Who are we?

So the question that has been thrown around several times in the last week around the Prudhomme household has been: "Who are we?"  Not literally, because we know our names and identities.  What I mean is that we have no idea why people have chosen to pour out their love on us.  We are two ordinary, incredibly flawed people who have been placed in the middle of extraordinary circumstances.  We are glad that people love us, but it just makes us scratch our heads!

Saturday was the much-anticipated Rodeo for Ryan, and the outpouring of love was intense.  Everywhere I looked, there was a sea of humanity.  There were over one thousand people that descended upon Paradise Ranch.  Everywhere there were people talking.  Laughing.  Serving.  Smiling.  Giving.  Playing.  Running.  Relaxing.  Rocking.  Singing.  Having fun.  And the diversity of people brought together was unbelievable - people that we know from all walks of life.  Port Huron, Lansing, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Jackson, Colorado Springs, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Dallas all had representation at the rodeo.  We didn't realize how many people care about us.  We kind of thought it would be big, but we didn't realize that it was going to be huge.

And the giving!  The final counts are in and they surpassed $50,000 but there are still donations coming in! FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS! Something that you may not know is that Ryan is not able to get life insurance.  Since he was diagnosed with PSC at the age of 20, he has not been insurable.  We tried very hard this past winter to find a policy that would cover someone with that disease, and we thought we had found one.  We sent in our premium and waited.  A couple of weeks later our insurance agent called us and said, "Um, I've never had this happen before but your life insurance policy was rejected, and the company actually rewrote their bylaws to specifically say that they would not cover someone with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis."  Great.  The premium check was returned to us the same week that Ryan was diagnosed with cancer.  So the Lord taketh, and he giveth back.  We have this money now for medical expenses, and although we pray hard that it doesn't need to be used for life insurance, at least we have something now in case of that.  I don't think that it's by accident that God returned almost exactly 50k to us.

We don't know how to adequately express our gratitude.  Neither of us has ever been the recipient of a gift like this.  Neither of this has ever had something of this magnitude done for us.  A simple "thanks" seems insufficient, but it's a start.  Thank you for your time, volunteers.  Thank you for your many hours of phone calls, designing signs, getting volunteers, getting donations, and serving us, planning committee.  Thanks for coming out to the rodeo, especially those of you who had a far distance to drive or even fly.  Thanks so much for emptying your pockets and purses and giving to a family whom many of you barely know.  Thank you to the vendors and individuals who donated things ranging from handmade journals to live pigs to quilts to potatoes to vacations to jewelry - the list goes on and on!  Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and for your many prayers.  Thank you God for blessing this event, and by tangibly showing us how much it meant to You by holding back rain around Paradise Ranch while every other place within a mile of the ranch had downpours.

Who are we to deserve this much love?  We don't.  Neither do you.  None of us deserve the grace and love that we have been given.  Regardless, you have chosen to live out John 13:34-35:   ³⁴ "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Only 3 More Days!

**Blog hijacked AGAIN!**

Just wanted to stop by in our flurry of activity to remind everyone that the benefit for Ryan and Kendra is THIS Saturday. This one coming up. Three days away. As my kids say, "ONLY THREE MORE SLEEPS!" And while we are scurrying around I have to stop not only to remind you of the amazing RODEO, but also tell you that "Rodeo Roadies", as we've taken to calling ourselves, are seeing glimpses of God everywhere we turn. We are amazed at the generosity and outpouring of love for Ryan and Kendra from not only loved ones, but perfect strangers! Our God has been with us, and we can tell from here that He loves Ryan, Kendra and Colton. He's so good.

Now, time to get to the grit of the post.

I was sitting at my kitchen table in a Rodeo meeting with my friend, Saddlebags, and I got a call from Spur, our Rodeo Auction chief, giddy with the last minute items that are rolling in. But she said something that shot nerves straight to my core. "Lee, you've gotta find people with money! There are so many great items here, but we have to sell them all! We need PEOPLE at the RODEO!"

Consider this your cattle call, folks! We need you to come to the

RODEO FOR RYAN

SATURDAY!

August 6th

at Paradise Ranch, in Mears, MI

8175 W. Juniper Beach Rd.

Welcome Wagon begins at 3:30.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS here!

We've planned a full afternoon of fun, FOOD, bake sale, family activities, a little Rodeo fun, and one AMAZING AUCTION (full list of items here). You can bet your horse, you're gonna have a good 'ole time. Please bring friends, family, and perfect strangers to come haul some of these auction items away! EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR of this event has been donated folks. DONATED. So every single dollar earned is going to the expenses Ryan and Kendra are facing.

Couple last minute items or Ranch, Jingle Boss, and Saddlebags may have my hide.

There will be lots of parking and tractors and buses for the event, but if ya'll could "wagon-pool" that'd be great!

We've got shade trees and good eats, thanks to Cookie and Barbwire, but you're gonna need CHAIRS or a blanket to sit on.

And one last thing before I wish you "Happy Trails?"

We'd covet your prayers for Ryan and Kendra and for God to accomplish His purposes this weekend!

See ya'll REAL soon!