Making the Choice

Today I've been married to the Yak Judge for five years. A half decade that seems to have flown by more quickly than I ever could have imagined. 

 

And every day for the past five years, I have made a conscious choice: I can either choose to love, respect, work with and conquer the world with this man OR I can find nit-picky things to fuss about, dwell on setbacks and be a crappy wife. I hope that if asked, the Ninja/Yak Judge would say. "She chooses the former [most of the time.]"

 

I'd like to think that both of us have come a long way from the young, naïve kids we were so many years ago. I know that we've learned a helluva lot through trials, failures, successes, new jobs, moving, loss and everyday life.

“I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway. And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you”
Kiersten White, The Chaos of Stars

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FroBuzz Goes to the Yak Show

Who else can say they spent their four year anniversary at a yak show?!

The National Western Stock Show just wrapped a few days ago - it's a great experience for anyone who loves livestock, rodeo, fun times and no humidity. Just be sure to bring your chapstick and your party pants.

I hadn't been to the National Western in five years but was stoked to make the trek this year because the Ninja was judging the International Yak Association (IYAK) show. 

This also happened in conjunction with our wedding anniversary, which I talked about last week. So our anniversary weekend was spent strolling through the stockyards, judging the show (him) and taking pictures of yaks during the pen show and the halter show (me).

Yaks are multipurpose animals - they produce fiber and meat. They originally are from Tibet so many of the breeders will sell or feature Tibetan clothing or accessories made from yak fiber. I got to try yak meat while I was there - yakburgers, yak sticks (similar to a pepperoni stick) and yak jerky. All three were delicious and very lean. Yak burgers are 93/7 meaning they are 93% lean and 7% fat - this is the same lean to fat ratio as 93/7 ground beef so if you are looking for a ground beef alternative, here ya go!

A lot of people have asked how a yak is evaluated and at this show they were judged on their fiber and on their conformation and muscling. The Ninja judged on the latter and there was another judge present to judge the crimp of the fiber; it's very similar to wool judging. I know the Ninja put a lot of emphasis on structure and function, which is similar to what he does with other livestock species in market shows.

Champion Senior Showman

Champion Outfitter

One of the yak champs

Congratulating the Reserve Champion female

A yak escaped but never fear, the Ninja is here!

Evaluating the fuzzy yaks!

No caption does this photo justice - just enjoy!

This whole experience was completely outside the realm of anything I had ever experienced before. Yaks aren't an overly common livestock animal in southeastern Kansas, where I grew up. But I learned a lot about yaks, their fiber and yak meat production. All the producers and ranchers we met were super friendly and willing to go out of their way to accommodate us.

If you want to learn more about yak production in the United States, you can visit their website. Next time you're in Denver, go to the yak show during the second weekend of the National Western.  You won't be disappointed!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Four Years of Fighting

Thrilled to be on this journey of a lifetime with the Ninja.
Photo courtesy: LaBrisa Photography

Two [trailer] houses. A totaled car. Burst pipes. Two weddings. Four Ohio State fairs. Two Masters of Science degrees. A shattered crockpot filled with gravy. Zero babies. Most of a PhD in Animal Science.

Believe it or not, we have shoved all of those amazing experiences into 1,460 wedded-days full of celebrating, accepting, loving, fighting, laughing, compromising, competing, stressing, [blatant] honesty and joy. Today, I reflect on one of the most important items in that list: fighting.

Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "Marriage is one long conversation chequered by disputes."

Accurate, Mr. Stevenson.

It's truth time, peeps. Here are the many ways we fight in marriage.

- With each other

This is the obvious one. For those of you who aren't married, take it from me. The arguments don't stop once you say 'I do.' Little things like taking out the garbage can, under the wrong circumstances, yield just as big of an argument as the decision as when to buy a house. God made us all differently, which means that we all have varying opinions and when thrown into a small space with another human, we inevitably will have disagreements. But how you handle these disagreements will be the true test of your relationship. Can you learn to compromise and move on together? Or will you fail to learn from past experiences and let resentment fester? The choice is, as cliché as it sounds, up to you.

Let's not forget, that arguments are a form of communication. And if you aren't communicating, it's going to be hard to plan your life, make decisions, move forward and grow. So it's ok to get in a heated discussion about when the next chapter of your life will start or how many candles you need in your house or what brand of salsa to buy. But let's just try to keep it civil, people. Above the belt and no snarky comments that can seriously cause damage to your relationship. That whole "sticks and stones may break my bones" shtick is a crock of Crisco. Words can, and do, hurt - so be nice and play fair.

