every day I spent working with her, she became more comfortable and our bond continued to grow. The summer started out normal. Other than the unusually cool temperatures, which I definitely wasn’t complaining about. We were doing what we always do and getting ready for Junior Nationals. Then everything changed. On Monday, June 29, just five days before we were supposed to leave for Junior Nationals, a storm producing 131 mph winds hit our community and our home. As we sat in the basement waiting for the storm to pass, there were a million things running through my mind. I didn’t know if the cattle would be okay, if the barn would still be standing, or if going to Junior Nationals was even going to be an option anymore. When the storm finally passed and we walked outside, one of the first things I did was look toward my show barn. It was still there. The cattle were safe, and the barn had made it through the storm, but we had lost power. Without electricity, we couldn’t keep the heifers there, especially if there was still a chance we were going to make it to Junior Nationals. Thankfully, we are blessed with
some incredible friends who stepped in without hesitation and gave our heifers a place to go. Less than 48 hours after the storm, we were able to bring them back “home.” The days that followed looked nothing like our typical Junior Nationals prep. There was a lot happening at home and in our community, a lot to figure out and plenty that needed our attention before we could feel comfortable leaving. Getting cattle ready for a national show suddenly felt like a very small part of everything we were trying to accomplish. But people showed up. Family, friends and neighbors stepped in wherever they were needed. Their support gave us the opportunity to take care of what needed to be done and eventually feel comfortable enough to load the trailer and head to Junior Nationals. If you would have told me after the storm how the next 2 weeks would unfold, I wouldn’t have believed you. A heifer I once wasn’t sure would ever become my show heifer became the Grand Champion Owned Percentage Female at the National Classic.
There are so many people who made this moment possible. Most importantly, thank you to my parents for helping me chase this dream, especially when it would have been completely understandable to say we weren’t going. Thank you to my sisters and brother-in-law for their constant guidance, support and help and to our friends, family and community who showed up for us after the storm and made it possible for us to leave home knowing things were taken care of. Finally, thank you to the Adcock and Jackson crew for trusting us with Sherri. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have her in our barn and for everything she has taught me along the way. After everything that happened in the days leading up to Junior Nationals, standing in that ring with Sherri was a moment I know I will never forget. Most of all, it reminded me to trust God’s timing. I never could have planned the journey that brought Sherri and me to that moment, but looking back now, I wouldn’t change the way our story unfolded. ●
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