Merry Christmas!

Before I even went home after seeing Dakota, I stopped by Rite Aid in Covington to drop off my disposable camera to be developed. In one hour, of course. It was imperative that I show my dad the pictures of her that night.

When I got home with the pictures, I threw them at him and started rambling on and on and on about the mare. He listened intently and shuffled through the pictures. Then he asked, "Do you think she's the one?" :) Immediately I said yes. But at that point I still remained reserved about the whole thing. I wanted my parents approval of her too. Even though she would technically be my horse, I wanted a horse that the whole family could enjoy.

After my report was complete, he said, "Can we go out there this weekend to see her?" How these questions even registered in my head is still uncertain. I was in a true life daydream, so I thought. I called up Ann to set up another time to come and see Dakota. Luckily Dakota's owner Gale was going to be out there that day too!

That Saturday, we all loaded up into our truck and headed out to Enumclaw. I felt extremely nauseous. I was hoping with everything I had that my last trip here hadn't been an illusion. I do tend to not see things as they really are sometimes. I was hoping this wasn't one of those times. We pulled up at met Gale in the barn. Dakota was in her stall munching on her hay, so we haltered her up and brought her out. I looked over her again while Gale told us more about her. Then she asked me what I else we would like to see. I told Gale I would like to show my mom how she moves so we took her out to the outdoor arena and let her go.

Just like the first time I saw her, she was lazy, lazy, lazy. I actually had to run after her myself flinging a lead rope around to get her to trot. Ughh... At least my mom was able to see her move a little. After I caught her up again it was time for decisions to be made. My dad asked me once again, "Is she the one?" I nodded my head. She was mine. :P

A price was discussed, basically enough to cover the next month's board since the barn owner would have an immediate vacancy without much notice. Then a date was set up to bring her home. She had an appointment to get her feet trimmed, so we wanted to wait for that to take place. And, being so close to Christmas, we decided to wait until the 27th, my mom's birthday coincidentally.

On the way home from Enumclaw, I couldn't help but think about all of the things we had to do to prepare for Dakota: move stuff out of the second stall, hang up a new hay feeder, bucket, salt lick, and grain holder, divide the paddocks in half (sorry Starlett), and think of a new name. I personally know at least three 'Dakotas,' so that wasn't going to do. So the name game began.

Sigh... Best. Christmas. Present. EVER!