- With ourselves.

You might wonder how I fight with myself in my marriage. And, building upon that, how does winning a fight against myself help my marriage?

I'm a competitive person and I like to have the last word. I especially love to have the last word when I'm right and someone else is wrong. All of these compounded together can make me an especially unpleasant person in the heat of an argument. It's a constant struggle for me to beat back my snarky side when I desire to make a point, and instead let the sweeter voice of reason win, hence allowing peace to come to our humble little trailer.

By fighting with my inner demon, and winning, I am making a conscious effort to be the best version of myself that I can be for the sake of my marriage and my personal wellbeing.

- For each other.

This is the most important fight you will have in your marriage. No I am not talking about throwing punches in honor of your betrothed - although I would not hesitate to do so if provoked. I am talking about a spiritual and emotional fight for each other.

There is a huge enemy to your marriage and his name is Satan. The enemy will fight to plant doubts and fears in your marriage. The enemy will make you think that one disagreement is a sign to end your commitment. The enemy will tempt you and your spouse with other men and women, with ideas of "bigger and better." Ignore that bastard, link arms with your spouse, get down on your knees and work together towards a strong marriage that is rooted in faith and prayer. If you don't fight for each other and put each other first, no one is going to do it for you. It's up to you and your partner to find strength in your faith and make the commitment to work through the crappy days and relish the exciting ones.

As I've mentioned before, marriage is far from easy. It's the most challenging, yet most rewarding, endeavor I've ever undertaken and is equally as frightening as it is enthralling. A loving, gratifying marriage is worth fighting for but both people have to be engaged in the fight. I am a firm believer that a few bad fights are the fee you pay for the most exhilarating experience of your life. Suck it up folks, make some sacrifices in order for a lifetime of happiness with the one you love.

Alright, here's where you come in - do you think I'm completely off-base? What are your thoughts on marriage and making it last?

Until next time
~ Buzzard ~

p.s. I want to stress the "zero babies" part of this blog post. The eggo is not preggo. That is all.

The Ninja did not contribute to this blog post but he did review and edit so anything embarrassing has been approved.

Wordless Wednesday: A Buzzard and a Ninja - Our Third Anniversary

No mush this year - just two photos that describe our relationship perfectly. 

He shoved cake all over my neck and face right before this was taken

Everything that has made our marriage tough has also made our marriage tougher to break. Bring it on, world.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changing

Here - listen to this while you read. It will be stuck in your head all day.


I've had a few changes in the past week or month or so. I've lost count of the time.

First -- see that badge over there --->  I'm on Facebook now. If you've got a hankering, head on over and g"Like". If nard feelings. When I hit 200 likes on Facebook I'm having a giveaway! Whoopee!

Secondly, I also added an option in the sidebar to have my blogs emailed directly to you if you're not into the whole online reader thing. I'm all about options. You're welcome.

Thirdly, it's time for a 101 in 1001 update! Didn't see that coming did ya?

I'll start with the goals I have accomplished since the last update.

Accomplished Goals

 --Eat a salad - a vegetable one -- THIS SUCKED. But I have proof..

At Olive Garden, I had what Melissa calls, "the Cadillac of salads" - well I like Benz' and this Cadillac was horrible. I thought I was going to yack at the table. My Aussie friends thought it was funny until they realized I was serious.

-- Wear heels everyday for 1 week - also quite painful but successful. Made me feel very fancy! Even bought horse feed while wearing a pair! I took a picture but of course have been unable to locate it for proof.

-- Coordinate a tailgate for one of the following teams: KSU, KC Royals, Ohio State Buckeyes or the KC Chiefs -- Big party during the KSU vs. OSU game. Lots of fun was had - actually, we had ALL the fun!

K-State won - Big XII Champs!

 
-- Organize and go on a mother/daughter day with Diana & Madie  - did this shortly after Christmas. My credit card yelled at me later.

-- Pay off my small credit cards - Maurices, Victoria's Secret - this felt really good.

-- Call /visit my grandparents once/month for 12 months- just for the record, I plan to continue talking my grandparents' ears off any chance I get.

-- Become a lifetime member of the K-State Alumni Association -- BOOM!

