Red Dirt Healing

I cried every one of the 350 miles I drove from Kansas City to Oklahoma City when I moved 6 years ago, because I was scared and insecure and generally not happy with my life.  I needed the last 6 years I spent in Oklahoma, every part of my life got better during that time. Thinking back over the years I lived there, I see all the reasons it was where I needed to be.  I got to be there for some of the greatest moments this life has to offer, and some of the worst, but I’m grateful for both and everything else that happened in between.  I recently discovered that I’m an extrovert (which Pauline says is duh, so this may only be news to me), and as an extrovert, I cherish every friendship and relationship which was built or deepened, both in Oklahoma and elsewhere, as only an extrovert can.  Moving to Oklahoma made me value “home” and cling more tightly to my relationships that kept me rooted there.  I remember how sad I was when I left KC and I said I didn’t want to make new friends because I already had enough.  What I was really scared of was repeating history and having the same tearful good-bye leaving Oklahoma that I had leaving KC.  I’m glad the extrovert in me couldn’t even help herself and built friendships with reckless abandon, I’m glad that I built a life and routine with the framily I found there that was so hard to leave that I spent the last month in OKC crying about every “last”, I’m glad that history repeated itself.  

The best thing Amy has or will ever give me is Norman.  Norman is the best friend, cutest dog, and sweetest soul I will ever know.  He is my kindred spirit and not even being dramatic, I know he gets me when I look in his eyes. The hardest part about leaving, hands down.  My happy place will always be snuggled in my bed with Amy and Norman wedged between us. 

 

Thanks Oklahoma for everything; thanks for the memories; thanks for feeding my soul; thanks for loving and accepting me; thanks for teaching me how to be a better friend, Christian, accountant, and overall person; thanks for wishing me well and supporting me on my new journey.  I’m sad to leave, but excited to go.

**one thing I did not get better at in the last 6 years is formatting this blog...which is why the pictures are all janky.

All the things (that came to mind currently) that I’m going to miss about living in Oklahoma, in no particular order:

• Bachelor Nation
• Red White and Boom/Freedom fest
• HAJA
• Christmas wine (all year round)
• Amanda’s themed birthday parties
• My treadmill at CHK fitness center
• Boxing with Vi
• Running with Jen
• Applebee’s with Locke
• Candy therapy in Pauline’s office
• Fighting with Amy about the air filter
• Taco Tuesday with Lezlie
• This is Us Tuesdays with Anna and Lezlie
• Smart hours
• ½ day Fridays
• Slimmy Jim’s
• Brown Note Symphony
• Planning Dollhouse HH with Robyn
• Retreats
• Hip hop
• TED’S
• Arts festival
• FAIR season
• Groovy’s
• Thundering up
• Tornado season hype
• Plugged in
• WOW
• Chicken fried rice, egg drop soup and 1 eggroll at Kang (RIP)
• Spicy Turkey sub Jerk Chicken
• Core-a-saurus
• BTA Corporate Accounting awards
• Approaching the matrix
• Boat person recruitment trip with Amanda, Jason, and Harrison
• Amy and her ladies take Puerto Rico
• Toot and Booty jokes with Makinzie
• Deluxe pedicures at Epik
• 5^th quarter with Dane, Kasey, and Kindra and booty rap
• Fat Kid club
• Jason’s Everclear concoctions
• Brussel sprout salad at Goro
• Quarterly dinners with Lauren
• Lady Brain Nation
• 3 eggs over medium, 2 turkey bacon order ready to go when I walk in at Creekside
• W-words with Normy
• Wednesday night dinner after church
• Onesie Christmas
• Christmas tree competition from our 2-tree household
• Cabin weekend
• Taste of Norman with Norman North’s hottest teacher
• The wall of fame in my office
• Pizza rolls at HAJA
• Well Mega J videos