Hey guys, I'm so sorry that this isn't a full chapter, just a (more than) six sentence sunday. And anything written is subjected to change :)
Oh and just a major shoutout to California Chrome and all of his connections for winning the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. I only send my best wishes and luck to the horse and all of his connections in hopes that he'll break the 35 year drought to win the Triple Crown. This horse is literally a rags to riches story. If you'd like to have more of a backstory, scroll to the bottom, otherwise here's a snippet.
Katniss
From what I can tell, the medication that Dr. Abernathy has prescribed Peeta has been working to some extent. I am afraid to say it, because I know at any moment that his status might change at the blink of an eye, but Peeta is almost like his old self again. The Peeta that I fell in love with and had a baby with. Not the Peeta who I saw laying helplessly in the hospital ICU. He doesn't snap at Haven or me anymore. Which must mean some sort of improvement. He still sees Dr. Abernathy once to twice a week. Sometimes it is a just Peeta and Dr. Abernathy or sometimes it is even a family session with Haven and I.
There are a few days where the medication doesn't work, or isn't strong enough, but those days are rare. And for today, I hope that he'll be fine since today we are having Haven's first birthday party.
She isn't officially one for another two weeks, but this was the only time that we could get everyone to attend who we wanted. Of course, we invited Peeta's family and Lauren and Mason and their three kids. Of course, we invite some of our other neighbors and make this more of a 'neighborhood gathering' instead of a birthday party.
It's a little chilly, the late November air making the air brisk in the shade but in the sun a little warmer. I dress Haven in a matching hunting outfit I have myself, a brown fake leather jacket and a light colored shirt with khaki pants and combat boots, we almost look like twins when we're dressed the same way. Peeta comments on how we both look and how he can't believe he got so lucky to have us.
I also think back at this time last year, it was around the time that Peeta got deported and I was here all alone and heavily pregnant. I remember the overwhelming sense I got when I was in the middle of giving birth and then soon followed a relief of pain as soon as she was finally on the outside of me. I look at them both and realize just how far we all have come. Even me, for a young, single, mother, I don't think I did half bad raising Haven for several months.
The party is outside in our backyard. For the older kids there is a bounce house and a two story sized slide. Peeta will be grilling out hamburgers and hotdogs. The decorations are beautiful, Peeta and I had picked them out earlier. It's nothing over the top, it's just simple. Some Cinderella princess cups and plates. Whenever I play Cinderella on the t.v., it always seems to capture her attention and is able to hold it for a while.
From the looks of everything, it seems perfect, but little did I know, this is the day where my world turns upside down...
Basically, two friends bought a mare Love The Chase for roughly $7,000. And if you don't follow thoroughbred horse racing, that is practically a giveaway. People told the partnership they'd be dumb asses if they bought that mare. (Their stable is named Dumb Ass Partners) She wasn't a very good racer herself and she was bred to Lucky Pulpit for a stud fee of $2,500. Love the Chase's first foal was California Chrome. He proved to be a sturdy Kentucky Derby contender in his early three year old season by dominating the San Felipe stakes and the Santa Anita Derby. His owners turned down an offer for someone to buy 51% of the horse for $6 million, his owners went on to say 'You can't put a price on a dream,' He went on to win the derby as the 2-1 morning line favorite. Hopefully, he'll race in the Preakness Stakes (the second jewel in the Triple Crown) and then the Belmont, which is where most of the potential TC winners fail because of the longer distance of a 1 1/2. Although California Chrome's pedigree isn't the best and makes the odds against him in the Preakness and the Belmont, he goes to prove that he could beat all the other horses with the best of the best pedigrees. There hasn't been a Triple Crown race winner since 1979 when Affirmed won it. (Seattle Slew and Secretariat both won their Triple Crown's in the 70's) Oh and if you want to know more about horse racing, please message me or ask me in a review because I love talking about horse racing.
