Happy Saturday from the ranch! There are still chores to be done, presents to be wrapped, cookies to be made and yet here I sit, writing this email. Holiday procrastination truly is an art form if you ask me. But hey, when inspiration sparks, you throw down the gift wrap, grab your laptop, put on some old george and start typing.
While I sat on the floor wrapping my last few presents and answering all the Santa questions my 2.5 year old could throw at me, I started to think about Christmas morning in my house growing up.
The day always started the same every year, with my dad rolling out of bed well before the sun, throwing on his work clothes and heading out to get the chores done. He spent the morning hastily checking water tanks, breaking ice, putting out feed and whatever else may need done in the hopes that he would be home before we woke up (which is a hard feat on Christmas morning!) Then he would walk through the door where we were all anxiously waiting on him to open presents. He’d grab a cup of coffee and strap in for a morning of excited squeals and at least one hot chocolate spill, all while never complaining about the start of his morning.
Growing up I never understood why he had to work Christmas morning. Couldn’t the chores wait until after the fun was over? As I got older and started working in the family business, the respect I have for my dad (like the grinch’s heart) grew 3x! I realized that on a day when banks, stores and restaurants are closed, American agriculture isn’t. Whether it is a Tuesday in May or the day our Savior was born, producers are still putting in the hard work.
Even though I didn't know it at the time, my dad’s dedication and hard work was wearing off on me. Children learn from watching their parents, so this Sunday I will be up bright and early making the rounds and hoping that my kids learn from me, just like I did from my dad.
I’ll wrap up by saying this..thank you to all the producers that bust their butts 24/7, 365. Just know, you’ve got some damn proud kids at home!
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