This beautiful life that I can call MINE!!!

I feel terrible that I have not posted an update in a LONG time!  So much has been happening this summer.  I'm having to split our summer up into several blogs b/c no one wants to read a ridiculously long post, lol.  So... here we go!

Afton will be 20 months old tomorrow!!! I cannot believe it.  She is SOOOO fun!  I truly believe she is the coolest tiny person!  Here is a little bit about Afton right now. 

Loves: apples, bananas, mac and cheese, hot dogs, nuggets, cantaloupe, milk, caf free diet coke, pb&j.  

Hates: green beans, juice, ketchup... ok... most foods in general

She loves to jump and spin in a circle until she falls over.  She climbs on EVERYTHING, she loves to facetime with my mom, sister and niece, she has found a love for the words "mom, momma, mommy", she loves bath time, she sleeps about 12 hours a night, her hair is still incredibly curly and i love love love it! She has started nursery at church.  She loves being in the pool.  She is not a fan of being confined to a stroller.  She finds it funny when she screams at the top of her lungs while I am on the phone in the car.  She is NOT a morning person.  She sings all the time.  Every time she sees police lights she thinks it's daddy, lol.  Every morning she gets out of her crib and immediately finds Harley to give him a hug and a kiss.  

This little girl is crazy fast and all I can do is laugh when she takes off running and her curls are bouncing behind her!   

July 9th was Paul and my 6th wedding anniversary.  Its crazy to think we have been married for 6 years already.  This past year has been an interesting year for us.  We spent the majority of the past year living with Paul's parents.  During that time we did a lot of soul searching as to where we wanted to raise our family and to finally call home.  Paul interviewed with our "dream department" this past February in Idaho and it was a total bust.  The interview went really well and they really liked him... but for whatever reason, they did not feel like Paul would be happy spending the rest of his career with their department.  There are so many things Paul would have to give up to go to another department.  2 of the biggest changes would be that he would have to come off of the motor and start from square one with seniority.  He would also have to give up teaching.  He loves teaching at the academy and this department would not offer him the chance to continue teaching.  I remember when Paul called me after that interview.  I felt like I had been hit by a semi.  For years, we have both felt that we were to relocate our family out West.  We have prayed about it and taken it to the Temple and BOTH felt the confirmation that we were making the right decision. For whatever reason, Heavenly Father has plans for us in VA.  It may simply be that we live in a time when Police are being targeted and we have agreed that we feel fairly safe in his current PD.  Over the past few years, we have traveled for several job interviews and each time we feel the same way... "this is not the place" but this last interview was different.  We felt great about it but we were told in other ways that "this is not the place".  It was a heart breaking moment for both of us.  It left us feeling very confused and I felt very abandoned by our Heavenly Father.  We came home to VA with the feeling of "what next???".  Well, we have decided that our job search is over and that the time has come to plant some roots here in VA.  Albemarle County is incredibly expensive, so we have decided to look at houses in Augusta County this upcoming winter/spring.  The lease on our apartment is up the end of April and we would really like to start putting money into a home instead of rent.  We miss owning our own home and our goal is to have a home paid off by the time Paul retires.  

This past year has given Paul and I a chance to grow closer together as a couple and I look forward to the next year of our marriage.  

Afton is growing and changing every single day.  She is constantly learning something new and it amazes me how quickly she picks up on my day to day tasks.  Something she really enjoys doing is dusting.  I told my mom the other night that I fear Afton is going to be a little OCD.  She is going to have a post it note addiction just like my dad and she is going to be a clean freak!  I wont lie, I will never deter my child from dusting.  She can dust all day long if that's what makes her happy!  The other day we were in a department store and she was begging for a baby wipe. Paul finally gave her one and she walked around wiping down the tiles on the floor, ha ha.  What a nut!  A little over a week ago she decided she would unplug our freezer.... as you can see in the picture above, everything in the freezer thawed and had to be throw out!  Sigh.  You live and you learn!  Thank goodness Sams is not too far away!

Afton finds it funny that she can "sneak" snacks into our shopping cart by putting them on the bottom shelf of the cart.  She wanted all of the cookies from Target, lol.  

Recently she has loved the smell of Paul's shirts.  She will find one in the laundry or pull one out of his drawer and walk around smelling it.  If I try to take it from her, she fusses until I give it back.  I remember being really little and sleeping in my dad's t shirts when he would go out of town on business.  I hope Afton finds the same sense of comfort sleeping in Paul's t shirts as she gets older. 

