I’ve often said it, Mr. Anderson has never met a stranger.  This past weekend he surprised the heck out of me.  For my birthday, he arranged a surprise trip to one of my favorite places to visit.  I love the Midwest, and any chance I get to visit friends in Oklahoma, I am out the door before you can say “Are your bags…?”  But this girl here loves her some Arizona desert.  Like really loves it.  Having spent a fair amount of time in the Scottsdale area when I was showing horses, for whatever reason, the HOT sun, gorgeous sunsets, amazing Spanish colors, delicious food, and to die for shopping just got in my blood.  We had to visit there for our honeymoon.  And that was almost 10 years ago.   And sadly to say, I haven’t had a chance to go back.  Every winter, especially since we moved to cold country, I always threaten that I’m going to go visit.  Maybe buy a house, who knows, take up residency from November-February.  Scottsdale just warms my heart. Literally with it’s 105 degree temperature in almost October.  So Mr. Anderson, bless his beautiful soul, arranged this surprise trip.  Not gunna lie, it brought tears to my eyes when he told me.  Okay, maybe a few more than just tears.  So anxiously I packed my bag and we went.

The trip was better than perfect.  And I am not saying that to be an obnoxious wife.  It really was.  Despite me thinking I could leave my type A planning self behind.  Ok, so confession, I thought “oh we can drive to Henderson and just find a room, we don’t need a reservation”.  WRONG.  When we got into town around 8:00pm and there were NO VACANCIES and town was S.K.E.T.C.H.Y., we decided to keep driving to Kingman.  Yup, NEVER not planning.  Back fires every time.  There is a reason I plan to plan lol. But really.  So we made it to Kingman, and were that much closer to the chosen land for Saturday adventures.

Saturday we found ourselves spending the whole day in Wickenburg.  Team roping capitol of the world.  Or so they claim.  We fit right in!  Great western culture, fun museum, wonderful shopping, and of course two saddle shops.  Guess where Mr. Anderson found himself?  Lost in the back rooms of both.  So ladies, if you want to get your Cow Man out of town for the weekend, tell him there will be leather, silver, and a saddle maker.  He will agree to go!  I’m pretty sure I’ve told the story about how we spent our ENTIRE honeymoon visiting tack shops for the infamous, now traded off, spade bit. Yup, my Cowboss has never met a stranger.

In both shops, I found him bellied up to the leather cutting table, or looking through the saddle makers prized treasures kept in the “back room”.  Not just once did this happen but twice.  Either way, I got to wander around lost in the home décor and art shops like a tourist.  It was AMAZING!

That was Saturday.  Sunday, was when the magic happened.  Our non-sleeping in selves found ourselves feverously driving up and down the streets of Cave Creek, trying to devise a plan for the up-teen shops and impatiently waiting for their open.  Once they finally opened about 10am we dove in head first.  The art, the furniture, the pottery, the colors, it was beautiful.  We had a blast.  Mr. Anderson scoured every inch of every store looking for silver and leather.  Me, on the other hand, it was Indian art and jewelry. We met some fun people, had some great conversations, ate some delish food and found ourselves still in pursuit of needing silver bits and spurs.  So we headed to the trading post in the Carefree Sundial Plaza.  That is where we met Sue.  And here is how the story begins.

Sue was wonderful.  She was in her 70’s. Retired from much non-profit/volunteer work her whole life.  This was her first job she ever had where she got paid.  She loved meeting people and learning their stories.  She was so real.  She let me try on turquoise ring after ring, necklace, and squash blossom.  She would call the store owner to get us the best deal, she was just so refreshing.  She was definitely met, and not a stranger.  So after we bought our goodies, she asked us a question…..

The question was “How did you two get involved in ranching and wanting to own your own cows?”

So we told our story.  The story of how we met.  How we worked for other people and for other jobs.  But what we kept telling her is how much we love cattle.  “We do it because we love it; every aspect of it. What it stands for. Who it makes us. How it makes us feel. We do it because so few will. We do it so others can know where, how, and why agriculture is so important.”  With the growth of our 2A Cattle Company and the direction we are headed, this was almost like a sign from above.  Here we had the opportunity of meeting this well-traveled and kind woman, and were blessed with the chance to share our purpose.  Our purpose of raising cattle authentically so that our community can be connected, empowered, and educated decision makers about their food choices.  Though she was in her 70’s, and much removed from the farm, she knew so little about agriculture.  But what she did know, where a lot of myths.

Ag education has always been a passion of mine, and to see it be a huge part of what we love to do, raising cattle and cowboying, is truly a way that I can serve a purpose driven life.  We had the chance to share with Sue about how our cattle are raised.  The age in which they are harvested.  How one cow only has two tri-tips.  She was appalled at this.  We as ranchers and agriculturalists take this so called “general knowledge” for granted.  What an antibiotic withdrawal period is. That dairy cows can grade “prime” beef. And two hours more of information.  It was exciting, it was humbling, it was needed.

What I learned is, we need to show up.  We need to tell our story.  People want to hear it.  They need to hear it.  We were created to share it.  It is our purpose.  I have been doing a lot of work recently on personal growth and business direction.  And all I can say is, this sign was put right in front of us, not anywhere we expected to find it.  We could have just said “thank you” for our gifts and been on our way, but instead we shared.  We shared what we were called and meant to do.  And in return, we were met with the humility to recognize and be oh so thankful for this blessing.  The gift to do what we love and share what we do.  I’m not going to lie, sometimes it feels so foreign to be so outward with it.  But anything that is different and causes change, allows us to grow.  In growth we find new opportunity and purpose.  And life is all about purpose.

So the Arizona trip that was originally about saguaro cactus, eating great food at the Tapas bar, (yes you read that right, the Cow Boss ate Tapas and LOVED it) and hunting for silver bits and turquoise, quickly became about showing up, sharing our story, and never meeting a stranger.  So friends, as Rachel Hollis coined the phrase, “You were made for more”. Show up, share your story, and stay a while!