Gayle (Abigayle) Robu Lofgren:  

After graduation, I stayed in Milwaukee for a few years, married and had two sons, Brad and Evan. After moving to Iowa, I divorced, went to work, when the boys were in school. Shortly afterwards, I started college full time, worked and was team mother for the boy's baseball and football teams. I graduated from Drake University and began teaching in Des Moines. After completing part of my graduate work, I started teaching children with learning disabilities, and behavioral disorders (kids like me). I then earned a specialist degree in Mult. Cat. Special ed. After teaching several years I met my current husband, who had two boys the same age. We both sold our homes and bought one that could handle a house full of boys. We have been together for 31 1/2 years now. I took an early retirement from teaching, as per his request, and went to work in his dental office, running the front desk. We moved to Missouri in 1993, and bought a cattle farm. I got to have a huge garden, bottle feed calves, and live on over 200 acres with national forest on three sides. The coyotes howled at night, the owls were soothng and it was good, hard work. Then once again, Jim decided to build another practice. I missed the farm, but continued to ride, and own horses. We then opened a flower shop in West plains Mo. I sold the shop after 5 years, and joined him at the office, once more. When our second granddaughter was 5 I got her a horse, so she and I could ride in the woods together. Later, this innocent hobby turned into one with more expense. We started showing horses together. Our passion was hunter under saddle, although we also did some western. Haylie had to have trainers, as she passed Nana over the years, in her ability. She became a mulit-state champ, and I became worn out with travel. If you have ever pulled something the size of a three horse trailer with living qu...Expand for more