Dad gave me a new fitbit for my birthday this year!  I lost mine while we were moving in April and I needed a kick in the pants to start walking again.  Dad thought this would do the trick!  Thanks Dad!!!!  You are the BEST!  

Afton has figured out the art of dressing herself.  It may not make sense to me, but she things she is pretty fancy!  She loves to find her swimming suits and put them on like a cape and walk around.  Silly girl...

No matter what we told her, we could not convince her that she was too little to go to the Police Academy.  She put on her daddy's boots and tried to tell us that she was big and ready to go!  She could not be any sweeter.  

I took her to a splash pad a couple weeks ago and she had a great time!  I'm thankful our community is so child friendly.  Especially on extremely hot days!!!!!

Afton and I went to Utah a few weeks ago and spent 1 week of our vacation in California with the other Stone girls.  I snapped this picture of Afton holding my fingers.... I am so lucky to have the love of such an amazing little girl.  She trusts me with her life and I would give mine for her.  I look at her and still cannot believe she is mine. I remember before I got pregnant.... I told Heavenly Father all the time "If you give me just 1 baby, I will feel complete".  That is exactly how I feel.  Paul and I would love 1 more baby now that Afton is a little older... but... if we are never blessed with a 2nd, I truly feel 100% complete.  A 2nd baby would be an incredible bonus to an already perfect little family!

OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS MAN!  I do not know how I got so lucky to be his wife. Paul is honestly one of the kindest men I have ever known.  He would do anything for me and he would do anything for Afton.  He loves spending time with us and he is so happy when he comes home from work and watches Afton run to him when she sees him.  I love being married to this handsome fella!!!!  

I swear I could take pictures of this little girl all day long.  She is so fun and I adore catching the different parts of her personality.  I cannot believe she will be 20 months old tomorrow. She will be 2 before I know it.  I need to go ahead and stock up on the klenex b/c I know that will be a day full of smiles and tears!  

I hope everyone is having a fantastic summer!  It's been so hot in VA and I'm sure it's the same all over the country.  

EQ

Happy Birthday Liliana Rebecca

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY LILIANA REBECCA STONE!

How do I put into words my feelings for this little girl?  Looking at these pictures makes me emotional.  I tell everyone that Lily is the blessing I never knew I needed.  I'll never forget the day Lily was born.  She was due July 1st and I kept telling Emily I did not want to share my anniversary... so she HAD to have this baby before midnight on July 8th.  The days crept by and still no baby.  Lily joined out family at 11:51 PM on July 8.  That's right...9 minutes shy of my anniversary.  She came into this world with more skin than she knew what to do with.  She looked like a beautiful little old person!!!  Oh my gosh she was so sweet.  She has ALWAYS been so patient with her surroundings.  She is extremely sassy and knows exactly how to demand attention.  While I was in Utah a few weeks ago, we decided she was destined to be the Speaker of the House!  She is such a little mommy.  She loves to hold Aftons hand and lead her around.  She loves to give hugs and kisses.  I cannot get enough of this little girl.  One of the sweetest moments of my life was the day Lily called me "Sissy" while we were facetiming.  When she was born, my sister kept referring to me as Sissy.  I finally looked at Emily and said "You know I'm her Aunt, not her sister?".  We both laughed about it and I have been Auntie Sissy ever since.  Lily is my baby bestie.  I tell her all the time that she is going to tell me all of her secrets when she is older.  I hate living so far away from this beautiful little girl... but I am so thankful I get to see her almost on a daily basis b/c of modern technology.  

Lily, You are a little diamond in this world.  Your circumstances are not ideal but you are so incredibly loved.  I hope you know that Mommy, Grammy and I will always fight for your best interest.  We will always give you advice that will help you stay on the straight and narrow.  I promise to always protect your heart if and when possible.  Lily, you remind me every single day that beautiful blessings can come from not so beautiful experiences.  You are going to do amazing things in this world.  You are so smart.  You are incredibly sure of yourself.  You are very sensitive of your surroundings and you know when you are surrounded by those who love you.  I watch your relationship with Afton develop and I cannot wait to see what trouble you two cause together when you are older.  Heaven help us when you two become teenagers.  You two have a special bond and I hope you always remember that you are kindred spirits.  You two love each other unlike anything I have ever seen.  I pray that you and Afton are always best friends.  Lily, I love you sweet girl.  I am so thankful for you!  Happy 2nd birthday nugget.  You are growing up way too fast!

