Aug 29, 2011

Women Veteran's Retreat #2

Yesterday was beautiful and calm, a perfect day for our 2nd Retreat for Women Veterans! Thank you ladies for taking the time to come as far as three hours just to be with us! We are so happy you made the commitment to yourselves to participate!

First and foremost, let me thank Judy Schneider of Healing Through Horses for leading us in our retreat, without Judy this type of retreat wouldn't be possible ~ Thank you Judy!

To my extraordinary horse handler helper, Jennifer, thank you for all your help and thank you for being you! A special thanks to our other helpers behind the scene too: To Horses For Heroes - NM, Inc. founder Rick Iannucci, and Cowboy Up! Graduate, Avery Strickland, thank you! Also to Cris and our house guest Michael, thanks for helping to pitch in too!

We started our day with introductions and lively conversation and then moved into the large arena where we got to know our four-legged coaches. All the horses were groomed and one even had his mane beautified! The horses responded to the ease everyone was feeling and were left to linger while we filled our tummies... Thank you to Chef Sara Bernstein and her beautiful daughter Shoshawnna for an outstanding lunch and dessert. The salad, cutlets and linguini you so lovingly prepared was quite a delight and we cannot thank you enough!

After our dessert of fresh berries and freshly made whipped cream we moved into the tee-pee for a sage cleansing - a beautiful ceremony performed by one of our very own participants, thank you Charrnessa! Thank you to Angela for discussing with us the importance of including the five senses when we go to our bag of self-soothing tools! And thank you ladies for all the wonderful guidance you shared with each other passing along what you yourselves have learned through your own experiences. That is golden.

May you carry the day in your hearts until next time.

Cheers to each and everyone of you!