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Ideas, Information, Inspiration
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In This Issue:
First Class, First LadyAn exclusive interview with Nancy Freudenthal
A Day in the Life Of...A Wyoming Rancher
Missing MidwivesLawmakers legalize alternatives in obstetric care
Are You a Typical Wyoming Woman?Take our quiz to find out...
Fall 2010
$3.50
W y o m i n g W o m a nThe
Magazine
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WYWF Is 10! Join Us In Celebrating: Date: October 9th, 2010Time: 11:20-2:00 Location: Old West Museum, CheyenneGuest Speaker: Marcia Meredith Hensley (Sponsored by WHC) Guest Performer: Miss V (Sponsored by WAC) For Ticket Info: www.wywf.org
The Wyoming Women’s Foundation Helping Women & Girls Achieve
Self-Sufficiency Celebration
a Note From NettieLast year I moved from Las Vegas, Nevada to Casper, Wyoming. After just a month, it was clear…living in Wyoming was different. Shopping, schools, neighborhoods, traveling…even the sounds were different! In Las Vegas I often heard sirens and passing planes; yet all I hear now is the river and a few Canada Geese. In Las Vegas we had a wild Desert Tortoise who wandered around our yard. Here we have a wild pheasant who visits each morning. In the bright city, stars were non-existent, yet here in Wyoming I can sit on my swing at night and see billions of them.
I immediately fell in love with prairie living, but after a few months began to wish for a way to connect with other women, get advice, and find a voice in this spacious state. The idea for The Wyoming Woman Magazine came like a flash into my mind one day. I was busy with mundane household chores, but the inspiration made me stop and think. Yes, a magazine to connect women was a fabulous idea.
A few weeks later, I mentioned the idea to my friend, Beth Worthen. I saw sparks go off in her eyes, too. We both felt it; a magazine was a great idea. A few months later, when we met to discuss The Wyoming Woman Magazine, our ideas flowed and within a week we had asked Alicia Blevins, local Casper artist, to join our team. Later, Amanda Helm arrived to provide marketing support. We had our first official meeting on March 9, 2010, and the wheels have been turning every since.
On every side, doors have opened to us. Kathryn Boswell helped facilitate our interview with Nancy Freudenthal. Susan Thomas sent a letter of encouragement. Mickey Babcock called with her excitement and support. Dale Bohren willingly shared insights on publishing. Many other talented and insightful women (and men, including our supportive husbands) have provided their ideas and enthusiasm.
The world cannot deny that women were created with innate abilities and talents. We have the capacity to nurture. We have the ability to inspire. We have the respon-sibility to lead and love.
The mission of The Wyoming Woman Magazine is to “connect women with ideas, information and inspiration.” Wyoming is a big state, filled with small towns, joined by many roads. We want to be a friend next door to the women of this state, con-necting them across the miles.
We hope this magazine will not only inform and uplift you, but also give you a voice. We invite you to join us—as a subscriber, an advertiser or a writer. And as we enjoy the vast beauty of Wyoming, we hope we’ll all feel a little more connected.
Happy reading!
Nettie
Editor The Wyoming Woman Magazine
The Wyoming Woman MagazineA Quarterly Publication * Fall 2010
Editor: Nettie H. [email protected]
Assistant Editors:Lorae Bowden
Katie Chambers
Graphic Design/Layout: Alicia Blevins
Advertising: Beth [email protected]
Marketing: Amanda [email protected]
Contributing Writers:Erin Corbridge, Shandra Emrich, Nettie Francis, Sylvia Harber, Jen
Hebert, Melinda Pickrell, Jan Warr, Beth Worthen
To Advertise in the Wyoming Woman Magazine
Call Beth @ 307-277-9190
For Launch event info please visit our website
www.TheWyomingWoman.com Or contact Amanda Helm
Please send stories and comments to:[email protected]
Subscribe on our website: www.TheWyomingWoman.com
Or send a check to:The Wyoming Woman Magazine
535 Round Up RoadEvansville, WY 82636
The Wyoming Woman MagazineIs published by
Meadowlark Media, LLC535 Round Up Road
Evansville, WY 82636307-315-2327
©2010 Meadowlark Media, LLC
Cover Photo Courtesy of Wyoming Governor’s Office
Cover design by Alicia BlevinsAlicia, Beth, Nettie, Amanda
Dear Editor, It is with pleasure I write to congratulate you on The Wyoming Woman Magazine. We are an incredible state and we certainly have incredible women who live and work here. For years I have worked with young women who have broken spirits----your publication will serve as a tool for these injured minds, to learn what positive living and role models are all about in Wyoming. I am sure The Wyoming Woman publication will be received with great enthusiasm. I thank you for helping to make Wyoming such a very special place in which to live. My best,Susan ThomasThe Craig and Susan Thomas Foundation
lllllDear Editor: I am the daughter and granddaughter of Wyoming women. I am the mother and grandmother of Wyoming women. Whether we’ve been here for generations or just a brief time, I think this new magazine will be a wonderful resource and benefit for all women who care about Wyoming. Thank you for taking this on! Kim GassonCheyenne, WY
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Dear Editor,
I am thrilled to know that The Wyoming Woman Magazine will be pub-lished soon! As I began my work with the Equipoise Fund, it was clear to me that what is desperately needed in Wyoming is a “hub”... a con-nector/distributor of all the good work taking place on behalf of women and girls. I believe The Wyoming Woman can be that “hub”.
Mickey BabcockEquipoise FundJackson, Wyoming
ContentsContents
Dear Editor:
I am very excited about The Wyoming Woman Magazine! Although I am not a Wyoming woman myself, I have a sister and sister-in-law who are, and am grateful I can subscribe and be informed about news in your great state. I also think that the ideas and information will prove useful in my own life, and help me feel connected to women across the coun-try. Thank you for providing this wonderful resource. I look forward to receiving my first issue!
Sincerely,Rebecca PowellTucson, Arizona
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4 Letters...
6 First Class, First Lady
10 Picture Perfect
14 Are You a Wyoming Woman?
17 Cooking Corner
20 Missing Midwives
24 A Day in the Life... A Wyoming Rancher
27 The Feminine Frontier
28 Motherhood Momentsts
30 Mothers of the Mayflower
31 Women at Work Directory
Letters...
We want mail! Send comments to
WW
Cowboy Shop 129 W Pine St, Pinedale, WY
toll free 877-56-RODEO, www.cowboyshop.com Visit us online or stop by for a visit.
Friday, October 1
Tradeshow Open: 4 – 8 pmHands-on Classes & Seminars: 4 – 8 pmHolistic Fair: 4 – 8 pmGirls Night Out: 5:30–7:30 pmComedian Karen Mills: 8–9 pm
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First Class,
First LadyAN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH
Nancy Freudenthal
First Lady
In April, The Wyoming Woman Magazine sat down with Wyoming’s First Lady Nancy Freu-denthal. During this interview, Nancy reflected
on her early life and career, discussed highlights and lessons of her time as first lady and looked forward to the future.
