Waiting for Baby

As of Saturday I had contractions start, they've been random but some in patterns. It's Monday afternoon already and getting more intense, so we will be going in tomorrow to see what my midwife says... hoping she will come soon! Hoping we will end up staying there and progressing quickly, so let's keep our fingers crossed! In the mean time, here are a couple of pictures taken that I am enjoying. :-) I will keep you updated!

Gabriel holding Lilah after a long day of work, she thinks the world of him!

Flowers in my hair, pulled from a cherry tree while I was waiting for Gabe to get some Starbucks o the way to church Sunday... how could  I let that tree have all those flowers? All I wanted were four. :-) 

Spring Has Sprung in the Old Dominion

I gave a very bright welcome to old springtime, how I missed you so! Thankful for our winter where all seems to rest but thanking our wonderful Savior for the breathtaking beauty of spring. I do have to say one of my many (MANY) favorite things about the spring (besides the flowers, grass, warmth, and tucking away all the bulky sweaters) are the birds that seem to have the canny ability to plant a huge smile across my face around 4:30 am as they sing announcing that another beautiful WARM day  is on its way soon. 

Gabriel and I have made it to Virginia, moved here around the fifteenth of February... thanks to the help of his brothers Michael and Joey! We could have NEVER made such a long trip with ALL of our things without them. We have a sweet little town home close to our parents and horses, my parents are thankfully seven hours away instead of seventeen! We now get to see our family often, which has been so very nice especially since little Sephorah is coming soon. Our home is nestled in a beautiful small and quiet community, we have our dogs, Lilah and Jeb, here with us and my parrot, Tootsie. We have lots of windows and off-white walls, so the house absolutely LIGHTS up when the sun is up! I could not be happier with the home, especially coming from such a dark home in Texas, was quite depressing inside.

As of today I am only 8 days from my due date, I have had no morning sickness or complications, just occasional heart burn which by wives tales means she will have lots of pretty hair on her head. Sephorah is very healthy, estimated being in between six to seven pounds at birth and already practicing her breathing as we got to see on our recent ultrasound. We have everything set up in the nursery  thanks to all the beautiful gifts and contributions given at our baby showers, we have quite a sweet set up... now we just wait! And I will walk, walk, walk, and go, go, go, until she comes, hoping it will push things along. Here are some shots of all of us enjoying the beautiful springtime...

Michael's horse Arrow, telling us what he really thinks...

My father feeding Sundance his traditional cheese crackers, mmmmm, healthy! ;-)

Lilah, Lily, and Jezzy out on the back porch with me while my parents visit, Lily and Jezzy are my mothers beautiful long-haired Chihuahuas and Lilah's "sisters".

Easter Sunday morning snapshot, a family tradition of ours to get
dressed up for church that morning and showcase each others outfits!
Navy blue dress from Ross, Forever 21 rose pink cardigan, Fossil rose gold watch.

Tootsie on the back porch enjoying the company of a fake bird... silly girl.

Gabriel torturing Sundance with a non-existent cracker in his hand, so sweet, ha ha.

I am ready to get back out to my horses, I do miss them very much but have been kept so busy that I have hardly had time to think about them. I do plan on training and teaching as soon as I recover, now that Gabriel  is getting his horse business back up also. I apologize for the lack of horse material on here, but I have a pretty good excuse. I am very thankful for such a wonderful Husband, and family, and for our little girl... and this blog will be a great way to keep track of my family life and horse life (and the joys of mommy-hood, makeup, home keeping, and OF COURSE nail polish ;-) 

Speaking of, I've learned to do my own acrylic nails, after putting up with the aggravating expensive nail salons and chipping at home regular nail polish (which needed repair almost every day, and was quite painful whenever I wanted to use my nails... acrylic turns your nails into a household cleaning weapon and wonderful husband back scratcher! :-). I am quite proud, getting the expensive look for one third the price. I was quite intimidated, thinking I could never have this end in nothing but disaster... but, SUCCESS! Used a simple $8.00 kit from Target...

Success! Exactly the shape and length I wanted. Used a Easter pink color,
"Born with It" 150 by Maybelline Color Show. $2.45 I do believe?
 Better than $40.00 for a set that won't last long and wasn't what I wanted at a nail salon!

I am hoping to get pictures of our home and nursery as soon as I can and post it here, so be looking for those! Please feel free to post a comment or two, or a question! Would love to hear from you.

Happy Spring!

