It's here! After waiting 357 days (because we had leap year) it's time for the Strickland family annual trek to Deer Valley Ranch. Some families go to Grandma's every Thanksgiving, some go to Florida every year, I suppose some strange family may have as their tradition to go to the Arctic Circle every year.
As for us, we go to one of the most beautiful spots on the earth. Deer Valley Ranch is more than just a place, it is a lifechanging event. The first time we went, Jeff and I were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. Mariah was 8 and Evie was 6. They were tiny! I thought my chest would heave to explosion seeing them ride off on their own horses for their first trail ride. Boy was I glad to see them coming back into the corral, with big ole smiles as wide as Colorado. Their wrangler for that ride was Brady, who is now studying veterinary medicine. What pure joy we've had watching them get to know the horses, hearing them talk every year about the friends they made at Deer Valley, knowing that for about half their lives they've spent their summer vacation with other likeminded families. We chart their growth from year to year by having them photographed by the same fence in the same pose.
Other wranglers we've loved through our 5 years there are Braden, Matt, Andy, Dustin, Jay, Chip, - I can't even begin to list them all. Talk about quality young men! I don't go there just to ride horses or swim in the warm springs pools. No, I have a much more important mission. I hunt. Not with a shotgun or a bow and arrow, but with a pencil and paper. Through out the week I write names on a list entitled "Potential Sons-In-Law". A friend once exclaimed, after seeing for herself the choice young men at Deer Valley, "Why, this is a Son-in-law Smorgasbord!". And yes, I am guilty. I have my eye on several. I won't embarrass anyone by naming them here. Plus I already did that above. :-) Just look up.
And the young ladies that work on staff - magnifique! You'll never find a group of young women who without exception have a genuine servant's heart, patience like I have to have with my 11 year old talking machine, kindness, humility, and a extraordinary sense of humor. They can sing, dance, clean, cook, serve meals, bus tables, and some of them even get to show off their horseriding expertise. So any of you moms of sons, let me know what you're looking for and I'll do a little recon for you. (Just kidding! sort of)
Here's the clincher: all these young people love Jesus and His people. Some are fairly new in their faith when they get to Deer Valley, but it doesn't take long for them to see something more beautiful than Mount Princeton. They see family, bosses who care more about their character than their waitressing or wrangling skills, staff who develop the kind of affection for one another that soldiers speak of from a fox hole, and a brand new kind of love they've never run across. And it spills over. Into everything they do.
Deer Valley Ranch is a family vacation that blesses everyone involved. As the stars above the ranch shine brilliantly every night - just as their Creator intended, the stars who work the ranch and serve there just about overshadow the ones counted, named and hung in the heavens. And the funny thing is, THEY are the ones who insist that the biggest blessing belongs to them. I still beg to differ on that one .....
Although I'm going to try to get some pictures posted everyday, internet (and life) is very slow and relaxed at the foot of Mt. Princeton. It may take a while. But once you see the pictures, I'm sure you'll want this information:
www.DeerValleyRanch.com
Send Bev or Franci an email at fun@deervalleyranch.com, they would love to set you up with the perfect cabin for your family.
I'll be'a moseyin off now. I'm excited to bring you along on our journey!
Blessings to you all,
Laurie
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