oklahoma was more than OK!

Not this month, or last month, but the month before that one, we were able to go visit Grandma and Grandpa, Kevan's grandparents who live in Tyrone, Oklahoma. Only, now they live in Tennessee, which was the reason we went...to see their place in Oklahoma one last time. For Merit and I, it was our first time to go there, and

I absolutely loved it.

Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong time period. As a little girl, I read and re-read Laura Ingalls Wilder books, fascinated even then by life on the prairie. Simple. Not easy, but simple. Kevan's grandpa's family has been on this land since the early 1900's. The old house that Grandpa grew up in still stands close by their most recent house that they built into a hill. All kinds of old things were still in the old house and barn. If you know me at all, you know I was in heaven. I was so thankful that we were able to go. It meant a lot to Kevan, and I loved that Merit was able to see where her great-grandparents (and great-great grandparents) had lived for so long.

She, too, was in heaven. There was attention galore from Grammie, Great-Aunt Pam, and Great-Grandma, wide-open spaces to roam about, Grandma's cookies were handed to her left and right, wheel-barrow rides with Popsy and rides on the lawn mower with Great-Grandpa were frequent, and there was even an Uncle Tanner to play with.

I had only ever driven through Oklahoma. I was surprised at how beautiful it was. I have to think that part of the reason I loved it so much was because of how it reminded me of Texas. Especially the sunsets. Below, we are up on the "roof" of the newest house, looking out into their incredible backyard.

Grandpa let us shoot his gun. I showed the boys a thing or two. :)

The foundation of the school where Grandpa went is actually on their property behind their house. Kevan's dad showed us all of his old stomping grounds around the nearby town, Hooker, Oklahoma, complete with an Albright Street!

The house where Grandma and Grandpa lived most recently was really great. As mentioned before, it was built into a hill. The bedrooms had no windows, so Merit slept until 9:30, a new record.

I loved the old house. (Except for the snake that greeted me on the bottom of the stairs in the old house. I love old things, but not old snakes.)

Since they were moving, they were holding an auction to sell a lot of things they wouldn't be able to bring to Tennessee. They graciously let us have a few things before the auction started. Merit got an adorable little tea set, and we brought home several old magazines and books that were found in the old house--some even had little boy Grandpa's handwriting as he practiced his name and numbers.

On the way back, we drove through Texas one last time, and we stayed in a hotel as a family of three for the first time.

Grandpa told me that one of the things he will miss most about that place is the freedom you feel out there, and in the short 24 hours I spent on their land, I totally got that. I am trying to convince Kevan that Tyrone is going to be the next Music City. A house built into a hill would be a great recording studio, don't ya think? You definitely wouldn't have to worry about bothering the neighbors...