The Wyoming Woman Magazine: Tell us about your background and what first sparked your love for Wyoming.
Nancy Freudenthal: I was raised in Cody, Wyo-ming where I have deep roots. I attended school in the same classroom as my mother and grandmother and graduated from Cody High School. My parents were divorced in my formative years, so my perspec-tive as a young girl was of watching my mother in the professional arena. She was determined that her daughters would be self-sufficient. At first, I thought I might be a P.E. teacher, but I eventually decided to study philosophy at the University of Wyoming. I loved philosophy and it took me on to law school. During my first summer as a law student, I took a job at the Attorney General’s office. I didn’t really want to work there, but when you’re offered a job as a law student you take it! Until then, I had no connection with politics. But, I’ve learned that there is so much serendipity in life. So much is dependent on circumstances and taking the opportunities avail-able to us. From there a job surfaced to work in the Department of Environmental Quality in the Land Quality Division and eventually as an attorney for Governor Herschler.
WW: Who have been some influential mentors in your life?
Nancy: My mother. She was an example of some-one who could survive a divorce, remain self-suffi-cient and put her children through college. During law school, I went through a divorce and found my-self as a single mother with a child to raise. The voice of my mother came to me, telling me to map out a way to become self-sufficient. I made the decision to ask for a raise and bet-ter working conditions. I’d never really asked for anything for myself before. It was one of the hardest letters I had to write, but I asked for a higher salary
and to move into the office vacated by Governor Her-schler’s press secretary. Everyone wanted that office, but I got it because I asked! It cannot be overempha-sized how location matters in government. I would not be here or have had such great opportunities in my career if I hadn’t faced that point of living and shored up my courage to ask. Secondly, Walt Ackerman was influential in my life. He was head of the Department of Land Quality Division when I was hired there. My job was to write environmental rules for coal, bentonite and uranium mining operations. At first, I was very ner-vous about this job because I wasn’t a scientist or en-gineer. I had to go into the mines and figure out how a regulatory framework could be developed. Walt was a great mentor. He treated me as a practicing lawyer, and gave me the confidence that my views were valu-able.
WW: What are some surprising situations you’ve encountered and things you’ve learned as Wyoming’s First Lady?
Nancy: During the campaign the focus is all on the candidate and then, when the election is over, sud-denly you wonder, what is the role of the first lady? You’re not elected. You’re not a state employee. I was overwhelmed by the assignment, the manage-ment of the residence staff, the calendaring, the un-written rules and expectations. So I got advice from other first ladies around the country. I learned that you can make the office what you want. I hope that whoever comes in as the next first spouse realizes that the responsibility can be made as large or as limited as you want it to be. You have choices. The projects
you choose to focus on need to reflect your own personality. You don’t reinvent yourself here. I’ve also learned that you aren’t a super-woman. You can’t do it all well. The secret is to surround yourself with the highest quality of peo-ple you can and with people who are completely loyal. When Dave was first elected, I thought I would work as an attorney three days a week, and as the first lady the other days. But as time went on, I found that wasn’t realistic. I realized that I can practice law and work on projects as the first lady; but I’m not good at menu selection, and the cook won’t practice law if I plan the meals, or spend my time choosing the flowers or the curtains here.
WW: What has been a highlight of your years as Wyoming’s First Lady?
Nancy: When we were elected, we were deter-mined to move through this experience with our marriage intact and to get our four children through college, and we’ve done that. We’ve also had three of our children married since our election in 2002.
WW: How have you kept your marriage in-tact?
Nancy: It’s a challenging situation. You can quickly lose touch with your spouse because of the hectic schedules. The biggest complaint from first ladies across the country is that their staff doesn’t appreciate that they want to stay connected with their husbands. We’re really blessed, because our staff optimizes times to merge our schedules, so we can attend functions together or join each oth-er at different activities. It doesn’t happen easily. Sometimes when we’re at separate activities, we can still ride home together and catch up. The staff has to make that a priority. Early on, Dave made it clear at a staff meeting that the first lady’s happi-ness influences his quality of life. We are a couple, we have a relationship. I really appreciated that.
WW: What do you do to relax after a long day?
Nancy: There are always big challenges to face at the end of the day, a list of decisions to make,
information to read, preparation for a speech, etc. When I need to relax I read mysteries. They help me to unwind. I like to read Steig Larsen. Right now I’m reading The Girl Who Played with Fire. Books are liberating and a simple way to entertain. We also enjoy renting and going to movies.
WW: What tips do you have for Wyoming women in balancing family and professional obligations?
Nancy: Every woman is juggling several balls at a time. I’ve learned that all the balls are not equally important. What’s important is to keep your marriage together, keep your health, and attend to your chil-dren and their happiness. Look at the balls you carry. Sometimes you may need to say to yourself, ‘I’ll set this ball down for a while and pick it up later.’ Too often we sense that we must succeed in all of our dif-ferent roles. Former First Lady Jane Sullivan taught me that every time you say “Yes” to something, you’re saying “No” to something else. When we were first elected, there were so many good things that I was doing, I nearly drove myself crazy. I think often of the song from the musical, Oklahoma! that says, “I’m just a girl who can’t say no.” It may seem like we must serve in the church or bring cookies to the school function, but when you say “yes” to these things, you’re in fact saying “no” to others, like being there for your family. I remember when Dave had no clean shirts because the laundry accidentally delivered them to my law office. But Dave wasn’t mad. He just dug a Ph
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dirty shirt out of the laundry hamper and wore it! It bothered me more than it bothered him. We’d like to pretend we have our act together. But sometimes dinner’s burned or nothing’s defrosted. Try to keep your perspective. It’s the relationships in your life that matter.
WW: What benefits do women in Wyoming have?
Nancy: Wyoming is unique. We have terrific access to our leaders, both community and state, because of our low population. We have a strong economy. All we need are people willing to come forward with good ideas. There is also a real opportunity for wom-en in Wyoming to step into leadership roles, whether elected or appointed. Women have opportunities to make a difference. We have too few women in lead-ership positions. I would encourage women to find an issue that matters to you. Run for office, become an advocate for issues, mentor people. Women have opportunities to make a difference.
WW: What will you miss most about being Wyo-ming’s First Lady?
Nancy: I will miss all the people of this facility. This life has wonderful support. There’s always food in the fridge, or someone who can pick up milk late at night when we’re out. There have also been unexpected treasured friendships, such as those we’ve made with the secu-rity staff. At first I thought, ‘I don’t like this. Why am I riding in the backseat all the time?’ Sometimes I don’t want to express things to my husband in front of security. But you get used to the security personnel. My son even invited a member of the security staff to his graduation.
WW: What are you looking forward to in ap-proaching this next stage of your life?
Nancy: I’m looking forward to moving back to our home and having my own stuff. It will be like Christmas, unpacking certain vases or figures. We’ll move back to the home where we raised our children. I’ll gather around me everything that indicates ‘this is home.’ I like change and I’m ready for it.