Love,

Auntie Sissy

Utah/California vacation! June/July 2016

In June, Afton and I flew to Utah to visit my mom, sister and niece for 2 1/2 weeks.  It was QUITE the adventure, that's for sure.  It was the longest trip I have taken since Afton's been born and Paul has make the executive decision that we are not allowed to be gone for more than 2 weeks in the future!  You would think we would all be sick of each other by the end of the trip, but we had a wonderful time and were so incredibly busy the entire time we were there!  I'm going to do my best to highlight our trip.  I took SOOOO many pictures while I was on vacation... I had to decide which ones were my favorite b/c it would have taken forever to upload them to the blog.  

One of the best parts of the trip was when we landed in Utah.  The flight into SLC was long and I was a little nauseated by the time we landed.  It was quite bumpy and Afton was tired of sitting still.  We were so happy when we finally landed.  The older I get the more I dislike flying.  But, Utah is too far of a drive by myself right now.  

We found mom, Emily and Lily by baggage claim and the sweetest thing happened.  Lily comes running for me and just when I thought she wanted me, she yelled "Aton, Aton" hahahahah!!!!  Her and Afton hugged and hugged and hugged.  You would have thought they were college roommates who were reuniting after years apart!  Nope, they are just baby cousins who have an incredible bond!

Since I could go on for days talking about the trip, Im going to caption the pictures below!  If you want to know more, just ask!

These sweet girls love being near each other!  I cant put it any other way!

My sweet, dear, amazing friend Rosemary made me try Black Truffle Aged Gouda.  Ok, I love gouda... but not aged gouda... and NOOOTTTTT black truffle aged gouda!  It was the most expensive gross cheese I have ever tried.  At least I know what to buy her for her birthday!  I'm thankful she made me try a new thing through!

Mom and I went for a walk one evening and found ourselves at Johnny Rockets having a milk shake.  It was so peaceful.  We sat next to the fountains, sipped on our shakes and solved all the problems of the world.  Ok, maybe zero problems were solved but we enjoyed people watching and discussing life.  

Mom insisted the girls needed an ice cream cone while we were one a drive.  Ok, I first have to point out how CUTE the girls are holding hands.  These babies LOVED their ice cream cones.  Shockingly they did not get it all over the place.  A few baby wipes and we were good as new.  Afton was in heaven.  I think my mom is trying to win her over and become Afton's bestie by letting her have a big kid cone.  This is what Sonic apparently considers an XS kids cone.  

One of the COOLEST things we did on this trip was drive to the AFB in Ogden, UT and watch the Blue Angels fly.  It took my breath away it was so beautiful.  

We did a LOT of swimming while we were on vacation.  The swimming suit I brought Afton ended up being too small so my sister brought out this cute blue one with the dots.  It was my sister Erin's swimming suit she wore before she passed away.  It was so heart warming to see Afton wear it and it fit her like a glove.  These are pictures I will cherish forever!!!

The picture of me having my blood drawn was the WORST part of our trip.  I had found out on Fathers Day that Paul and I were expecting another baby.  I told Paul and we were both SO excited.  Before I left for Utah I kept feeling like something was not right.  Well, 2 days into our trip I unfortunately miscarried.  It was such a sad thing to go through.  I'm thankful that we were so busy though.  I'm thankful for the amazing doctor I had at the walk in prompt care clinic in Layton.  It's been an emotional ride and I'm still processing it... but with that said, I'm thankful it happened when it did, if it was going to happen.  

For the first part of our trip we did not have my sisters double stroller.  So.... you do what you have to do... and you put the smallest baby in the bucket under the seat!!!!!!  Afton loved it!  Please dont call CPS on me!

The girls loved riding the horse.  They fell off together and that was quite tragic but they quickly recovered and moved forward with life.

Afton slept in a "big kid bed" for the first time.  I wont lie, I was a little nervous but it worked out much better than expected.  

