. then home, where i made myself some supper, did a quick workout, and took a hot bath..

june 15 & 16 -  we had tbri training each afternoon from 1-5. on thursday, the board was all at the ranch for supper + board meeting. on friday evening, we had authorities meeting.

june  17 - i got up early. around 9 i left for okc airport to pick up one of our ranchers. i got a pass to go back through security since she is a minor. she had to wait on me and i could tell that she was very relieved when she seen me. i let her pick where we stopped and got lunch. she chose sonic. then on the road back to the ranch house. on the way back, we listened to part of 'Lord of the Rings". home to supper around the fire ..

*we decided to keep one of our ranchers within 6 feet of us. it is what she needs right now.. she is responsible to stay within that distance. an example of this is if she needs to go to her room for something, she will ask and then one of us mentors will go with her.

june 18 - (my brother's birthday) we went to church in the morning. mr. doug's brought lunch and then we girls sang.quiet time and chores. we had a full house for supper. mr. todd's, mr. doug's, our new girl and her parents, + another one of our ranchers and her parents. it was a bit overwhelming for at least one of our ranchers.. mr. doug's ate outside with the girl's and their parents. it ended up being a later night than normal ..

june 19 - we mentors had counseling with ms. karma. before i went to counseling, the ranchers and i planned the food for our canoe trip. in the afternoon, we mentors went and bought the supplies needed for our canoe trip. 

june 20 - the girls had counseling with ms. lora. i think it was the first time all three of us mentors went along.

june 21 - canoe trip backing ! it took quite alot of time .. and by the afternoon i was done. one of the girls was being abit much.  in the evening, we mentors left for supper and had a really good time.

june 22 - we headed out to lake ouachita. it is about a four hour drive. we put in our canoe's and away we paddled. we stopped at an island for some snack and swimming. then continued on until we found an island we wanted to camp at. there was a houseboat parked not too far away, so i asked if it was okay if we camped up the hill. they were very friendly and didn't mind :) (they were from Louisiana) we set up camp, ate some supper and went to bed.

june 23 & 24 - was spent with alot of time in the lake. swimming, canoe tipping, and trying to keep cool. there was alot of music from the surrounding boats. it got old and was definitely hard to tune in and focus. each of these evenings, we hung out in the water and watched the sunset. 🤩 

june 25 - we got up early and ate some breakfast. then packed everything up into our canoes. we got done in record time ! we paddled aways and stopped to swim. then back to where we parked the ex. got everything loaded up and homeward bound. we stopped and got some food on the way home, which was so very delicious ! we got home and unloaded the car and taking showers. oh, it felt so lovely to be clean. ms. sharon made us supper and the ranchers went to bed early. i called home to wish my dad a happy birthday ! 🎉

*on saturday, i had sent my snack bag with one of the ranchers because another rancher and myself took the canoe we had been using for canoe tipping back to where the other canoes were. when we came back to camp, an animal had taken most of the food from my snack bag. i was annoyed. luckily it was the day before we came home.

*we all came home with MANY mosquito bites +  i got a sunburn on my shoulders. the sad part is that everyday i put sunscreen on. but i just should have reapplied every few hours.

*it was quite warm. on the day we came home. there was a heat advisory. 🙈

june 26 - in the morning we cleaned up all of our gear. i had off in the afternoon and i met alicia for coffee and good conversation. 

june 27 - i have had a self care day and have been loving it 🤍

june 28 - happy birthday to one of the ranchers !🎉 

june 29 - we had a birthday party for our two ranchers that had birthdays in june ! i made a blackberry lavender naked cake with white chocolate buttercream. it was one of my ranchers turn to cook supper. for where she is at , i was going to be in charge of the supper and she was going to help me. she was angry. if she couldn't do it on her own she didn't want to cook. (she reminded me of myself) she missed her chance to cook... one hard thing i had to tell her, is that she is not ready to go home yet . 

