~life's adventure and the kindness of strangers~

Southern hospitality.  
The kindness of Texas folks.
The joys of living in small town America.

Whatever you call it, when it happens Mike and I just look at one another and smile because each of us knows what the other is thinking.  Since we arrived here 6 weeks ago, we have been the recipients of it over and over again.  

Yesterday we stopped at a peach stand near the little town of Charlie hoping to find a small container of that delicious fruit to take home and enjoy.  We'd never stopped at this particular one before and so we gave them a try.  A wonderful young woman met us at the table as we looked over the peaches that had just been picked.  Her name was Ashley and she asked us if we had ever stopped before.  When we told her that we just moved to this area and it was our first time to come by, she immediately picked up the basket that we were looking at and placed it into our hands.  Ashley said it was "free" and that it was her gift to us as newcomers.  We thanked her for her kindness and stood to visit a while with her before going home.  It was such a nice feeling, one that was provided by the kindness of someone who was a stranger to us before.

We are strangers no longer.

This week we had to take my jeep into the shop in Wichita Falls for some recall work to be done on it.  The man who checked us in and took care of making sure everything was done correctly ended up being someone who lives here in Burkburnett.  He was a kind man named Harold and after we signed the paperwork that needed to be done we had a nice visit with him.  He told us about life here, what living through the drought was like, and that it had been a fine place for he and his family to live.  You know Harold could have just gotten my signature, said "thank you" and went on but he chose to stop for 5 minutes and make us feel welcome there.  He used to be a stranger to us but if we ever seem him around town, now we'll know who he is.

This new place where we live is filled with people who are good and kind.  They are everywhere we seem to go.  Literally, we have been witnesses to it each day. At first it seemed so strange to hear every single soul we came across utter those famous words....

"Hi there!  How are y'all doing today?" 
Followed by those also oft heard words, "Would you like a glass of sweet tea today?"

But now I am actually getting used to it.

For 57 years of my life, the good and kind folks of Reno County, Kansas were there for me.  They encouraged me as a young girl growing up, supported me as a mother to three fine children and as a teacher to so many others.  I was sad to leave them behind when I got married and moved away two years ago.  Yet even in the distance between Montrose and Hutchinson, they were there for me and by the way, are still so today.  They are why I will always consider myself a Kansan, no matter where I might live.

For a brief two year stay in Montrose County, Colorado the wonderful people that I worked with at Olathe Elementary and many others in the area gave their support to me as a very lonely and homesick Kansas school teacher.  They essentially became my second family and they helped me get through the despair that I was feeling about having to leave my old Kansas home.  They saved me from myself, time and time again.  When we left to move to Texas, now 6 weeks ago, it was with sadness once again.  The 800 miles distance and one hefty mountain range that now lies between us is huge and I know that it will be a long time before we ever see one another again.  But they are still there for me and for that I will always be grateful.

Now we are here and only the good Lord above knows what lies ahead of us.  Things are coming together as they should with more and more pieces of life's puzzle being slipped into the proper place.  It took a lot of courage to leave and come to a place where we had no certain future but come to think about it, even living in Colorado we didn't have a certain future.  No one does.

We are thankful for a home to live in, for food in our bellies, vehicles that run and money enough to fill the gas tanks, water to drink and even a bit to spare now that the drought is over, a cat and dog who actually get along together quite well,  the clothes on our backs and the shoes on our feet, and one other thing.

The kindness of strangers.  
In the very least of things, we should always give our thanks.

We are alive and well and we pray the same for you all, our dear friends and family.
Welcome to Friday, the 10th day of July and such a very great day to be alive in.

dear Colorado friends, Nikki and Mary.

                                         finding our way here in Texas

While going through our boxes of things yesterday, we came across this poster that was made by a young student at Lincoln Elementary back home in Hutchinson.  His name is Ezequiel and I've known him since he was a little kindergartener.   His fourth grade teacher made our wedding cake and commissioned him to design the top for her.  It was so precious!  It was the start of this great new adventure for me and now for Mike as well.