FAST FACTS ABOUT
NANCY FREUDENTHAL
*Born in Cody, Wyoming: 1954
*Graduated from Cody High
School: 1972
*Graduated from University of
Wyoming with a Bachelor of Sci-
ence Degree in Philosophy: 1976
*Received Juris Doctorate De-
gree from University of Wyo-
ming Law School: 1980
*Attorney for intergovern-
mental affairs for Governor Ed
Herschler: 1980-1989
*Married to Dave Freudenthal
*Board member, State Board of
Equalization: 1989-1995
*Joined Davis & Cannon Law
Firm: 1995
*Dave Freudenthal elected Gov-
ernor of Wyoming: 2002
*Governor Freudenthal re-
elected: 2006
*Sworn in as Federal District
Court Judge: June 1, 2010
*The Freudenthals have four
grown children.
Photo
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ancy
Freu
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WW
PicturePerfect
BY NETTIE H. FRANCISPHOTOGRAPHS BY JEN HEBERT
Parents love pictures. As soon as our children are born we begin snapping—digital cam-eras, video cameras, disposable cameras, cell
phones. Professional photographers and studios make money on us, too, often convincing us to have pic-tures taken of our children at every stage of life. And of course, we all need an annual family photograph for grandparents and extended family members. The fact is, however, that photographing young children and families can be frustrating. When my first baby was a month old, I took him to have his picture taken. I laid him on a little rug on the studio table and the photographer snapped a few photos. It was easy! He was asleep. He didn’t move. He didn’t cry. My picture experience a few years later was completely different. By then I had three children, ages 3 and under. The nightmare started as soon as we arrived. We waited in line for forty-five minutes! When it was finally our turn, my children were fussy and hungry. Their once perfectly combed hair looked like haystacks. Their shirts were hanging out, and their pants needed changing. No one would smile. No one would sit still. No one would cooperate. We took a few pictures, all with tears running down my one-year-old daughter’s cheeks. I finally gave up and took my children home. I vowed that I would not relive such an un-pleasant experience. The next time I ventured to a photo studio I had a plan and prepared for every pos-sible mishap, including long lines and weepy chil-dren. This time, everything went smoothly, and when it was time to order prints, I had several cute poses to choose from. Now, with eight children, I have had many pos-
itive photo sessions both individually and as a family. Thanks to insights from other mothers, friends, and photographers, our photo experiences have improved. Here are some tips for taking nearly perfect pictures with imperfect little people:tPlan Ahead. Lay out all of the picture clothes the night before. Make sure you have every sock and every shoe, every hair bow and every prop you may want in the photo.tMorning Matters. When possible, schedule your pictures early in the day. Children are brighter and happier in the morning. Serve a good breakfast be-forehand. Children should eat in their pajamas, and then dress in their picture clothes.tPractice makes perfect. During breakfast, tell your children about the photo session. Briefly explain the photographer, camera, studio (if you are going to one), and what the experience may be like. Share appropri-ate behavioral expectations, and praise your children in preparation for the real thing. If you are taking a formal portrait, you may want to practice smiling, or ask to see your children’s “picture smiles.” This is es-pecially effective with toddlers, who may not remem-ber what it is like to go to a studio, but who love to be “hams” on camera.tDress to Dazzle. Comb every hair and button every button before you leave your home. Although some of your efforts may unravel in the car as you travel, your children will only require “touch ups” once you’re at the photo shoot. Dressing before you leave will also spark your memory if you have forgotten anything.tBe Prepared. Pack a bag with extras;Comb or brushSpray bottle to touch up hair before a pose.
Wipes to clean up unexpected messesWaterTreats—cereal, bite-sized crackers, or fruit snacks work best.Books and small toys for entertainment dur-ing waiting time.Any coupons you may have for the picturestPlan to wait. In a perfect world, the pho-tographer would be ready when you arrive, but mostly likely there will be some waiting time. Take books to read or other quiet activi-ties to keep your children occupied. If you
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Tips from a PhotographerBy Jen Hebert
t Choose a photographer to match your style. The current trend in photography is a more candid approach. However, “Sunday best” photographers are still available for those who want a traditional portrait.
t Studio photos can be captured at all hours; if outside, how-ever, photographers need to shoot around the best light to get ideal images. Late afternoons or about two hours before sunset are often good times. Make sure children are fed, napped and ready ahead of time.
t For clothing, focus on coordinating rather than matching. With a big family group, suggest a few colors to dress with. Bright colors and textures offer variety and photograph well. Layers, like a jacket or sweater, are also convenient and can be changed out to give a different look. They can also be useful for little children who often get chilly or hot.
t It may be helpful to bring an item that is special to your child (a stuffed animal, toy, etc.). These objects make the photo more personal and also offer a great “bribe” when you need a smile!
t The first 20 minutes are the most crucial in a photo session. This is usually when the best “posed” photos are taken. Follow-ing these, families can relax and take more “fun” pictures.
t Let the photographer do her job. Too often, photographers snap photos with parents pointing and directing children with opened mouths! Parents and older siblings should simply focus on the photographer. She will request help if she needs it.
t Think outside the box. There is more to photography than posed portraits. Consider walking together, playing, laughing, discovering and enjoying. Some meaningful images are often pictures when children are not even smiling. Be creative, and enjoy!
~Jen Hebert is the owner of Jen Hebert Photography, Casper, Wyoming.
are in a shopping center, do some window shopping to pass the time. Don’t just sit and watch the clock or your children may start to misbehave.tBribes are O.K. You need results on de-mand, and bribes can work wonders when smiles are at stake. They can be effective both during the sitting (a Cheerio or fruit snack can coax a smile during poses) and as a reward afterwards. Let children know ahead of time that there will be something special for smiling, cooperative children when the pictures have been taken.tStand Back. As your session starts, let the photographer know what you are look-ing for. However, as pictures are taken, stay out of the photographer’s way, unless she asks for your help. Let her do her job. If you need to express your opinion, be polite and respectful.tPraise your children! Positive feedback works wonders during stressful times. Tell children how well they are doing, and that they look beautiful, or cute. Encourage your older children to set a good example
for their younger siblings during the sitting.tStay calm. Remember, these are only pictures, and often, the imperfect poses make the most memorable photographs. Expect some frustrating moments, but stay positive. Although nobody is perfect, you can have practically perfect pictures!WW
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People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
T he good you do today will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
This version of “The Paradoxical Commandments” was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta and credited to Mother Teresa.
Original version by Dr. Kent M. Keith, copyright 1968, 2001
The Paradoxical Commandments
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR WYOMING’S FAMILIES
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Sweetwater Area [email protected]
13
Are You AWyoming Woman?
by Jan Warr
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and house-shaking “breezes” are not easily endured; not to mention the early fall and late spring snow storms. Yes, sur-viving the weather of the high plains of Wyoming is a definite sign of the persistence of Wyo-ming women. I have survived my share of harsh winters. Do cold experiences make me a true Wyoming woman? No, a Wyoming wom-an is not fashioned—though I must admit, she may be en-hanced—by wearing cowboy boots, having pioneer fore-bears, or surviving a winter. What really matters is one’s commitment to this place we call home. The majority of Wyo-ming women are aware that they live in The Equality State. In December 1869—twenty years before Wyoming’s state-hood—women in Wyoming Territory were granted “the Right of Suffrage and to Hold Office.” The reasons for this distinction are varied. Some say that the scarcity of women made it meaningless or that it was a recruiting tool to attract more women. Whatever the true his-tory may be, a statue of Esther H. Morris, the first woman U.S. Justice of the Peace, stands in Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. as a tribute to Wyoming women. What has the right of suffrage done for Wyoming women today? We can vote and hold office. Currently, fif-teen women serve in the Wyo-ming State Legislature, as well as dozens of others who serve in city and county positions.
