Whenever I get a stomachache, I think back to my Pops and his big strong hands, rubbing my frequent childhood stomachaches away. He had a way of making everything better, and I was sure he was some sort of superman. Well, he was actually. When I discovered a scorpion under my bed, he was there in an instant – and like a flash, his hand shot out and smashed it gone. He taught me to skin logs of their bark, ride a motorcycle, and to dig ditches to divert the water on our 3 mile-long dirt road. And I was stronger because of it.
One afternoon, I heard my dad’s truck pull up and I instantly knew something was wrong. When he opened the door of his truck, his face was swollen and bloody and he was in a tremendous amount of pain. “I took a tree in the face”, he said. And as I rushed him to the doctor, I knew I had to keep it together. Be strong. Be strong, I told myself. Keep it together for Popsy. And I did.
Although his jaw was broken and he’d lost several teeth, he never lost his smile. Someday, I’m going to be just like him, I thought. And over the years, through the good times and the bad, I’ve learned that it all turns out in the end, and just like him, I’ll never lose my smile.
IT'S ME, SERENA!
In 2002, I was dreaming of creating a fun and happy little event to sell my vintage and handmade goods. In 2002, I held my first event in my neighbor's barn along with a handful of friends. The sale became wildly popular and began attracting visitors from across the country and recognition in national magazines. Today The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair fills the Spokane County Fairgrounds and features hundreds of creatively and carefully curated spaces packed with vintage and handmade goods. Many describe it as a bucket list event, magical, inspirational, and the best event of its kind in the USA. I describe it as the best weekend of the year!
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