Who is Emilie?
My answer is not simple. I’m an anomaly and you will learn why.
But if you are wanting to learn the details then you will have to keep reading…
My story begins in Montana.
My dad managed a large ranch in Horse Prairie, MT known as the Draggin’ Y Cattle Co. All my siblings and I were raised on this ranch.
Just so you can get the picture, this is my dad. The man, the myth, the legend, the cowboy… Steve Schroder.
Now, my dad made sure that while us kids were on the ranch that we were learning important life lessons.
1) Be on time and be ready.
2) Stay true to your word.
3) Ask questions. You don’t know everything.
4) Be strong in who you are and what you know. Stand for yourself.
and most importantly…
5) Don’t be an idiot.
Our time on the ranch allowed me to learn a great deal about cattle and agriculture. I’ve vaccinated more calves than most people can shake a stick at, learned to rope and handle cattle well, learned to train horses, and manage people. We also learned to do the less fun things, like cut timber and fix fence.
My dad always said, “I don’t ask anyone to do something that I’m not already doing.” Which was true. We had 3 am mornings and 20 below days. We’ve ridden through snow and rain, but also enjoyed the sunshine too.
Like most girls, my dad is everything to me. He is a huge part of who I was and who I have become. He has challenged me, told me I could be more, and supported me in my endeavors. He is strong and tough, and to say thank you for the life he provided for us just wouldn’t be enough.
My dad isn’t superman, and he isn’t a hero… he’s better.
He’s a cowboy.
And behind every strong man, is an even stronger wife.
My dad fell head over heels for my mother Lynn. My mother instantly became part of my dad’s life and they embarked on their journey together. My mother, the mother of 3 step kids and 2 biological children, managed to keep herself busy over the years.
My mother later became a teacher. She taught in a one room schoolhouse in Grant, MT for a few years and how now been teaching at the Lima Elementary School for a little over 20 years.
I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have the mother I do. Aside from the fact that my mom’s heart loves almost anything and anyone, she is also a great example of what is means to be a strong woman.
Through my mother’s extensive career as a teacher and watching the lives she has changed for the better, I can say that I admire her a great deal.
My mother taught me that being a woman in a rural community didn’t have to hold you back. She showed me that you can ALWAYS present your best self whether it be through how we speak, the words we write, the connections we make, or the clothes we wear. (My mother is known for her style.)
It is no joke that my mother has spent countless hours working in her classroom in the school, and in my childhood (and sometimes to this day) you would find me right alongside her.
My mother has transformed the world of 1st and 2nd grade for her students through her many efforts: lesson plans, creating a fun classroom environment through visuals and attitude, class pets, outside time, and laughter.
To say my mother is a good teacher, just isn’t the words. She is a phenomenal teacher. And she loves her students.
My parents have been married for almost 40 years. They have been through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the times they will never forget.
I talk about my parents because they truly made me. They raised me to be the genuine, hard-working, kind, and fiery, strong woman I am today.
I am truly blessed to have been given such a great childhood. I didn’t grow up behind an iPad, but out in the world. I understand what it means to work the land, show up for others, stay true to your word, and really live. And my goal is to share this with the world.
Agriculture is good. Rural life is good. And I’m here to share that.
Now what about Emilie?
If you want to find out you’ll have to keep reading…
You can find me at my blog M/Em/Emilie.