Beyond suffrage rights, Wyoming women are a vital part of the work force. They work in their communities, they volunteer in their neighbor-hoods and they serve in their homes. These phenomenal women not only survive, they excel. Yet life isn’t all “roses” on the prairies of The Equality State. Wyoming women today have their own challenges. Some fight wage discrimina-tion, substance abuse, domes-tic violence and rising health care costs. Others struggle with issues such as childcare and elder care. However, regardless of modern day challenges, Wyo-ming women remain undaunt-ed in their commitment to and involvement in our state. Their persistence and loyalty is rem-iniscent of the first Wyoming women who lived here. Our past indicates that regardless of birthplace, an-cestry, boot ownership or equestrian skills, the criteria to be a “Wyoming Woman” are more meaningful. A Wyoming woman re-flects the fortitude of the pio-neers, the courage of the cow-girls, the service of our mothers and the undeniable beauty of our state. No, I have never gal-loped over the open range. I am not a sharp-shooter or even a cowgirl. However, I am mighty proud to consider my-self a Wyoming woman. Are you a Wyoming Woman?
~Jan Warr lives in Casper
When I was a child, I dreamed of rid-ing the wide open ranges like Dale
Evans, being a sharp shooter like Annie Oakley, or mingling with the cowboys like Calamity Jane. The only problem was that as a city girl, I had never set a foot on the range, never ridden a horse and never fired a real gun. Instead, I followed my second dream and became a nurse. Somewhere in the middle of my career, I married a family and moved to Wyo-ming. Wyoming is cowgirl country. The University of Wyoming coeds are cowgirls. The women ranchers, rodeo contenders and equestrians are cowgirls. There are few women in Wyoming who do not delight in, admire, distantly recognize, or enjoy the Cowgirl image. But, although I have now lived, worked and raised my family here for thirty years, I still own no cowboy boots. And so I wonder, how does one become a true Wyoming woman? Wyoming’s first female inhabitants were the Plains Indians. Next, the immigrants of the California, Mormon, and Oregon Trails came through our state, followed by home-steaders and employees of the Union Pacific railroad. Yet, I am not a descendent of any of these pioneer women. I have heard that be-coming a native Wyoming woman comes from surviv-ing a winter in our state. The “to-the-bone” Wyoming chills
WW
Are You A Wyoming Woman?Take Our Quiz And Find Out!
If you answered YES to at least 12 of these questions: Consider yourself a Wyoming Woman!If you answered YES to at least 6 of these questions: Keep breaking in those boots!If you answered YES to 1-5 of these questions: Welcome to Wyoming, friend!
Jan
War
r
Approximately 203,218 women
reside in Wyoming
Approximately 29.6% are ages
18-34
Approximately 31.8% are ages
35-54
Approximately 38.6 are ages 55 or higher
You are a Wyoming Woman if:1 You live in the “Equality State.” yesq noq
2 You have a worn-out pair of cowboy boots. yesq noq
3 You own a 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle. yesq noq
4 One of your favorite sounds is meadowlarks in the morning. yesq noq
5 You have witnessed three climate changes within a 24 hour period.
yesq noq
6 You still hang your clothes on a clothesline. yesq noq
7 Your clothes are dry as soon as you finish hanging up the last article.
yesq noq
8 If you don’t take your clothes off immediately, they end up in the next town.
yesq noq
9 Your town parade includes every local fire truck, police car, elected official and a street sweeper. (To clean up the manure!)
yesq noq
10 You take time off work for spring. Both days of it! yesq noq
11 Your garden is only successful if you can keep the deer, antelope and rabbits away.
yesq noq
12 You often see people wearing hunting clothes at social events. yesq noq
13 Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway.
yesq noq
14 You install security lights on your house and garage, and leave both unlocked.
yesq noq
15 You design your child’s Halloween costume to fit over a snow suit.
yesq noq
16 Your normal hairstyle is “wind blown.” yesq noq
17 You think lingerie is tube socks and flannel pajamas. yesq noq
18 You can look up at the night sky and see stars. yesq noq
19 When someone tells you it can’t be done, you do it anyway. yesq noq
20 You are involved in and committed to this state as your home. yesq noq30.7% earned a college degree
or higher
Average family size is approxi-
mately 2.4
2009 American Community Survey
16
There is nothing quite as comforting in the fall as the smell of an autumn harvest wafting through your home. Fall is the time for apple picking and
winter squash gathering. Both apples and winter squash can be stored for several months in a cool, dry, dark area. Exposing squash to temperatures below 50°F or excessive heat will cause starches to convert too quickly. It is best to store squash unwrapped with part of the stem still attached. Cut squash should be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Cooked squash can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or placed in the freezer or canned for longer storage. Baking is one of the most popular cooking methods, bringing out a sweet, nutty flavor while cara-melizing the sugar found in squash. To bake, cut squash lengthwise in half and re-move the seeds and strings. Large squash can also be cut
into serving-size pieces. Place squash, cut-side down in a baking pan lined with foil. Pour 1/4 inch of water in the pan, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F to 400°F. Bake halved squash for 40 to 45 minutes and cut pieces for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Some squash, like the huge banana squash, hold a lot of moisture. When using it for cooking, set the cooked squash in a strainer over a bowl to release some of the liquid and then freeze in plastic freezer bags or can. To roast, cut squash in 2-inch chunks and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. I also like to add onions, fennel and carrot or other root vegetables, and then pro-cess. Roast 30-45 minutes in a 450’ F oven, turning ev-ery 15 minutes.
* Many winter squash varieties (including pumpkin) may be substituted for one another.
Roasted Butternut Ravioli and Sage ButterServes 42 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed1 medium onion, cut in chunks1 large carrot, peeled and cut in chunks2 tablespoons olive oil½ teaspoon of salt¼ teaspoon of ground pepperCream or chicken stockRound or square wonton wrappers approx. 401 egg, beaten
Sage Browned Butter1 cube unsalted butterPinch salt¼ cup fresh sage leaves, julienned
Preheat oven to 450’ F. On a cookie sheet with sides, toss squash, onion, carrot with oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender. Place in food processor and blend adding 2-3 tablespoons cream or chicken stock until smooth, but not runny. Place 3-4 wonton wrappers at a time on a lightly floured surface. Place a rounded teaspoon of squash mixture in the center of each. With a pastry brush, brush the edges with egg. Place another wrapper over the first and carefully seal the edges, making sure no air pockets remain. To cook, bring large pot of water to boil, adding 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook raviolis in batches of 4-6 at a time; about 3-5 minutes. They will float when done. Remove with slotted spoon and drain briefly on dish towel.While ravioli are cooking, melt butter in a pan until butter starts to brown. Add salt and sage leaves, cooking for a few minutes until sage is slightly crisp. Place 3-5 raviolis on a plate; pour sage-butter over top and serve.