We headed off to California on July 1st after Emily's mediation with Lily's dad (Another post for another day).  The trip from Farmington to Vegas took a lot longer than expected.  We expected mediation to take an hour and it took 3.  We expected it to take 30 minutes to get the girls ready and pack up the car and it took about 2 hours.  So... we left a lot later than expected and ended up getting to our hotel (Westgate) around 9:30 pm.  It was funny b/c when we FINALLY found our way to our room, mom and I started getting ready for bed.  My sister reminded me that mom and I were going to walk to the Bellagio to see the fountain.  We were SOOOOO tired and I decided we would just skip it.  Mom was insistent that we go b/c it was the 1 thing I really wanted to do on this trip.  I had been talking about it for weeks.  So, mom and I put our shoes on, left the babies with my sister and headed out to see Sin City.  We were tired and ended up taking a cab to the fountain.  Well worth the cost.  Once we were out and about we woke up and had a blast.  The fountain was BEAUTIFUL and we made out way to Wahlburgers for dinner... or breakfast.... whichever.  It was very disappointing.  It was crazy expensive and the food was not good :( Chalk it up to being an experience!  I loved Vegas.  I'd love to go again and have more time to see the sites.  

The next night we stayed outside of Sequoia National Park.  It is the home to the largest Sequoia Tree in the world.  It was spectacular!  The girls were AMAZING!  There were a couple total meltdowns while we were at the park but that was mainly because they had been in their car seats for so long and they were going stir crazy.  I was quite impressed with my sisters car too.  We did not have any car problems and she did a fantastic job doing most of the driving!  

California produce.  What can I say about you????  I LOVE YOU!  I miss you and I would love to have you in my life every single day!  The produce orchards were amazing.  We saw so many things being grown.

naval oranges

olives

kiwi

peaches

lemons

limes

artichokes

cherry tomatoes

grapes

Monterey, California is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.  I called Paul while I was there and told him I wanted to move to Monterey!!!!!  The weather is amazing and the people are so kind.  The palm trees were so beautiful and there are produce stands EVERYWHERE.  Its a place I did not know actually existed.  If it was not so expensive to live there, I would really consider moving there.  72 deg and sunny all year round.... YES PLEASE!  We spent the day at the beach and at fishermans warf.  We had dinner at this awesome restaurant and after dinner I realized I left my wallet at a Subway just outside of Sequoia National Forest... 5 hours away!!!!!!  I ended up spending the rest of the trip having to bum money off of my mom and sister.  Paul said it was a great way to make sure I did not over spend, lol.  I only find it funny b/c I know he was joking!

I was very thankful that the girl that found my wallet was willing to hang onto it for me and I picked it up from her on our way back to Utah at the end of our trip.  The ocean was so beautiful in California.  The water here on the East Coast is much warmer than it was where we were in CA so swimming was not really an option for me. I put my toes in and a wave knocked Afton over.  She was quite annoyed by that.  

My mom would like to take Paul to Monterey next summer.  It would be such a wonderful vacation as a family.  I know he would love the seafood!!!  It gives me something to look forward to :)

4th of July in San Francisco was wonderful.  We spent the day at Pier 39 and enjoyed so many fun activities.  The girls rode the carousel and Lily threw the biggest fit when it was time to get off.  She loves horses and did not want to leave them behind.  Afton was not quite sure what to think about the experience but it was so fun.  Mom has pictures of that on her phone.  I need to get them from her and upload them!

One thing we did not take into consideration when packing for San Francisco were the cold nights.  We each brought jackets b/c we knew it would get cool but it got COLD.  the night of the 4th, mom saved Emily and I by buying us STL Cardinals socks at a local store.  They were probably ridiculously over priced but they kept our feet from freezing.  We bought the girls zip up hooded sweatshirts and made sure they had long pants on. 

Lily was a little freaked out by the sound of the fireworks.  Emily was afraid of them at that age too.  Afton slept clear through the big booms.  I could go on and on about the fireworks at Pier 39... but since I'm trying to keep it to just the cliff notes, I'll say this... I could feel the fireworks in my chest.  Every single boom was so intense.  I have never been more thankful to be a member of this great nation than I was at that moment.  Feeling the fireworks made me think about the turmoil that is going on in the world and I'm thankful that we live in a nation where I have rights and freedoms.  Those rights and freedoms are challenged every single day.  We are a country that is at war with itself... and yet we still have rights, we still have protection from our military and our law enforcement.  We still have the ability to attend the church that we choose and we have the right to stand up for what we believe.  We may have others pushing against up but we can STILL stand.  I am so incredibly blessed to be an American citizen.  

