“We are going to have to get to the hospital.”
“There’s just one more event, and then we can go.”
Exactly 40 years ago last Saturday night, that was the conversation between a cowboy and his bride heavy-expecting their second child.
Already, Momma had helped their just three-year-old cowgirl through the gate on Trigger to successfully complete three shodeo racing patterns.
Barrel race was the last class, and the cowboy had to ride Quicksand, before the “just a mile” jaunt up hospital hill.
As soon as the finish flag dropped, can’t remember where we placed, Dennis the black stud was loaded into his makeshift stall in front, with Quicksand and Trigger behind, as the red pickup-trailer rig with cowboy driving, expectant mother and little cowgirl aboard, roared to the emergency room.
Nurses met us at the door, doctor came in, and within minutes, the healthy, big-baby cowboy arrived, with a “yeehah.”
The very tired Momma smiled with joy only a new mother can show, despite never letting us forget the horseshow stress we put our family through.
Neighbor’s new house-warming party made a perfect birthday celebration attracting a large crowd of country folk to congratulate the now-four-decade-old cowboy-son, along with several others born in June.
Name selection is a difficult task, and most important, because it becomes an eternal thing. Of course, Cowboy was chosen for our son, but persuasion prevailed so it didn’t come out that way on the birth certificate.
Yet, Cowboy was the moniker for a time, then Cowpoke, then Poker, and other nicknames though the times, mostly “Hey, we need some help,” these days. Importantly, to us though, he is a cowboy and now with his bride have a cowboy of their own, living the ranch life of the generations.
Riding a horse within days after birth, cowboy-son competed in horseshows before one, and has seldom missed a day in the saddle.
Foremost, he’s an all-around stockman, knows all of his thousand cows personally. Yet, fortunately, most contend, he can do many things this cowboy never could, fix the truck, the tractor, the baler, the waterline, just name it.
Reminds us, most blessedly, of Second Kings 15:3: “He did follow in the footsteps of his father.” Then, well beyond, John 5:19: “What he seeth the father do also doeth the son likewise.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
IX–26–6-29-15