~following Norman~

Last night I saw the moon, the "super" one as it came up in the eastern sky here along the Western Slopes of Colorado and I thought of Kansas and my old home back there.  Can't say that I was homesick or sad or lonely or any other feeling that I have felt before in regards to life back in my home state.  But I have to admit, last night I kinda missed that beautiful place.  A lot of good people are there, folks whom I hold near and dear to me.  I have become what my dear friend Sylvia Davis refers to as a "flatlander-mountain woman" now.  God has provided a brand new life here for me and I am blessed beyond measure with new family and friends here.  For that I shall always give thanks.

     It hardly seems that nearly a week has passed since Mike and I ran across our friend Norm Horn as he was making his way eastward along Highway 50 from the town of Holly, Colorado.  We found him there on the corner, a block away from where he had been staying the night, having a great visit with a group of cyclists who had just left the town that he was heading for that night.  The Godbey family, our friends from Wichita,  had happened upon him too and what a strange coincidence (NOT) for us to all meet up together on that hot July morning to send him off to adventures in Kansas, just four miles up the road. 

     In the days that have followed since this photo was taken, Norman Horn has trekked onward to the east pushing a cart that is emblazoned with a banner that reflects his mission. 

"Conquer Childhood Cancer"
    
     Since crossing the border that July 6th day, Norm has encountered many people called "Kansans" who have helped him in his journey across America.  His now "good friends" in Syracuse, Lakin, Garden City, Cimarron and Dodge City and soon to be Spearville, Kansas have provided him shelter and a place at their supper table.  As the week progresses, other towns will meet him including my old home in Hutchinson sometime later on next week.  You know really, I will always maintain that people are basically very good everywhere you go.  Forget all the stuff you read about the bad people of the world because they are outnumbered so greatly by the people who really do care about one another.  It's just that the bad people always seem to get the good press. 

      I'm surely proud of the people of Kansas and I thank you for what you have done to give Norm's mission a hand.  Please friends and family watch out for him as he makes his way along Highway 50, each day getting closer and closer to his own personal finish line on the east coast.  Norm has a strong support group of people back there near his home in Pennsylvania who help him in his journey and his own personal determination to make this trip, one step at a time, is beyond measure. 

     The day has now begun here in Montrose County.  Not sure what will lie ahead for me today but whatever it is, I go forward in faith that all will be well.  May the same be said for you my dear ones wherever you are in this place that we all call "home".

     It's a good thing that the human heart is expandable, that's all I have to say. 

 Reno County, Kansas~
Lots of great people live in Hutchinson, South Hutchinson, Buhler, Haven, Nickerson, Partridge, Yoder, Pretty Prairie, Arlington, Sylvia, Turon, Medora, Plevna, and Abbyville.