BE IT EVER SO HUMBLE.....

For as long as I live, no matter where I find myself on this planet called Earth, this Kansas farm girl will always call the small town of Haven my "home."  Today was their annual "Fall Festival" as well as the observance of Haven's 125th birthday.  That was one "party" that I thought I should attend and of course, wouldn't you know it?  It rained, and rained, and rained--a community that spent most of the past several months in drought conditions was the recipient of much needed moisture.  But nothing could dampen the spirits of that group of folks--they made the best of it, sunshine or clouds.  And I have to tell you, that's just the kind of people I would have expected Haven folks to be.  


I was so blessed today to spend several hours with a group of people I've known for many, many years from the "land of long ago and so very far away."  They are my friends from high school and now my friends on Facebook.  I'm so grateful that they were able to help me with Item #5 from the Miller Bucket List-"to connect with each of my Facebook friends and buy them something to drink and talk about life.  I'd love for you to meet them!

  This is my very good friend, Joyce Bennett, who drove all the way from the St. Louis, MO area to be with us all today.  She was a member of the class of '72 and used to work for my parents in our restaurant in Haven.  Her own parents had a restaurant as well.  She traveled here in her motorhome accompanied by a very cute little dog named "Louie".  She's retired but she stays more than busy traveling around and doing volunteer work of all kinds.  So very nice to see her once again.  She kept us all in stitches today...

Meet my good friend, Toni (Kuntz) Hiebert.  It's been ages since I have seen Toni and we live right here in the same town of Hutchinson.  We used to ride the school bus together, long, long ago.  She is from the class of '72 also.  Even though she went to Hutch High halfway through high school, it seemed like she was with us all the time at Haven.  I really enjoyed having a chance to get to visit with her today.  Way too long to see someone who lives only 10 minutes away from me.

You may remember my Facebook friend, Annetta (Grandon) Hoffmann.  We met up earlier this summer and had breakfast together.  Annetta had come back for the Fall Festival as did the other two.  This morning we all met up together at our usual "haunt" I-Hop for breakfast and a whole lot of story telling.  Truly, if "laughter is the best medicine" then we four girls should not need to go to the doctor for a long time now.  There was a whole lot of that  going on and you know what?  It was fun!


While we were at Haven, we talked at length about what life was like growing up there.  All four of us came to the "same conclusion."  We would never have wished to grow up any place else.  You guys can keep your 5A and 6A schools and the thousands of kids that come with them.  We are glad to have come from a small school in a small rural community....a place where every one was known by every one else.  Living in Haven and going to school there was the best thing that could have happened to us, as far as we were concerned.  We had a good life although I'm sure at the time, we may have questioned it once in a while.  The memories we made, the lessons of life that we learned were priceless--we may not have had all of the special "opportunities" that kids in bigger schools had.  But you know what?  We managed to turn out "ok" after all!


While at Haven, I was able to run into two more Facebook friends who were attending the Fall Festival.  So thanks to these two for helping me out with Item #5 on the "Miller Bucket List" as well......

  This is my good friend, Katrina (Wiard) Stussy-we were standing close by one another trying to find some shelter from the ever present raindrops that kept falling down.  Katrina and I have a few "connections" to one another.  Her husband, Larry, was in my class in high school.  Her uncle, Bill Wiard, was in my class from kindergarten-3rd grade at Burrton Grade School.  The world gets smaller and smaller all the time!  It was nice to see you Katrina!

Then, out of the "blue", we all ran into our dear friend, Catherine (Schmidt) Fletcher who was there all the way from her home in Iowa.  She surprised us while we were eating a slice of pizza together at the cafe on Main Street in Haven.  Catherine, a member of the class of '71, had seen us while she was on their class float in the parade and found us as we were eating.  Catherine and I have known one another for a long time.  She worked for my parents at Scott's Cafe as her very first job.    How wonderful to finally meet up with her after all these many years apart!  Safe journey back to Iowa!

At the end of the day, before each going our separate ways for the evening, Annetta, Toni, Joyce and I posed underneath the mural that was recently done to celebrate the spirit of Haven.  I felt a lot of pride standing underneath that painting...it's a kind of pride that I will never lose sight of, no matter how far removed I may find myself from that little town or this area of Kansas in general.   Be it EVER so humble, Haven, Kansas is a great place to call HOME.  Have a good evening friends.