This has been and looks to continue to be a very blessed week for the Cowan family. Yesterday, our youngest daughter (resides and is from Germany) received her PHD.  We now have to call her Doktor Nadja and we are pleased as punch to do just that.  A number of years ago, Dorothy and I , through the urging of our daughter got involved in the exchange student program.  Our first student was with us for only a short period of time but it was instant love between all parties.  What a treasure she was, and is.  When it came time for her little sister to come as an exchange student, well we were the logical choice.  We fell in love with her also.  They are two very different young ladies but have all the characteristics that anyone would want in another human being.  After we visited with them and their family in Germany we gained a complete family of new friends and that friendship has only grown over the years.  The girls visit us on a regular basis.  Anna, the olderst is a news producer for German television.  Nadja, the doc, is employed for a worldwide consulting firm.  To say they are successful would be an understatement.  They fit well with our bio children.  We are proud of all of them.

Today at 1:30 pm I become a rancher.  Yep, it will be signed, paid for and keys in my pocket.  Tomorrow will be the first day of a new approach to filling my spare time.  My son, Kyle and I will spend tomorrow getting oriented while doing some mowing, cleaning of the outhouse and ridding the deer blinds of wasps.  We will work on the tractor, make sure the generator and water well work and its off and running.  I ordered a chicken calendar, a calendar featuring the world’s most exotic chickens, and it arrived last nite during dinner.  When I opened the box, Dorothy looked at me as if I had lost my mind.  She didnt know that at one time in my life I raised chickens in my backyard there on Eddy street.  We got a few eggs from time to time.  I dont plan on raising chickens on the place now but a calendar of chickens from around the world is going to be a nice thing to reflect on while I am sitting on my porch drinking coffee made in a percolator, heated on a butane stove, and sipped from a chipped cup.  There will be no sticking one’s pinkie finger out while drinking coffee at the “DIAMOND 5 C RANCH”.  I have a John Wayne cup that is going to get some usage.  I am stocking the pantry with vienna sausage, sardines, crackers, hot sauce, coffee and tea.  If company comes by, well I may have some bologna set aside for special occasions, LOL.

Next week after we open more presents than we should be allowed to have presented to us we will sit down to a fine meal, prepared by a professional chef, and dine with friends and family.  We will thank the good Lord for our blessings and all that we have received.  If it was to cover all that we have been blessed with the prayer will be a long one.  We will mention the high points and hope he understands.  Even the good Lord wouldnt want to let the gravy get cold.

I hope each of you have a wonderful holiday season.  I hope you realize your blessings as I  do and thank the man upstairs for them.  We wish you each a healthy new year and hope to see all of you at some time in the near future.

Gary