Cooking Corner
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By Sylvia Harber
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Autumn Butternut Squash andApple Soup
Serves 4-6
8 cups butternut squash, peeled, cubed, seeded and cut in 2-inch chunks2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 2-inch chunks1 large carrot, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks1 medium onion, chopped4 cups chicken or vegetable stock1 teaspoon Herbs De Provence¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1 teaspoons kosher salt¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper½ cup heavy cream
Garnish:1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced1 tablespoon butter1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped½ teaspoon fresh rosemary choppedSour Cream Melt butter until slightly browned, add apples and herbs.
Put squash, apples, carrot, onion, stock, Herbs De Provence, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then re-duce heat and simmer for 45 minutes until squash and apples are tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding cream. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches. Reheat and serve garnished in the center with a dab of sour cream, topped with herb and apple mixture.
2 cups flour1 ¾ oatmeal1 cup unsalted butter, melted1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, packed½ teaspoon salt
Grease 9x13 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350’F. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend on low until crumbly. Press the mixture into the pan.
Caramel Sauce:1/2 cups brown sugar, packed 4 tablespoons flour1 cup boiling waterdash salt, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons creamvanilla
Mix sugar with flour in saucepan; blend well. Add water and salt. Stir while cooking for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter, cream, and vanilla. Remove from heat. Toss 2 cups chopped apples with ¼ cup flour and ½ teaspoon cin-namon. Stir into caramel sauce, adding ¾ chopped pecans. Spread on oatmeal crust and bake for 35 minutes. Cool com-pletely and cut into bars.
Caramel Apple Nut Bars
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Pumpkin Cake4 eggs1 2/3 cup sugar1 cup oil16 oz canned pumpkin2 cups flour2 tsp cinnamon1 tsp soda2 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt
Cream sugar and eggs, add in oil and pumpkin. Add dry ingredients. Pour onto cookie sheet, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.
Frosting:8 oz cream cheese½ cup butter1 tsp. vanilla2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
Carmelitas50 caramels or 1 pkg.½ cup evaporated milk1 ½ cups flour1 ½ cups oats1 ½ cups brown sugar¾ tsp. soda½ tsp. salt1 cup melted butter1 large Hershey chocolate almond bar or 1 cup chocolate chips1 cup sliced almonds or pecans (optional)
Melt caramels with evaporated milk in saucepan, let cool slightly. Combine butter, sugar, oats, flour, salt and soda. Press half of crumb mixture in 9X13 bak-ing dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Pour caramel over crust, spread care-fully. Chop up chocolate bar with almonds and sprinkle over caramel. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Chill (or freeze) 2 ½ hours before cutting.
~Pumpkin Cake and Carmelitas submitted by Melinda Pickrell, Casper
All other recipes courtesy of Sylvia Harber, Pinedale
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MidwivesSHANDRA’S STORY
I shared the evidence and statistics that I had discovered. To my relief and gratitude, he soon agreed to a home birth. We had four wonderful out-of-hospital births in the Wash-ington, DC area before moving to Wyoming in 2005. Upon becom-ing pregnant with our fifth child, we contacted a local midwife and discovered that only Certified Nurse Midwives were licensed to practice in Wyoming—and only in hospitals. My husband and I were shocked! There was no legalized home birth option available to us. We were being forced into a hospi-tal for the first time ever. Our fifth son was born at the local hospital under very different circumstances than our other boys. A few months later, we heard about a bill in the Wyo-ming State Legislature to legalize Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) practicing out-of-hospital births. We decided to do every-
M y son was only sixteen days old when I fell to-tally and completely in
love with him. I was pregnant, and he was still just a microscopic creation inside of me, yet I im-mediately wanted to give him the very best of everything, including childbirth. Since I knew very little about pregnancy, I decided to read everything I could find about it. I enthusiastically plunged into the task at hand, walking (we had only one car) to the local library. One resource I read was a thick binder with statistics from all of the local hospitals. Using this information, I compared the safety and success statistics of ob-stetricians to that of the midwives who delivered out of hospitals, at birth centers and homes. One day it suddenly became clear to me—I wanted to give birth at home. Since my husband is an attorney, how-ever, I knew that convincing him would be another matter. Eagerly,
BY Shandra Emrichlllll
Location of Births in the United States
Hospital: 99.10%Home: .59%Freestanding Birth Center: .25%Clinic or Doctor’s Office: .01%Other: .06%
Home Birth Attendants:Medical Doctor: .05%Doctor of Osteopathy: .08%Certified Nurse Midwife: 1.25%Other Midwife: 56.46%Other attendants: 35.32%
National Vital Statistics Reports, 2006
Photographs courtesy of Shandra Emrich
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thing we could to support that bill. The Medical Practices Act is the law which defines “practic-ing medicine” and who can per-form it. Delivering babies (which is “practicing medicine” as defined by this law) is allowable only by certain licensed professionals. Until 2003, midwives had a spe-cial exemption written into the Medical Practices Act, and were able to assist in births. However, in 2003 that exemption was de-leted. An effort was made in 2005 to create another exemption for Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). This exemption passed in the Wyoming House of Repre-sentatives, but failed in the Senate Labor Committee. The consequences of the new law (or lack of exemption) became painfully clear when a practicing midwife, Sue Merrill, was arrested and prosecuted in the summer of 2007. Many families who wanted midwives to attend their out-of-hospital births realized there was no longer any other op-tion, and were forced into hospitals to give birth.
The arrest of the midwife caused women and families across the state of Wyoming to organize in an attempt to change the law. Sev-eral Wyoming families approached Senator Wayne Johnson (R-SD 6)and asked him to help. Senator Johnson attempted to introduce a bill to the Wyoming State Senate in February of 2008, but it narrow-ly failed introduction. In the summer of 2008 a large group of women met with Senator Charlie Scott (R-SD 30), Chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, to discuss the issue of midwives in Wyoming. He had just read a review by the Milbank Memorial Fund called Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve. This third party objective review rec-ommends that policymakers make CPMs available in every state. Senator Scott was willing to assist in legalizing midwives in Wyo-ming. For the 2009 Legislative Session, Senator Scott transformed Senator Johnson’s exemption bill into a licensure bill. Instead of ex-
Wyoming Births2005-2006
Total: 14,911In Hospital: 14,796
Home: 99Birth Center: 4
Clinic or Doctor’s Office: 0Other: 10
Not Stated: 2
National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 58, No. 11, March 3, 2010
The Wyoming Board of Midwife-ry was formed to grant licenses to Certified Professional Midwives in Wyoming. Midwives are certi-fied by the North American Reg-istry of Midwives. The board held their first meeting June 14, 2010.
