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Yesterday, Little L and I went to the Rodeo Parade. It's been our tradition for 14 years. We commented, walking toward the parade route, how this was our first time going alone - just the two of us. Usually Sparky accompanies us or it's the four of us (Sweet Pea). Last year, it was Sparky, Little L, Sparky's parents and uncle from Pennsylvania, and me. As we were walking I mentioned how I don't know why I bother to own a camera because I always forget to take it with me to things I want to photograph. I discussed with Little L how we should have the camera so we could take pictures of us at the parade since this was the first time in 14 years that only 2 of us went!

As the parade went on, I kept leaning over to Little L and telling her "that would make a great pic!" over and over. At one point, the tiniest little girl we had ever seen on horseback in the parade came riding by. She had the face of an angel with little ringlets of golden blonde hair cascading down her back. I told Lauren I LOVED her pink cowboy hat and I so wished I had my camera to capture this little cowgirl in a picture!

Little L remarked once more on her smallness and I explained that she was probably riding a horse before she could walk or talk. We discussed how much control she had over this huge, powerful animal. Although she was tiny, she was riding perfectly and her horse seemed aware as well that he was carrying a true princess. He walked slowly and gently, not chomping at the bit or jerking wildly on the harness as some of the other horses had been doing. There was a sereness as they passed us. We watched them until the sun began to sting our eyes, turning our head back to the rest of the parade.

A large horse pulled wagon followed. There were colorful mexican blankets and girls dressed in beautiful dresses that flared and swirled.

About ten minutes later, the parade stood still. There was a large gap in front of us and we waited for about 20 minutes. During theis time, a marshall on horseback came charging down the opposite direction of the parade. People were crossing back and forth in front to the marshall. One couple even had a baby stroller and walked right in front of the marshall and his horse as they were running! I remarked to Little L how I get so depressed that people have no common sense. WHY would you think that would be ok? The marshall was obviously in a big hurry! He had to slow down twice for people with no awareness that a large animal was bearing down on them.

This all played into my depression this week of the lack of parenting, the lack of manners that I see daily as a teacher. It's the reason I haven't posted in so long. I've been trying to deal with a parent at work and events that occurred in my room at the open house on Wednesday night. Children rushing into the new classroom, crawling under tables, sitting at my desk, opening drawers, taking small boxes on my desk and opening them, walking into the office that was closed and dark and so clearly not meant for anyone to enter. My dinner was in there, along with another teacher's dinner, and these students were OPENING the food styrofoam containers! They were touching my purse! UNREAL! They were there to visit the classroom and they acted like they were at Chuck E. Cheese. I had to remind them of their manners in front of their parents! It was pathetic and I was completely disgusted by the time I left my room that night at 8:00 p.m.

So with this little black cloud hanging over my head, I spoke to Sparky about how lack of parenting feels like it's everywhere to me since I see so many children at a time. I asked him to picture our daughters behaving that way as children! It never, ever would have occured to our daughters to walk in and run around the classroom and behave like monkeys, touching everything, opening things, going into rooms with closed doors and lights shut off. I mentioned that these kids are in serious danger of hurting themselves. If they have this lack of respect for property and people, they are going to feel indesctructive and get into places where they can be seriously hurt.

Which leads us back to the parade. Not ten minutes after seeing Brielle Boisvert on her horse, a tragic accident occured. They are still investigating but it appears the wagon's horse behind her were spooked and began racing out of control. They ran into little Brielle's horse, causing it to rear. She fell off and the wagon then rolled over her tiny body. She was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.

Although we knew something had occurred during the parade, due to the police presence and marhsalls flying down the route, we had no idea a tragedy of this magnitude had happened. We learned about it on the local news last night.

Having written all of this, you probably thing I am blaming the parents. I know there were rules about parade participants and ages. I also know that had she been 8 years old (the minimum age required to ride a horse in the parade) instead of 5 - this tragedy STILL would have occurred. She could have been 58 and it would have happened. A horse was spooked. It was attached to a wagon. It ran into her horse and the horse reared. Her age had nothing to do with it except that she probably shouldn't have been riding on the horse in the parade.

I think I am mad at the injustice. The fates. Here was a little girl just doing what she has been doing for years, her mother walking along side of her. Here was a talented, sweet, mannered little girl who was taken away from the world.

This little girl was in total control of her horse. She was a Little Miss for Sonoita, and it is the reason she was in the parade. Seems kind of odd to me that they have these age rules and then want the Little Rodeo Princesses in the parade. I've never seen a Little Miss Rodeo walk in the parade, they are always on horse back or on a wagon.

Anyway, I'm not writing to place blame on anyone. I am writing because I need to process how a little girl with a wonderful family (look at their website: http://www.boisvertfamilymusic.com) is no longer here because of this tragedy. She was so talented! She was so precious. And no one on the news comments seems to be focused on the fact that we, as a world, will never know what we are missing from Brielle not having the chance to grow up.

My heart goes out to the mother. My love and prayers for the entire family. May you rest in peace, Little Miss - Rodeo Angel.