I reflect back to the month before the junior nationals when I was a junior and think that possibly the greatest display of sincere love and patience mom ever displayed was not killing us the month before junior nationals. 

It’s the month before junior nationals. 

Show boxes are being pulled out and restocked. Aerosol cans are being shaken and evaluated. Do you keep the half-full can with a broken nozzle? That is an internal debate. Show halters are being wiped down. 

Kids are realizing that their parents may have known what they were talking about when they said, “Clean it out now, even in this March rain. Come June, you’ll be glad you did.” Kids are wishing they had. 

Moms are gathering the last-minute details for the Auxiliary-sponsored All-American Certified Angus Beef Cook-off, making that final call to Becky in North Platte to see if she can drop-ship some Jim Baldridge’s directly to the Hampton Inn. 

Young ladies from several states are rinsing heifers while hashing over, just one more time, what they submitted for the Angus Auxiliary Scholarship and asking themselves, “What could I have done better?” They’re so ready for the big announcement Friday night in Tulsa. 

Dads are spending their time going through possible quiz bowl questions with the kids as they ride to pick up feed. He nearly drives off the road when his eager son responds with “20 million head!” when asked how many steers are born in the United States annually.

Moms are stuffing their growing children into the show jeans she bought a size too big last summer, sure they’d fit perfectly this year. She is also wondering where the grass stain came from if they were on nothing but sand and shavings a year ago?  

It’s the month before junior nationals. 

State advisors are packing up slow cookers, picking up T-shirts, group texting reminders and coordinating the many events of the week. 

Will they make it to closing ceremonies? Yes. Will they feel as though they aged 10 years during six days? Also yes. 

Entry confirmations, registration papers and health papers are held in higher regard than the third child’s birth certificate. Perhaps even the third child, entirely. 

Grandparents are telling all their retired friends they’ll be gone the first weekend of July due to a road trip to Oklahoma. Retired friends question who in their right mind would travel to Oklahoma in July, and grandparents know it’s worth the heat, expense and time.  

Junior board hopefuls are preparing endlessly to represent their state at the highest level, working to ensure knowledge of the issues that matter in the field. They want to guarantee that when given the opportunity to sit with delegates, they’re unshakable.

Somewhere, there is an 8-year-old practicing showmanship skills, yet again. As her distracting little brother rides his bike around the makeshift barn lot show ring, she grins with great confidence. Because despite the giggles and commotion of training wheels scratching the dirt and gravel, the heifer doesn’t move an inch. 

It’s the month before junior nationals, and this pair is ready for Tulsa. 

Are you?