Elected chairperson is Michelle Bartlett, 208-681-6114.
empting CPMs from the Medical Practices Act, the bill established a Wyoming Board of Midwifery that would issue licenses to CPMs. This new licensure bill passed the Senate overwhelmingly on a vote of 28 to 2 but stalled in the House Labor Committee. I was there in the committee meeting that eve-ning, along with many other sup-portive mothers and families. Un-fortunately, the bill was put off until it was the very last bill of the entire session! Proponents and opponents argued until late in the night before a committee of ex-hausted representatives. Finally, the representatives agreed to put the bill off for a year and work on it in the next session. Our disap-pointment was indescribable. The following Septem-ber, Representative Elaine Harvey (R-HD 26) organized a group of interested parties at a meeting in Sheridan. The gathering included most of the House Labor, Health and Social Services Committee members. Together, this group re-solved many of the disagreements in the bill and developed an excel-lent bill that Senator Johnson again introduced in the 2010 Legislative Session. The biggest enemy of the 2010 session was time. Since it was a budget session (only 20 days long) the bill had to race through the process. And race it did! Prac-tically every day it went through another committee or floor vote. I hired more baby sitters during those twenty days than I had for the rest of the year! Many times my five boys traipsed into the Cap-itol building with me to watch and support the process. In addition to the many Wyoming women and mothers who supported the bill,
there was also the amazing help of CPMs from surrounding states. They selflessly traveled to Chey-enne to help us speak with legis-lators, answer questions, pass out brochures and meet with doctors. You can imagine our jubila-tion when the bill passed the Sen-ate on February 22, 2010 by 27 to 3, and passed the House March 3, 2010 by 54 to 3 (with 3 excused). We were elated! On March 5, 2010, I-along with my five boys and many other women and families—at-tended the bill signing ceremony in the rotunda of the Capitol. It was a most unusual signing, with all the children and moms there! I love to ponder what we have achieved for all Wyoming families. I know that the work we put into changing the law was well worth it. I have experienced the difference between home birth and hospital birth and I strongly urge every family to consider their op-tions when making birth choices. In my opinion, the birth services provided by a Certified Profes-sional Midwife are unmatchable, and make home-birth a bit of heav-en on earth. -Shandra Emrich is an
advocate for midwives and lives in Cheyenne.
National U.S. Mid-wifery Credentials
The accrediting body of the Na-tional Organization for Compe-tency Assurance accredits three midwifery credentials in the United States.
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are well-established maternity professionals in the United States. Educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery, they provide prena-tal, childbirth, postpartum, and well-woman care. CNMs are licensed to practice in all states and are covered by a wide vari-ety of insurance programs.
Certified Midwives (CMs) are equivalent in training and prac-tice to CNMs but do not have nursing credentials. This newer path to the midwifery profession is recognized in several states. CNMs and CMs practice in all settings and primarily attend hospital births.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are midwives educated to provide pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care for women who give birth in out-of-hospital birth centers or at home. The number of CPMs has grown rapidly in recent years. Nearly one-half of states license CPMs, and efforts are underway to extend licensure to all states. Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve, Carol Sakala and Maureen P. Corry, Milbank Memorial Fund, October 2008.
“A licensed midwife is capable of giving quality prenatal
and normal birth care. Birth is a normal life
experience. The mothers are nei-ther sick nor injured. Home birth
has been the methodology for millions of years and still is in the
majority of the world.”
-Senator Wayne Johnson, Wyoming Senate District 6
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Women ranchers are a mixture of blue denim and lace,” says Carolyn Johnson, owner of the Hanson Ranch in Roxson, Wyoming, near Newcastle. “People think that ranch-ing is a romantic way of life. But when
you’re wearing insulated overalls and muck boots and are tired and dirty, it’s not always pleasant.” Smiling, Johnson continues, “Ranchers also need to be femi-nine—a lady and a wife. You can be both.” Johnson, who was raised on the 8,000 acre ranch, never thought she would return after she left for college. She used her 4-H money to go to busi-ness school in Denver, and then worked at the Wyo-ming Secretary of State’s office. Despite her previous resolution to live elsewhere, she returned to the ranch
when her dad, Glenn Hanson, reached his 70’s and needed some help. “Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she says. She and her husband, Vern, now reside in the original, but remodeled, homestead house. Her grandfather, Henrik Hanson—the oldest of 17 children and originally from Salt Lake City, Utah—arrived in Wyoming as a foreman for the McCuen Ranch. He married Roxie Freel and homesteaded the land, building the house in 1908. In 1925 the house was placed on logs and rolled ½ mile north to its cur-rent location near picturesque sand rocks. “My day starts early,” says Johnson, who gets up with the sun. “We have devotions, read the Bible, and maybe eat an oatmeal scone for breakfast.” (See recipe, page 28.) “Then I fill a water jug for the day, and get working.” The day’s work depends on the seasons. In the spring it’s calving, branding, and irrigating; in the summer, haying; in the fall, harvesting; and in winter, feeding. Fencing and livestock care are year-round tasks. Spring, with its calving, is the hardest emo-tionally. “Calves are two years old when they have their first baby,” explains Johnson. “Once in a while, during a birth, I have to put a heifer down. She’s trusting me to help her, but sometimes I just can’t. Death is hard on the ranch.” Summer work is physically exhausting. Irri-gating, mending fences and fighting noxious weeds are common tasks.
A Day in the Life Of...
A Wyoming Rancher
Rancher Carolyn Johnson and her sorrel horse, “Pidge.”
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day ranchers use a branding chute. “It’s slow and boring, no fun at all,” laughs Johnson. “Branding day is a thing of the past.” On busy days, lunchtime is often non-existent. “Sometimes I pack a sandwich in the mornings, otherwise, I just tough it out,” Johnson says. Ranching success is often dependent on things out of the rancher’s control, like weather and grasshoppers. “You won’t ever get rich fi-nancially as a rancher. As Dad put it, you’ll only get ahead three out of ten years. But, you’ll be asset rich. You may not have money in your pocket, but you won’t have debt either.” There’s another kind of “rich,” that Johnson appreciates, however. “Nobody spent their whole life ranching who doesn’t have a profound sense of God or his real-ity in this world. There are little points of beauty, and often, you are the only one who will ever see them.” Once, while fencing, she took a post down and found a bird’s next with little blue eggs in
“At the end of a long day, you’re bone-tired and still have to clean mud off of your clothes when you get home,” explains Johnson. Fall work includes combining, or harvesting, alfalfa seed. “When we were kids, Dad would combine all day and when the bin got full, he’d auger it off into a tarp in the back of a pick-up truck. My brother and I would run it through the fanning mill, and then sack up the clean alfalfa seed with a scoop shovel,” Johnson re-members. And in winter, Johnson says, it’s just plain cold. “We feed the cows with ‘cow cake,’ a com-bination of grain, sorghum and molasses. And, when the snow is deep enough, you have to chop the ice for the animals to drink.” Johnson’s favorite task is branding cattle. Originally, all of her sisters and extended family would arrive to help. “We would hold the calves as they were branded, and I was taught that it was the ‘unpardon-able sin’ to let go of a hind foot dur-ing branding,” she explains. To-
it. Another time, while struggling through her divorce, Johnson re-members seeing a tiny snake. “It was neon green! I nev-er saw one before or since. It was so pretty, I had to say, ‘Thank you, God, for the surprise!’ It was ther-apeutic.” When asked about the typi-cal image of a cowgirl on a horse, Johnson laughs. “I’ve spent so many long days in a saddle that it’s nothing I do for pleasure.” Now, much of the herding and travel on the ranch is done by truck or four-wheeler. With such busy days working outside, housekeeping of-ten takes a back seat. “I may take a half hour in the morning to throw some sheets in the washer and then make the beds when I come home,” she ex-plains. “Some people might say that certain chores are ‘women’s work.’ However, I’ve never found anything that’s ‘man’s work’ on the ranch,” she smiles. “Women just do whatever needs to be done.” At dinner time, their meals revolve around meat. “I use the crock-pot or put a roast in the
Roxie Celia Hanson with her horse.
