Building Moments and Memories

by Michele Boy | August 7, 2025

Another week has passed after the fair but I am still not recovered. Monday is the start of school and I am hoping we get a quick getaway even for one night. 

I was out of the office on Tuesday while we bred our lambs in Healy, Kansas. We rose early, hooked up the trailer, and headed north.

It was a beautiful morning where my husband, daughter, and I spent time together with our ewes. This is our second year to AI them and while we know a little more than we did last year, we still don’t have anything mastered. 

 As school gets ready to start, our daughter’s attention turns to sports  But I am excited she still has a love for her sheep. She still wants to breed. She is thinking about fall and winter livestock shows, and can’t wait to join FFA next year.

 The thing about agriculture is that whatever she chooses to pursue in a career, ag will always be a part of her life. It is part of her core memories. 

The peewee show at the county fair is where she first encountered all the animals. The first year she was in the 4-H Sheep project, she practiced every single day and won the Grand Champion Junior Sheep Showmanship award. 

 But some of my favorite memories are us not winning a thing. Once we were at a livestock show and spent 10 hours eagerly awaiting to get in the ring. She was so tired and overstimulated, when it was time to walk in the ring, the lambs yelled BAA!! She yelled BAA right back to them.

 Another time during round robin when she showed all the different species of animals, she showed every one of them like a sheep. 

  I am sharing these stories because I see the young peewees and juniors do things that make some parents frustrated when our competitiveness comes out. 

But looking back, these are the moments that you remember, that one day you laugh at. Because, before you know it, they are heading off to college or the military, or off on their own. 
What memories do they hold? Was there a lot of yelling? Likely. No way you got through parenting a child without screaming where did they leave their socks. Was there frustration at some of their choices? Yes. 

 But was there laughter? Was there joy? Did you build memories? Will they grow up and want to camp because you took them camping? Will they want to travel? To read? Will they sit in the stands when their kids play ball like you did? Will they want to farm or show livestock because of you?
We are building memories no matter what? I hope some of them are good. And that doesn’t always take money, that just takes time.

 When the rain came, we took our daughter on a county road to learn how to drive on the slick, wet, muddy road. I was nervous at first because I am not great at it either. 
But watching her drive with her dad’s gentle corrections I realized how important moments like these are. 

This summer she got to be a lot more independent. She  spent time with friends, and less time with me. I got a stupid cough that seemed to lay me up for a month. The hardest part of that was how I felt the opportunity for summer memories together was slipping away. Knowing she was happy and builidng experiences with friends made me happier, but I was still jealous. Time and health are so precious. 
So whether you are the parent sending your child to kindergarten, college, or in between, I hope you find joy in  the memories as a new chapter begins. 

 In a few days, my daughter will start to build memories with teachers, coaches, and staff. There will likely be yelling and frustration but there will be learning, laughter, and hopefully some fun memories. One day these kids may choose teaching or coaching because of you. 

To all those at our school who show up every day, thank you for making a difference.