Cade's Big Adventure

Cade had some big adventures this past weekend. For the last several years Papa Jim and Memo have helped him Jay out by buying something at the Journagen Sale that he can show for the next year. For those who aren’t from around here – Journagen Ranch raises Herefords and has donated a very large sum of money to the MSU Ag Department. They have built some very nice facilities at the school farm and they hold this sale there every fall. Anyone who hasn’t seen the school farm in the past year should drive by it. It doesn’t look at all like it did back in the 90’s! Anyway…this year they decided to have a cattle show the night before the sale. Any kid who bought something at the sale last year could bring the heifer/bull back for a special show. Every kid would get a $250 credit to use at the sell. The Grand Champion would get an additional $1000 and the Reserve would get and additional $500. Of course Cade went because $250 is $250! And who knows what else….


That started Cade’s big weekend. Papa Jim got Cade out of school early so they could get Bocephus ready and then get him to Springfield. Cade had a big time playing with some of the other kids who were at the show that afternoon. Cade took up with a boy from Illinois about his age. They talked like they’d known each other for years. Camryn and I made it to the show that evening to watch Cade. He ended up getting Reserve with the bull! He did such a good job and we were so proud of him. I didn’t get any pictures because I had my hands full with Camryn and the video camera, but he looked so grown up. Papa Jim was able to use Cade’s $750 credit on Saturday towards a heifer that Jay was thrilled about. Jay has spent less time mulling over some of our life decisions than he did checking out those cattle Wednesday night and then again Friday morning. But everyone was happy with how the show and sale turned out.

Friday night Cade stayed with Papa Jim and Memo and then Saturday he went to Fayetteville with Terry. Jay decided that with Farm Fest and 2 home football games within a 4 day period that a 6:30 pm game in Fayetteville would not be a good idea. So Cade used his ticket for the Arkansas/Auburn game. We were a little unsure of how it would go. I didn’t know how Terry would adjust to taking a 9 year old someplace and I had no idea how the 9 year old would behave. But, like all children are – Cade was probably 1 million times better for Terry than he would’ve been for us. The last time we took Cade to a game was 2008. I fed him something every quarter to keep him occupied. Finally at the start of the 4th I decided we were out of money and we headed back to truck to wait for the game to be over. Three years can make a huge difference! I still think he ate something every quarter – I lost track of everything Terry texted Jay but there was some beef jerky, pizza, 2 waters and a souvenir mug of Coke consumed over the course of the evening. And the highlight of Cade’s evening – he was on the Jumbo Tron! Terry got a picture of the guy with the camera getting Cade. I do wish I could’ve seen that.

I definitely think this will be one of those great weekends that will stick out in Cade’s mind forever. Last night he said he was tired. I told him if he was going to play with the big boys on the Jumbo Tron that was the price to be paid. He didn’t think it was as funny as I did.