The homestead house, 1908
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,
oven.” Johnson’s closest neigh-bors are ten miles on one side and seven miles on the other. The nearest grocery store is forty-two miles away, and sometimes they even drive one hundred twenty-five miles to Rapid City, South Dakota. “Still, we know that the neighbors are there and we would help each other.” To relax in the evenings, Johnson and her husband some-times treat themselves to a bite of
Dinosaur bones are common on the Hanson Ranch
“We would often find them, pick them up, and even let people take them when I was young,” remembers Carolyn John-son. In 1996, the Han-son Research Scientific Station was established. Each summer, students from Southwestern Ad-ventist University in Keene, Texas camp on the ranch for several weeks to excavate the site. Roughly 1,000 specimens are discovered each year, and in 2009, 1200 speci-mens were recorded. The longest Edmontosau-rus femur bone ever dis-covered in North America was found on the ranch. Several bones are on dis-play in the Anna Miller Museum in Newcastle.
More information can be obtained by emailing Carolyn Johnson at [email protected].
chocolate or even a glass of wine. “And, we watch the news and the weather. Our lives revolve around the weather.” Despite the hardships of ranch life, she is sat-isfied. “I couldn’t live in town,” she declares. “Nobody can have the life I’ve had here on the ranch and not know there is a God. If you are looking for a wonderful way of life, it is very worthwhile. There is nothing more rewarding.” ~Nettie Francis is Editor of
The Wyoming Woman Magazine
Scottish Oatmeal Scones
Mix: 2 cups flour½ cup sugar1 tsp saltAdd:3 cups oatmealStir 1 cup melted butter or margarine into oatmeal mixture.
Combine 1 tsp soda with1 cup sour cream (or 2/3 cup sour
milk)Mix into oatmeal mixture.
Roll out on floured surface until less than ½ inch thick.
Cut into diamond shapes with knife or cookie cutter.
Place on baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees until lightly
browned.
The remodeled homestead house today
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1836 Born in Lancastershire, England
1840 Family joined the Mormon church and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois
1849 Drove her own team of oxen to the Utah Territory
1854 Married Oscar Hamblin and moved to Santa Clara, Utah Adopted an Indian baby and named her Fannie
Worked with the Indians, learned their language and gained their respect
* Moved to Las Vegas with her family
Gave birth to twin sons named William and Wallace
*Moved to Minersville, Utah Oscar died
Taught school in her home and was the town midwife
* Married Albert Stoddard Had three daughters named Libby, Effie and Essie
Divorced Albert
*Moved to Salt Lake City to study nursing and obstetrics under the training of Dr. Ellis Schipp.
*Graduated with honors from the School of Nursing and Obstetrics.
1896 Filed for a small homestead in Lyman, Wyoming and named it Brinton Ranch
Delivered babies and made medical calls
Operated a small cheese factory
Son William died in a mining accident
*Moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, to live with her daughter, Essie
1916 Died at the age of eighty
Denice Wheeler is the author of The Feminine Frontier…Wyoming Women 1850-1900 and resides in Evanston, Wyoming. Printed by Permission.
MARY ANN CORBRIDGE HAMBLINCompiled by Denice Wheeler
THE FEMININE FRONTIER:Wyoming’s First Female Doctor
It was a hectic morning not too long ago. I had an important meeting that day, so I knew that I needed to move quickly in getting myself ready, dressing my three children, making breakfast for them and drop-ping them off at the sitter’s house. It was imperative that I get to my meeting on time. Usually, a busy morning is no problem. But this particular morning was a bit more challeng-ing. Just as I was ready to shower, the phone rang. I looked at the ID and saw it was a call I needed to take. Twenty minutes later, I hung up the phone and realized that I needed to hurry it up. “Change of plan,” I thought. “I’ll get the kids breakfast and then shower while they eat. And maybe this is a good morning for not washing my hair…” Ten minutes later, breakfast was done and I was out of the shower and getting the kids’ clothes out so that my 7-year-old and 4-year-old could get dressed while I finished with my clothes, hair and makeup. I chose an outfit for myself and began to dress, but saw that my pants were wrinkled well past the state of “just throw it on and hope no one notices.” I ran downstairs, sprayed them with wrinkle release and threw them in the dryer for a few minutes. Dashing upstairs again, I did my hair and makeup, got the toddler dressed and fixed the girls’
hair. I raced downstairs to get my meeting materials, and then raced upstairs to take out my curlers and tell the kids that it was time to go. Putting on my shoes, I picked up my toddler and smelled “eau de stink.” Hurriedly changing her diaper, I shouted to the older kids to get in the SUV and buckle up. Once her diaper was on, I ran downstairs with toddler and meeting materials in arms, rushed into the garage, buckled the toddler into the car seat and climbed into the driver’s seat with a sigh of relief. We were finally on our way! As I reached up to press the garage door but-ton, my 7-year-old son said hesitantly from the back seat, “Uh, Mom, you don’t have any pants on.” Sometimes, simply surviving life with our clothing – and dignity – intact is the major success of the day; and this is a “motherhood moment” that I will never forget. ~Beth Worthen lives in Bar Nunn and is the
mother of three children.
Motherhood is full of moments: memorable moments, embar-rassing moments, humorous moments, and meaningful mo-ments. Do you have a Motherhood Moment to share? Send your story (less than 500 words) to [email protected]
Motherhood
MomentsKeep Your Pants On!By Beth Worthen
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Don’t ask me why, but on Friday the words, “Let’s go get a goldfish,” come out of my mouth. The kids jumped right on that one and soon I found myself driving my happy children to Wal-Mart to pick up two new members of our family. ‘What’s the worse that can happen with fish?’ I thought. At the store, we asked four different people for assistance in the Fish department. That should have been my first clue that maybe we needed to come back when the actual “fish guy” was around. But soon a clerk stormed over. I asked him quite a few questions, which he seemed to answer satisfac-torily. Then he handed the bag with the fish to my children and we headed home. “What will you name the fish?” I asked in the car. My daughter piped up right away. “Little Doro-thy.” My son, on the other hand, was weighing his options. I threw out a few suggestions, but he turned down each one. Finally he said, “I’m going to name him Lu-cifer.” I couldn’t keep back my laughter. “Why?” I asked. “Because that’s the cat’s name in Cinderella.” “It’s also Satan’s name,” I chuckled. “Oh, I don’t want to name him Lucifer then. He may want me to do bad things.” He finally settled on “Kit Cloudkick-er,” a character from Tale Spin.
