Falling leaves remind us to count our blessings – and eat donuts.
This month, I wasn’t going to write a post about what I’m thankful for. It’s so predictable and cliché – every November, everyone shares what they’re thankful for. It’s neither fresh nor novel. We all know it’s coming, like the turning of the leaves or frost on the shipping corrals.
But I enjoy seeing the leaves change color each year. Shipping calves is something to look forward to, even if just for the donuts that always somehow appear at the loading chute. A maple bar always tastes better with a hot shot in one hand and the rumble of a semi just up ahead.
Here’s what I’m grateful for this year. Also, now I want a donut.
My husband
I always put him at the top of my list, and not just to make sure he sees it when he reads this blog. I’m not even sure he reads this blog. That middle-aged cowboy might not be able to read anything besides wild cow sign and Zane Grey novels. Just kidding – I know for a fact he’s also read everything Louis L’Amour ever wrote.
He did more than read paperback novels this year, though. He pulled his own weight plus mine for many months. See below for more info.
Good health
After being chronically ill for nearly two years, I’m slowly regaining my health. I spent a year and a half mostly lying on the couch and wondering if I’d ever be able to ride my horse, clean the kitchen, or stand up for longer than it took to sit back down again. I was eventually diagnosed with a few autoimmune conditions, which apparently run in packs, like blackmouth cur dogs or big outfit cowboys on a Saturday night. They’re not as handy in the brush or fun to shoot pool with, though.
My husband cowboyed all day, then cooked dinner and organized the children into a three-kid housework crew. They ate a lot of mac ‘n cheese and got dressed directly from the dryer many mornings, but we’re a stronger family for it.
This November, I’m thankful to walk up to the barn and brush my favorite horse. Plus, the longer I stay up there, the longer I can avoid cleaning the kitchen. Maybe if I wait long enough, one of my kids will do it. I know, I know – better put that one on my Christmas wish list.
Happy kids
My kids love to ride, rope, and fistfight. Yeah, I didn’t see that last one coming, either. My sons want to live at cow camp and wear their boots out from the top down, and my daughter just joined a mixed martial arts gym. I’m proud to say she is holding her own while grappling on the mat with women twice her age.
Nobody tells you how rewarding it is to watch your kids discover their passion. I’m glad, because it’s a rare, fun parenting surprise. Most parenting surprises aren’t fun and involve sleep deprivation and unpleasant smells. I’m also thankful my daughter likes me, since her passion involves uppercuts and headlocks.
Hereford calves
Is there anything cuter than a round, fuzzy Hereford calf? Nope, there sure isn’t. We wound up with a load of the furry little buggers here at the ranch this summer, and we can’t help but baby talk to them each morning at feeding time. We kept one for my youngest son to practice his bull riding skills and named it “The Fuzzin’ Machine.” It’s the only member of the rodeo string that I want to cuddle.
Our bucking chute
Hey, here’s something that’s never been on my Thankful November list before! My husband built a kid-sized bucking chute so our kids can practice riding roughstock here at the house. Check out Real Life Ranch Wife in the November 2025 issue of the magazine to read how this family learned to operate a bucking chute with an untrained crew that consisted mostly of me and the kids. The experience gave me another reason to be thankful for my husband.
So, there’s my list. It’s not groundbreaking or surprising; it’s simple and expected. Like fuzzy red calves or falling leaves, it’s an everyday miracle. What are you grateful for this November? Let us know in the comments! Repeat answers are always welcome.
