Southward

I’m going south today. Texas bound in fact. I’ll call the Lonestar State home until next spring. How did a Minnesota girl formerly working in a tech start-up in Sioux Falls find herself moving to Stephenville, Texas for six months? I’ve been asking myself the same question...

My good friend Erika shared some wisdom with me the other day. She said, “When you have no plans of your own, that’s when God strikes.” 

That’s definitely true in Dane and I’s story. We met when I was assigned to write an article about him. Right away, I saw he had a kind heart, loved God, and possessed an especially attractive confidence. I was in the Hills for the weekend to work, and he was home for two weeks before he went rodeoing for the summer. The timing was impeccable. God’s timing always is, right? 

Things sparked. We talked on the phone for the next couple weeks. Both of us knew it was headed in a good direction. July 5th marked the second time we saw each other. He was home for the Belle Fourche rodeo. I drove out from Sioux Falls to see him.   

We watched fireworks together, spent time with his best friend and simply enjoyed being with one another in person. The next day he asked me to be his girlfriend. Then I went back to Sioux Falls, and he went back out on the road. Another month passed. We spent many hours on the phone. He would always call late, late, late at night because he was rodeoing on the West Coast and he roped late at night. Those weeks were marked by scarce sleep and lots of excitement as we learned more about one another.   

Dane came home in August for the Black Hills Round-Up in Rapid City, South Dakota, and my friend Erin and I drove out to see him. That was a short visit, but during rodeo season, any time is better than no time. 

Fast forward through a couple more weeks of late nights on the phone. What precious times those were! We spent hours asking questions, laughing, and learning more about one another. 

My excitement was building as the second week of September approached. I had booked a flight to Pendleton, Oregon to meet Dane for the Pendleton Round-Up. Pendleton is the nation’s biggest grass rodeo and the last big rodeo of the season. It was also the first solid week would spend together in a month and half. 

After a fantastic week in Pendleton, we loaded up Lizzie (Dane’s best horse) and drove back to South Dakota. We hauled back a couple horses for Dane’s friends, and saw some gorgeous scenery along the way. The Pendleton trip was special because it marked the end of our long distance relationship. 

For the next eight weeks, I lived at my parent’s cabin in Boulder Canyon, and Dane was at his parent’s house near Spearfish. Those weeks were exceptional time to get to know Dane’s family and extended family, be around each other consistently and do the normal, daily life things together.  

I’ve learned much about my man in the past two months. He works extremely hard at the things he’s passionate about - mainly roping, training horses, and his relationship with God. While he’s not a gooey romantic, he takes care of my heart so well and is always doing kind and thoughtful things for me. He is a strong, smart man with great people skills and an enormous amount of common sense. He can lead me spiritually, and I respect him to the moon and back. These eight weeks of life in the Hills have given us the opportunity to grow deeper in love, trust, and respect for one another.  

We’ve spent a lot of time with Dane’s parents, Phil and Terri. They are incredible, salt-of-the-earth, kind hearted, and generous people. They’ve treated me like family, and both have a special place in my heart.    

Fast forward to today, November 7th. This has been the plan since late August - spend the fall in the Hills and head to Texas in November. At that time, I didn’t know where I would live or what I would do down there, but I knew this relationship was worth investing in. Dane and I both have busy and full lives that include lots of travel. So basically if we want to be in the same zip code, we need to be flexible. I work with an awesome company that allows me to work remotely, and God arranged it that I could be in a position to go to Texas.    

Want to know a secret? I’ve always dreamed about living in Texas! My occasional trips to the Lonestar State left me with a longing to try life down south for a bit. Do I want to live there forever? No, probably not. But a couple months, absolutely! Funny how God answers prayers and desires I don’t ever remember praying. Over-delivering on His promises is God’s specialty!  

The trailer is packed. The truck is ready. My trusty Mac makes up the majority of my office. We’re going south! 

Jake and Rainey Pratt are good friends of Dane’s, and they live on a place near Stephenville. That’s where we’ll be staying for the duration of our time in Texas. They have a place for Dane to park his living quarters trailer, and a small rental house where I’ll be living. What a blessing to have friends who are so kind and accommodating! 

Dane and Jake plan to rope everyday, and Dane is hungry to work hard, get better, and prepare to make a run for the NFR next season. I’m sincerely looking forward to this adventure of Texas life. I’m stepping out in faith, doing things I’ve never done before, and excited to see what God brings of it all.    

               

Answers to the Common Questions:

Is Dane going to Texas too? Yes

Are we living together? No

What will I do in Texas: Work, go to rodeos, explore the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and keep my eyes open for opportunities

Where will I be living: Stephenville

Is the move permanent: No

Are we coming back to visit: Yes, for Christmas and the Stock Show

Do I still work with Fluxxr: Yes, remotely 

Am I still freelance writing: Yes, it's my passion and I love it!

Excited to share this journey with you,

- KB