june 30 - i was with my rancher that needs to be within six feet of a mentor. it started out good. we went to the tack shed to groom and saddle.. she got angry because another rancher that hasn't been here as long was getting to use spurs. we went back over to her horse and i asked her what was going on and what she wanted to do. she just wanted to put her feelings in a box until later. i knew that was not going to be okay. it is not a good idea to be mad and be with your horse. i told that we would go on alittle walk. (i was hoping this would help clear her mind) she just started walking. and i hadn't started walking. i just stood there. i went and asked mr. doug if i could talk to him. he came over to where the ranchers horse was tied and he came over to talk with me with what to do. i went to her and said she could have all the space she wanted as long as i could see her. she decided to go to the house. at some point in this, i had told her she would not be working with her horse. after she went to the house, i was very down. i needed direction.  after a bit, i went to ask ms. katie what she thought i should do. we talked to mr. doug too. i went to the house and the rancher was sitting on the porch. i just chilled there abit. got my coffee and brought out my Bible and read it. after awhile, we talked. she was ready to have a redo. 

july 1 - canada day! we played the canadian anthem :) 

july 3 - went to ms. karma for counseling. was in charge for the rest of the morning and afternoon until ms. katie got back from deridder. in the afternoon we went swimming. i helped one of the ranchers mow / weedeat the yard around the house. and theeeeen ms. katie got home :)

july 4 - h o l i d a y ! no counseling for the girls on this day. we got up later.. i made breakfast... then watched a documentary on the great depression. ate a light lunch around the pool and went swimming. quiet time. then in the evening, mr doug came and grilled hamburgers. we ate outside around our fireless fire ring. we went into gentry to watch the fireworks ✨

july 5 - my rancher that has been sticking close had left her hair up all night and had not bothered to comb it. i said she needed to try again. it took her quite some time to figure out what the problem was. she also had mentioned she didn't want to go to horsemanship... we went down there to feed her horse and asked ms. sharla a question.. she got upset because some of the other girls were getting to use a bit and bridle. we went up to the house where she worked on cleaning up her saddle. later in the day, she was having some problems again.. it ended up that she talked about some deep hurt..

ms. tiffany arrived !

july 6 - i had a joy moment. i went out to the school house to be ready for when the girls came for trading post. it brought my heart much joy to be the teacher 😌 we had trading post and some of the girls did sand trays on their feelings. ms. judy brought lunch and then we had authorities meeting. after authorities meeting i had alot of feelings pinned up so i went out to do some push mowing to help release them... our rancher that has been keeping close, didn't even make it out of her room after quiet time.. she is stuck until we feel a shift inside of her.... after the girls went to bed.. we mentors called and talked with ms. lora.

july 7 - i sat with our stuck rancher until breakfast time and then finished morning duty. i made lunch. we went swimming.. and had quiet time. i sat with our rancher again until bedtime. (one perk, is i got some reading done)

ms. samantha arrived !

july 8 & 9 - i had off :) yay. on saturday afternoon/evening, ms. jenna, myself, and the two new mentors went to fayetteville. then after we took jenna back to the ranch, we went to youth for alittle while :) sunday... i took a long nap :)

*our stuck rancher will be doing hard work during the day with either mr. todd or mr. doug. in the evenings, one of us mentors is with her.

july 10 - i did morning duty.. i was planning to go down for horsemanship, but a rancher was 19 minutes late. she got to do some chores, give me a neck massage, and a foot scrub/rub.... in the afternoon, we went swimming and had cherry limeades :)

july 11 - counseling day. thanks to the new mentors, they packed the lunch. it was so very helpful ! i had a really fun time taking two of the ranchers to confident coffee roasters. 

*we were driving in the car, and it came to me.. don't box God in. how often do i box Him in ?

*finding joy in the everyday things.. like making potato salad for the 4th of july.

ok. that's all for now.

xo.

ms. brooke