Emily and I walked the streets of China Town.  Talk about stepping into a different world.  Emily made the comment that she felt like we were in China.  It's as close to China as we will ever get.  It was wonderful to see the difference in culture.  It was wonderful to be the minority.  Everyone needs to experience being the minority.  I have friends who are refugees from Iraq and they talk about the struggles they have in our grocery stores because they dont know what anything is.  I understood that for the first time in China Town.  It was a beautiful experience!

A group was exercising their free speech by trying to convince us to stop eating meat.  I did not leave feeling the need to become vegan but they sure did try their best.  The looks on the officers faces was fun to watch.  I could tell that they were standing there thinking "these people have lost their minds, but I'm getting paid contractual overtime to protect these nuts" lol.  

I knew I would see row houses in San Francisco.  I was honestly shocked that they were EVERYWHERE.  It was amazing to see how the architectural design was so different between the individual houses.  

Emily and I harvested pearls for the girls.  We each picked an oyster and we got to squeeze the pearl out of the middle.  Afton has the silver pearl and lily has the pink pearl.  They are beautiful.  We had them made into necklaces and will give them to the girls when we think they will be old enough to take care of them.  It is a keepsake I will cherish forever.  

We did not have time to take the ferry to Alcatraz  but we were excited we were able to see it from Pier 39.  You grow up hearing about places like Alcatraz, but seeing it in person makes the stories so real.  

I loved seeing the seals.  While we were standing there watching them, a camera crew came up and wanted to get video of the girls and they interviewed me.  It was so fun.  They loved that the girls were in matching outfits!

The funnel fries were AMAZING!  Seriously!!!! I could have eaten them all day!

We drove down Lombard Street.  I wont lie,  the drive to the top of Lombard Street freaked me out.  I dont do well on roller coasters and that is exactly  how I felt.... like the car was going to flip over backwards.  I dont know how anyone drives a stick in that city.  I would die my first week.  Lombard Street was so beautiful.  It was very busy and it made me wonder why anyone would actually live on that street.  I would hate having people tromping through my yard.  Heck, I don't like people knocking on my door, lol.  Ive seen the street in movies but it was wild actually being there.  

The Oakland Temple was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!  I was so thankful we were able to go.  Mom walked around with the girls for a while and I had a chance to sit, ponder and pray.  I had a lot on my mind and I needed a moment to connect to God and have a moment to organize my thoughts.  One thing I love about being Mormon is that the church is the same everywhere we go.  The feeling of peace can be found at every single Temple.  The feeling of being close to the Savior can be felt at every single  Temple.  Mom found Afton this little rose and it's now in a little jar and will be kept in her memory box.  

The Golden Gate Bridge was awesome!  It was so cold and so windy that we were not able to get the girls out and take them on our little walk.  Mom stayed in the car with them and Emily and I walked part of the bridge.  We originally wanted to walk the entire bridge but we could not fit it into our day.  Something was better than nothing!  It was a wonderful memory.  

I love windmills.  Always have and always will.  Driving past this windmill farm was so beautiful.  I was so happy I was able to get a few pictures.  

We stayed in a "resort and casino" outside of Vegas on our way back to Utah.  It was an... interesting... place, but the bed was soft and we were exhausted.  On our way out the next morning, we decided the girls needed to do a little gambling while were were still on vacation :)  Don't worry, they just pressed the buttons!

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Our last stop before finally making it home was at the St. George Temple.  That was a quick visit because we were all anxious to get home.  Afton and I were flying out the next morning and we had a lot of packing and such to do.  

We had a little birthday party for Lily the night we got home.  It was so fun to have Rosemary and her 2 boys over for dinner and cake and ice cream.  Rosemary brought the cake and it was AMAZING!!!  Lily actually blew out her birthday candle on her own!  I hope she made an amazing wish :)

Well, that's all I have for tonight.  I may go back through tomorrow and add a few things that come to my mind between now and tomorrow (should say later today because it's 12:33 am)

I had such a wonderful trip to Utah and California.  On the trip we went through Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California.  A few states I have never visited.  It was a trip of a lifetime and I made memories I will cherish for the rest of my life.  I could not be more thankful for my mom and making it possible for us to make these memories.  

I am so excited for the rest of the summer and cannot wait to blog about mom, Afton and my trip to NYC in 2 weeks!  YAY!

