Going Back

I am a big fan of birthdays. Mine, of course. But everyone else's too. I love reasons to celebrate people. And I love that on one day every year I am on the hearts of all of my favorite people. 

So what did I do to celebrate 25? I went to Oklahoma to visit my sister. Okay, she isn't my sister. She is one of my very best friends. But we can't go anywhere without people asking if we are sisters. Sometimes even twins. (I, of course, am the much shorter twin). We were roommates at Oklahoma Christian together and have been the best of friends ever since. We bonded over Gilmore Girls and cheese dip and late night chats in the dorm for several years.

2006: Playing Putt-Putt

2012: Visiting our college dorm where we lived in 2006-2007.

You may remember her as my Yellowstone Camping guide. 

2011: Bear Tooth Pass

I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday weekend than in Oklahoma with her.

When my flight landed, the pilot came over the intercom and said "Welcome to Oklahoma City. It is 112 degrees and the wind is about 35 mph". Ahhh... Exactly how I remembered it. I unfortunately saw tons of places where wildfires had taken a toll on the land. But I was fortunate to be there while a "cold front" was coming through. It had been 117 on the day before my arrival, but a mere 103 on the day that I left. We're talking major cold snap, people. You probably saw it on Good Morning America - the globes melting off of street lights in Stillwater because of the heat and fires. Yep. That's where I was. Stillwater. The home of OSU. The home of the national wrestling museum. The home of the first Sonic. And the current home of my best friend.

I strayed from my normal french manicure and painted my nails with OPI's I Don't Know, Beets Me because it seemed like a good birthday celebration color.

We had such a great weekend together. We went to the lake.

We went out for sushi.

We had birthday smoothies (because I don't eat sweets).

Me, My Bestie, and Her Husband

We played games and looked through photo albums and watched old movies (and I habitually fell asleep on the couch during them).

And then we drove to Edmond.  The home of Shannon Miller. The home of Oklahoma Christian University.  And the home of so many of my favorite memories.  We walked around our campus. 

It's the first time I had been back in the nearly four years since graduation. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, we were flooded with memories. Every conversation began with "Remember when...". You know, the best kinds of conversations. It was a strange feeling to be there again. It felt so familiar and so much like home, but there were little changes everywhere -improvements and additions- that reminded me of the span of time that has occurred since my graduation and my visit. I have been gone for longer than I was ever there. It is different now, but I do love that place.

And my last day in Oklahoma I spent time with my dear friend and mentor. We got lost in conversation for hours at a time. And she took me to a birthday tea party. It was perfect.  

Oklahoma isn't home anymore, but it is home to so many incredible memories and some incredible friends. It felt good to go back.