I am far more jacked about it than the Ninja is - this was our joint graduation gift this summer when both defended in June. Success! Two Masters of BS in the house!

-- NOT have a baby before I'm 27  - I turn 21+6 in 3 months so it's safe to say I accomplished this one

-- Spend under $10 on a meal & give a $10 tip - on my way back from Tampa I had a hotdog at a fancy bar/grill. It was by far the cheapest thing on the menu and there was college basketball to be watched so I went for it. My waiter's face lit up when he saw the tip. I've been there before (5 years at the Hut) and I know how good it feels to see a big tip. Pass it on waiter man.

-- Memorize a verse from the Bible every week for ten weeks - here they are taped up on my bathroom mirror.

-- Bake and decorate a birthday cake for a loved one or friend - I did this for a friend this past summer but forgot to take a picture and document it.

-- Celebrate our 1 and 2 year wedding anniversaries in a unique way - I told you here about our first anniversary and here about our second. The Ninja is the bomb.

 Goals in progress (there are a lot of these so I didn't list them all):

-- Run 5- 5K’s for Beef or Breast Cancer - 1) Winter Runderland 5K   I can't find the picture of me running but I wore one of my breast cancer t-shirts. Don't ever let anyone tell you running a 5K is easy. It sucks. I got out of bed the next morning and fell on the floor. Legs = jello.

That's me in the pink - didn't finish last and most importantly didn't walk once!

-- Attend 6 of Kristy’s sporting events/school events/4-H stuff  (3/6)- (Bourbon Co. hog show, Bourbon Co. beef show, Woodson County Beef preview show)

-- Visit 5 friends who have moved away -- Mandy, Iowa; Kelly's wedding, Minnesota;

-- Learn to do my own taxes - just started getting everything together for this and am actually excited!

-- Frame and hang my Bachelor's and (eventually) Master's degrees  -- I have the frames, I am just waiting on the dang MS to come in the mail!

-- Donate 25,000 grains of free rice through Freerice.com (7270) 

So that's about it! As I said, there are a lot of goals that are in progress so if you're interested you can see the whole list here.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~ 

Dos Anos

That's two years for the non- Spanish speaking.

Dos anos ago, this happened:

Ah, sweet wedded bliss.

So today this week, things are going to be a little more mushy on the blog. I can't help it. I love the Ninja. A lot.

Last year, I shared the details of how we spent our first wedding anniversary and I'll be doing the same this year. I always (does two years count as always?) put the Ninja in charge of these things because he blows them out of the water. Seriously, so thoughtful. But until then, here are some of my favorite photos from the big day and the festivities afterwards. And these aren't your normal cliche, picturesque photos (well a smidgen of them might be) but are the outtakes and hilarious candids from a day of love and laughter; family and friends. I even narrate - enjoy!

 We did this exact same thing at her wedding a few weeks ago - can't

 keep a straight face around that gal!

 The Ninja missed the 'be serious' memo

 What's not to love about this picture? They were in unison for a good 10 seconds. epic.

 Two reasons I like this photo: 1) I love having a picture of the Ninja and I praying together 2) My dad and the groomsmen decided to pull a little prank. Check out his shoes!

We stood in the door for a few minutes because we were supposed to wait for the music to change and it was awkward.

 Photo fail by the Ninja. I must have said something hilarious, as usual.

 Again, miscommunication between the photogs. I thought we were supposed to look gangsta, while Becca obviously went the more photogenic route. We did this at her wedding too.

 Andy, the best man, talked about how he warned the Ninja that I 'was a handful.' A handful of awesome! (notice the empty Crown Royal bottle so early in the night)

 I love all of these guys (well, most of them - right, Rooney?)

 Papaw and I

I love what a great big-brother my husband is - he's going to be a fantastic father!

 Not our first dance but I love that the Ninja has some great dance moves now. He didn't have any when we met - mega points to me for having rhythm and being able to teach him how to two-step and swing dance.

 The power of prayer with my best ladies

 Cheap shot, Ninja. Thank goodness for cousins to wipe cake off my face. Thanks, Court.

No wedding in Manhattan is complete without swing dancing at Longhorn's. in your wedding dress. to this song.

 See? I told you I taught him how to dance.

All photos by Grant Watkins (except the bar photos)

What are some of your favorite photos from weddings you've attended or your own wedding?

Until next time,

~ Buzzard~