Things I Will Miss About Oklahoma

We only spent just over 8 years in Oklahoma. But there are definitely things I will miss about it.

First and foremost all the people we have met and befriended. This list includes co-workers, people from church, the students, parents and teachers from the Edmond schools, dear friends and especially all my kids (and you all know who you are).

To my kids that I have informally adopted: I will miss seeing you all grow into the wonderful women and men that I know you will become or already are. I hope you know that you can always can talk to me still. It just won't be that face to face time. Remember, don't waste the talent that God has given you. Find your passion. It may not pay a lot, but a job is more palatable if you enjoy what you are doing. Just because your dad/mom was a doctor/accountant/lawyer/shoemaker, doesn't mean that you have to become one. Be your own person. Pick your battles. And above all, don't burn bridges especially with parents. Your parents will love you no matter what. And even if they are the nuttiest people you know. They really do want the best for you. It's just sometimes really hard for us to tell you. And be your own person. Don't label yourself or others, and especially don't let anyone put you into a label. You are who you are. Not everyone is going to love or even like you. It doesn't matter. You find people who accept you for who you are, not what they think you should be. I hope you all have learned something from me. Just know that I am here for you and that I love each of you very much.

I will miss:
Oklahoma sunsets. They are the best anywhere. I have seen fire in the sky when it has been cloudy. The stars might be bright in Texas, but they are just amazing in Oklahoma!

The history. Yes, the land runs, the Trail of Tears, the Indians, the crazy legislature of OK!! All my UCO professors that taught me to think and the others I never had a chance to take classes from! My museum/history geeks that I call my friends. Oh how I will miss conferences with you all and playing Scrabble in the bar! No one can top that! I will miss my time in Guthrie and all that history. I will miss the history of the OK National Guard and those people that let me be the true geek that I am. Thank you all for enriching my time here.

The weather. Need I say more. Well yes, I do! I have experienced more weather phenomena in OK than anywhere! Ice storms, blizzards, fire (within a few miles of the house), eye of a hurricane (craziness), drought and tornadoes (1 as close as down the street and the other 1/4 of a mile away). The only thing missing is a tsunami, but it wouldn't surprise me!

The wind. I know. It 's crazy, but it's weird not to have wind blowing all the time! It was one of the strangest things I had to get used to when we first moved here. Now I'm one that freaks out if there is no wind blowing.

Seeing a storm two hours away. The visibility here is about 10 + miles. I remember the first time I saw lightening in the distance and it still felt so close, but the storm took about two hours before it hit. Oh and the lightening is just incredible! I remember the first storm and thought that our house would blow away. The lightening never takes a break! It just comes one after the other! Amazing storms!

The weathermen. When you get a drinking game named after you, you know you've made it! They are the sportscasters of weather watching. They can turn a storm that is in the western part of the state into excitement of doom for us several hours away!!! It's a skill to occupy our time for several hours on a storm that will most likely diminish before it comes near us!

I know that there is more that I will miss, but the mind is fuzzy right now. Oklahoma will always have a special place in my heart. We will miss you all so very much.

Thanks for reading!