Happy Surprise on the Way

I thought I might as well go ahead and let everyone know, that already does not, that Gabriel and I are expecting. We were going to wait a couple of years, but God has better plans than we do! I am into my second trimester and feeling great with no morning sickness at all through any of it, I feel great if I keep food in my stomach and am still working just as hard. Here is the picture of the 10 week ultrasound with heartbeat. We are more excited than we thought we would be which I thought was impossible to be THAT excited, very excited!

Thanks for reading, we appreciate your time, please feel free to leave a comment or a question if you like.

God Bless,

The Always

More Adventures

Hello Folks!

In the airport on our way back from North Carolina,going to miss our family but real hapy to get back and work hard in Dallas. We are hoping for some cooler weather, the heat is making it hard on us especially with so many horses we are working with every day.

We feel so blessed to work with so many horses everyday, I feel we learn more from working with so many than we have anywhere else. That's how all of Pat's mentors became so great, worked with hundreds of thousands of horses. Which ultimatley equaled, hundreds of thousands of teachers. They really do stretch you and teach you every time, just as I remember Pat telling us that he can give us all the keys to success with horses but he could not experience experience for us... and now it truly makes sense, horses can teach you things that no human ever can. For those of you who are looking to get really good with horses, I would seize every opportunity you could get to work with as many horses that you can get your hands on. It's truly remarkable the experience!

We are also looking forward to seeing Michael, Gabriel's brother, for a week. He comes in next Friday, taking a week break from apprenticeship with Pat, as Pat takes rounds for competition. Michael will be with us, cowboying around Texas, learning as usual. We are also hoping to make it to the Katy, TX tour stop, it would be a blast to see the Parelli community of Texas in one place.

I'm bracing myself for some hot weather in Texas! I was enjoying the 48-60 degree weather in North Carolina, I tried to stuff it in my suitcase but it wouldn't FIT!!! :-(

Keep up the hard work, we'll talk soon!

Thanks,

Gabriel & Mariah Alway

September 4, 2012 A New Life

Hello Friends,

     Thanks for tuning in once again, though posts are far and few between. I've been busy getting married and making a home, starting a business with Gabriel and enjoying our time here in Texas working hard trying our best to do the very best we can for our clients and our horses all for God's glory.

     It's not an exaggerated rumor when they say Texas is hot, we have ridden many times in 109 degree heat! But it's great, all we do is ride horses all day and teach under the spacious skies. Everything is quite far apart here, lots of pastures, and just about a horse in every yard! My horses are doing well, so are Gabriel's horses. I have semi-retired Sundance, and am starting on Merauda's development, he is very talented, I get quite a thrill from riding him. Most of my time is spent helping Gabriel and riding horses, Gabriel is a wonderful teacher, far better than I am, I think he was born with the knack ;-) I love watching him teach.

Tootsie, our parrot, trying to send you a message. :-)

     God has changed me quite a lot since I've last posted, I have learned quite a bit about life and what it's really about. I hope I say all of this right, as I have quite a large and diverse audience... no pressure, ha ha. Fame is nothing, absolutley nothing, nor is position, nor is your title, or the money you make. It means nothing, the only thing that matters is the people around you that love you and the people around you that need you. There are too many people in this world trying to make a name for themselves, or feel important, when there is not enough out there that don't care about their own rights or glory because they think glory and fame will make them happy. It wont, and it never will, true happiness is in loving, and knowing where you stand, being humble, and giving yourself up to a higher purpose.

     I know I could be offending a lot of people, it's not my goal to do that, but if it does I pray you give it a lot of thought. Honestly, I have never been happier since I have given up myself to a bigger plan, and you begin to start seeing the plan a lot clearer when you do. I know that this life is short, and the only thing you can bring to the other side are the people that you've touched, positively and negatively, no riches or fame or ego. So am I giving up my dreams? No, I am living them. :-) I don't want to be a 5 star instructor, I don't have to be a 5 star instructor to make a difference, I can make a difference today. I know I have had my mistakes, and still make them, but I am striving everyday to be different and to make a difference.

It seems the rest of our year revolves around family, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course teaching and training. It's going to be fun, we are hoping to make it to the Katy, TX tour stop, Lord willing. Will any of you be there? Let me know if you will!

Please let me know if you have any requests for this blog for horsemanship, horses etc. I'd love to keep it going but want to make sure it is helping you with your journey when I do!

Thanks,

Mariah Alway