I hope you are all having wonderful vacations this summer.  Be safe and stay cool!

EQ

2016 JAMS Skills Competition

 The 2016 Jefferson Area Motor Squad Skills Competition was amazing.  Afton and I were able to attend all 3 days this year.  It was a little tricky considering she was being woken up for the day around 7 am and was not able to nap at home all 3 days.  She was such a trooper.  I made 2 onesies for her to wear for the competition.  On Friday she wore a onesie with the JAMS logo on it (onesie with yellow patch).  That was made out of a t shirt I won 2 years ago that I had stained.  I loved being able to reuse the shirt!  Saturday she wore the onesie in the pictures below.  I found a picture of Paul at the motor competition (i'm guessing 2 years ago) and printed it on fabric paper.  I had no idea how it would turn out and ended up being very pleased with the results.  Everyone loved her little outfits.  It is making me extremely excited for next years competition.  A friend of ours is having a little boy in a few months and he will be rooting for his daddy next summer at the 2017 competition (His dad's a UVA motor officer).  We were extremely lucky this year because the sun took a little vacation for a few days.  It was still hot and humid but we did not have the sun beating down on us.  HUGE blessing!  I LOVE the motor competitions!  I love having a chance to support my wonderful husband as he does something he loves.  I love having motor officers from the surrounding area and up and down the East Coast come together in Charlottesville for several days.  The police brotherhood is a wonderful thing to experience.  I cant tell you how much I enjoy meeting other Police Wives and knowing that we understand a part of each others lives that few will ever understand.  If you ever have the opportunity to watch a Police Rodeo, please take advantage of that opportunity! 

My friend Lubna and her nephews came Saturday to show their support!  Her nephews recently came to the USA as refugees from Iraq and Lubna wanted to show them that Police Officers in American are not the enemy.  These two young men have been raised to fear those who should be protecting them.  It warmed my heart knowing their future in our country was going to be amazing!

Paul rode his bum off.  His brand new 2016 BMW R1200 RT-P arrived a few weeks before the competition so he did not have much time adjusting to the little differences between the new bike and the one he had been riding for quite some time.  I tell everyone Paul is like a ballerina on a motorcycle.  He is incredibly graceful and seems to glide through the courses with so much confidence and ease.  Its an amazing thing to watch.  I wont lie, I am so so so proud when I watch his ride and when I hear people comment on his riding skills!   

Opening ceremonies were so fun to watch.  Every year, JAMS supports a local charity.  This year, they donated to the 9/11 Foundation.  This foundation is outstanding!!!  It was such an honor to be able to donate to them and help this foundation grow.  

Afton and her daddy are so cute together!  

Thin Blue Line sugar cookies are the BEST!!!!!  I am so thankful my mom was willing to walk me through this recipe over facetime so I could make them for all of the motor officers on Saturday.  I was extremely nervous going into this task for many reasons.  1.  I have tried to make these cookies for years with zero success.  2.  I have never used black food coloring and 3.  I was giving these cookies to so many people that I love and respect.  I wanted them to turn out the way I had imagined.  Well, I'm happy to say they were delicious!!!!  So soft, and exactly how my mom makes them.  I ended up using food coloring paste and it was really cool.  I wish the food coloring did not turn your teeth black... but they were so tasty and I did not get any complaints about people walking around with black teeth for a few minutes :)  

Afton's cute onesie!

Chief Sellers retired a few days before the competition.  The JAMS officers gave him the fairing from his motorcycle as a gift and all of the officers signed it.  

Paul received 3 awards at the banquet on Saturday evening.  The first was Division III Expert 1st place.  The second was the Dave Purvis award (Dave Purvis is a motor officer who unfortunately lost his life).  It is the award for winning the challenge ride (that was REALLY fun to watch!!!) and the third is was the Steve Grissom award.  This award made me tear up when they announced Paul's name.  It it the award for the best overall Motor Officer.  Steve Grissom (aka, Pappy) is one of the most amazing men you will ever meet.  He has been a mentor for Paul since he was a new officer with the Charlottesville PD and he has been supportive of Paul throughout his career.  Paul looks up to Pappy not only as a mentor, but as a 2nd dad.  I could see how proud Steve was when he presented Paul with the award.  It was the perfect ending to a wonderful rodeo!!!!

I'm so proud of everyone who competed in this years competition and I cannot wait to see everyone again next year! Job well done everyone!!!!