We brought the fish home and waited for them to acclimate. Then we opened the bag and introduced the fish to their new home. Suddenly, things took a turn for the worse. After two short hours, we had two dead fish, and two bewildered children. Thankfully, I had told them ahead of time, “Don’t be sad if you’re fish die someday.” I just hadn’t expecting someday to be to-day. My son was in tears and my daughter kept saying, “Little Dorothy isn’t dead. See! Her eyes are open.” “We’ll leave the fish alone while we run some errands, and see how they are when we get back,” I tried to console them. But when we returned, a mir-acle had not happened and my kids knew that their little friends were gone. After a few more tears I said, “Let’s go get some more fish.” This time we are headed to an actual pet store. I hope that buying fish doesn’t become an everyday occurrence. On the bright side, fish are guaranteed to live for at least a day, so if we keep up this pace, we will get all our fish free! So ends the tale of two tails. By the way, “Lucifer” sank to the bottom. “Little Dorothy” floated to the top. Coincidence? I don’t think so. ~Erin Corbridge lives in Casper and is the
happily married mother of three children.
A Tale of Two Tailsby Erin Corbridge
~59% of women (ages 25-54) have a household income of $50,000+ (Scarborough Research, 2008)
~64% of all working women now earn more than half their family’s income. (About Women Inc., 2008)
~In 2001, US women’s purchasing power constituted the number 3 market in the world; the collective buying power exceeded the entire economy of Japan. (www.momtalk.com)
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Mothers of MayflowerOne hundred two passengers.
Twenty-four children. Nine cats. One cargo ship, ninety feet long. Sixty-four days on a stormy sea. A possible recipe for disas-ter—at least in this day and age. If I had set sail with my children, I would have preferred a private room, catered meals, and disposable diapers. And I would have requested a cruise liner in-stead of a 1620’s trading vessel. At the end of the voyage I would have demanded my own bed—not an isolated beach inhab-ited by “savages,” a lonely place where nearly half of their company would be buried that first year. Why did they do it? What gave them the courage to gamble with their lives under such condi-tions? Perhaps there’s a direct re-lationship between personal sac-rifice and results—like a timeless math equation. If I went on a cruise, what would I become? A little groggy, a little too pampered, a little over-weight.
But, what did their de-manding voyage produce? A colo-ny. A nation. A better life for their children. The chance to worship God as they pleased- and leave a stagnant life behind. Of the eighteen women aboard the ship, only five lived to celebrate their first harvest; but their sacrifices are remembered three hundred and eighty-nine Thanksgivings later. And what of the new life they sought for their children? It was everything they hoped for, and more. One hundred fifty years later, during a trip back to the Old World, Benjamin Franklin ob-served that even the poorest Amer-ican farmers were “princes” when compared to the peasants of Great Britain. Their sacrifices produced a new brand of royalty—where freedom is riches. Today, the high plains of Wyoming with Rocky Mountains and windswept grasses are vastly different than the lush, green hills of England and the tree-covered
lands of the American East Coast. Yet the sacrifices of our pilgrim mothers still produce abundance for women today. Our land of plenty is a direct result of their hardships. Is it fair that a mother’s bur-dens years ago allow us so many blessings now? Somehow our ex-istence on this timeline gives us the privilege of eating warm food when theirs was cold, washing laundry in machines instead of by hand, and giving birth in comfort-able circumstances. Yet the real question is, ‘What will our choices today pro-duce for mothers—for women, for families, for children—in the fu-ture?’ A new land? A new colony? A new life? Perhaps the fortifica-tion of the many freedoms already given to us is legacy enough. At the very least, we must live in grat-itude. Mothers of the Mayflow-er—all those stormy, cold, wet days and nights, with sea biscuits and seasick children—I thank you. And my children do, too.
by Nettie H. Francis
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[email protected] or check out www.mydoterra.com/sylviaharber/
Wear it*Share it* Live it
Alicia Blevins - Custom graphics and web design. Call 307-277-6089 or email [email protected]. Also landscape/wildlife paintings in pastel.
Visit www.AliciaBlevins.com
Wyoming Adoption & Foster Care Alliance
www.wyafc.org. [email protected] Wyoming Adoption & Foster Care Alliance is a community of people with a heart for adoption and foster care in Wyoming. We are committed to living out God’s heart for the “fatherless”; to serve orphans and at-risk kids. Contact
us for more information.
Jen Hébert - Photography docu-ments your history. On location pho-tographer, specializing in a creative,
more candid style session. 760-579-1525
www.jenhebertphotography.com [email protected]
Janet Zambai - Artist creating cus-tom comissions with all aspects of glass, except blown. Anything any size that we can imagine. Also custom paintings in oil, pastel and water color.
www.janetzambai.com
Marsha Denman - Do you find yourself in the same old dull routine?
Need a change? Let me help!! Buy online or sell AVON
in your spare time. 307-266-3013
www.youravon.com/mdenman
Shannon Wolz PhotographyEngagement* Seniors* Family* Baby
Professional photos at an affordable price. Specializing in senior and
engagement announcements. 307-265-2515.
Club Car Catering An unique catering experience cus-
tomized for your special eventContact Amy 307-259-8399
We Cater Wyoming - Serving spe-cial events since 2007. Contact Lynn
Montoya, 307-630-2249 [email protected]. www.wecaterwyoming.comvv
Karen’s Heritage Studio307.266.0953 hm|307.277.2794 cell
Catching all the precious memories one story at a time!
Dorothy ButlerPersonal Insurance
Jane Ampe Commercial Insurance
THE BON AGENCYLocally Owned, full service insurance
agency. 307-234-4551www.bonagency.com
ALIGNConsulting, training & facilitation for businesses, nonprofits & government
agencies
Mona Pearl, Principal
Brittany Ashby, Principal
Jody Shields, Consultant
Janet Tilton, Consultant
Kathy Cathcart, Consultant
Sherry Salmon, Consultant877-32ALIGN
The AlignTeam.org
Coffee Works Espresso CateringDiscover the pleasure of adding gour-met espresso catering to your next
event or special occasion.Contact Us: 307-234-8785
or 307-259-6729 [email protected]
www.caspercoffeeworks.com
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Promote your business to women in your community and across Wyoming. To list in our Women at Work Directory, email [email protected]. Ads will be posted online and in the magazine.
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The Wyoming Woman Magazine to the women in your life.
www.TheWyomingWoman.com
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