It sure has been awhile since I’ve posted a blog...two months almost, and a lot has happened. Bad and Good.
Shortly after graduation and attending the World Pork Expo in June , my grandma Sharon J. (Rose) Poe passed away on June 19th from a short battle with lung cancer. She was a fighter, and dealt with a lot of pain..more pain than she would ever let on she was in. It was sad to see her suffering, but now she is no longer suffering and with my grandpa again who passed away in November of 2008. Cancer has over-stayed its welcome in our family..we lost my great-gram Betty Fender to cancer in the similar sudden situation before I was born. I am proud to say that my mother too, battled and beat cancer in 2001. We are thankful it was caught in time and treatable. She has been in successful remission for over ten years now.
In July, I was elected the 2011-2013 National Junior Swine Association (NJSA) Junior Board of Directors to represent the Eastern Region. I am very excited and very blessed to have this amazing opportunity to give back to the organization that I have grown up in. This has been a long time goal of mine, and it really is a dream come true.
Now, the end of July is here and the Ohio State Fair is just around the corner. The very last one I will ever attend as a junior fair exhibitor. It is VERY sad to me that I am done after this. It has been an awesome nine years, blessed with success, joy, laughter and tears. I wouldn’t change it for the world. There is a time and place to grow up, and I suppose this is one of them. It will be hard on the entire family since we always do this together...but I know that I will be back supporting the rest of the OSF junior swine exhibitors and someday as a parent.
Shortly after I get home from the state fair, I will be moving out for college. Another big step for me and the family. Somedays I can’t wait, and somedays I am dreading leaving home.
Time brings change, and change as they say is inevitable.
