~and we are glad to be here~
We made the journey back to Burkburnett, Texas this past weekend. It had been 2 months for me to be there and 4 months for Mike. It seemed so strange to point the car south in the direction of Oklahoma City and continue on for just about 250 miles to the Red River area of north Texas. It's an area that we know very well, having lived there for the past 4 years.
Traffic was not terribly bad in OKC and with Mike at the wheel driving, I tried my best to help watch for oncoming cars as they hurried towards their own destinations. We made it through safely and by the time Mike turned to the east along I-44 heading to Lawton, both of us breathed our own collective sighs of relief. We've driven through Oklahoma City many, many times and are so thankful that we have been spared involvement in accidents or car trouble. That is one place to never take anything for granted. One tiny mistake can spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e for anyone who does.
Some miles up the road from where we turn is the Ft. Sill National Cemetery near Elgin, Oklahoma. It's where my brother-in-law, Wes St. Clair, is buried and a place Mike and I have often stopped to visit. Both of us felt it would be good to stop on the way down and take a moment to pay our respects. We both said, "Let's go see Wes!" and so we did.
The cemetery is arranged in such a mind bending fashion and as you look at the rows upon rows of strategically placed white markers, you have to marvel at the design of it all. We've been to Wes's grave more than once and were sure that we could just walk right over and find it. This time it was a little more difficult because since Mike and I were last there to visit, many more fallen veterans have found their final resting place at this sacred burial ground. It took a few minutes, but finally I caught sight of his name. I'm sure that if Wes could have been watching us wander farther and farther from his grave, he'd have been motioning us to come over there.
I had a moment to reflect on that windy and hot summer day about many things. I remembered a very cold and breezy day last November when some of my 2nd graders took a Saturday morning field trip with me there. As an act of community service on the national level, those sweet kids took well over $50.00 worth of pennies and placed them atop the headstones of all the veterans who are in Wes's section of the cemetery. Those pennies, ones which they had gathered on their own from home, were left as symbolic representation that someone paid a visit that day. I was so proud of them and the parents that were able to come along with us. Even though they were only second graders, they understood the importance of what they were doing and reverently went about their way up and down the rows of headstones.
They made their teacher so proud.
Traffic was not terribly bad in OKC and with Mike at the wheel driving, I tried my best to help watch for oncoming cars as they hurried towards their own destinations. We made it through safely and by the time Mike turned to the east along I-44 heading to Lawton, both of us breathed our own collective sighs of relief. We've driven through Oklahoma City many, many times and are so thankful that we have been spared involvement in accidents or car trouble. That is one place to never take anything for granted. One tiny mistake can spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e for anyone who does.
Some miles up the road from where we turn is the Ft. Sill National Cemetery near Elgin, Oklahoma. It's where my brother-in-law, Wes St. Clair, is buried and a place Mike and I have often stopped to visit. Both of us felt it would be good to stop on the way down and take a moment to pay our respects. We both said, "Let's go see Wes!" and so we did.
The cemetery is arranged in such a mind bending fashion and as you look at the rows upon rows of strategically placed white markers, you have to marvel at the design of it all. We've been to Wes's grave more than once and were sure that we could just walk right over and find it. This time it was a little more difficult because since Mike and I were last there to visit, many more fallen veterans have found their final resting place at this sacred burial ground. It took a few minutes, but finally I caught sight of his name. I'm sure that if Wes could have been watching us wander farther and farther from his grave, he'd have been motioning us to come over there.
I had a moment to reflect on that windy and hot summer day about many things. I remembered a very cold and breezy day last November when some of my 2nd graders took a Saturday morning field trip with me there. As an act of community service on the national level, those sweet kids took well over $50.00 worth of pennies and placed them atop the headstones of all the veterans who are in Wes's section of the cemetery. Those pennies, ones which they had gathered on their own from home, were left as symbolic representation that someone paid a visit that day. I was so proud of them and the parents that were able to come along with us. Even though they were only second graders, they understood the importance of what they were doing and reverently went about their way up and down the rows of headstones.
They made their teacher so proud.
~the kids as they gathered around Wes's gravestone~
In nearly 9 months worth of time, so many more graves have been added to his section since these photos were taken on Veteran's Day weekend of 2018.
Mike and I didn't tarry long at the cemetery, but we did stay for a bit marveling at the sight around us. The view from there is perfect, with the Wichita Mountains well within proximity. The sky was a beautiful robin's egg blue and Old Glory was proudly waving in the southwest wind of 20 mph. As we left, Mike drove past where the flag flies in order that I could take a picture.
Both Mike and I enjoyed our time visiting Wichita County, Texas and Tillman County, Oklahoma. We crammed a whole lot of stuff into a very short time period. We were able to witness the marriage vows of two dear friends from Grandfield, Tina and T. A., two very fine people who love each other very much. Many of the kids from my last year's class were there in attendance and how wonderful it was to catch up with them. Seeing them tugged at my heart, a bittersweet reminder that now they are 3rd graders and going to a brand new classroom in just a few weeks more. It will be a long time before I ever see them again. Both Mike and I got the chance to visit dear friends during the course of the weekend. Folks who are very precious to us took the time to stop and visit. It was really nice! Even though many miles now separate us, they shall always be our friends, and the memories that we made with them will remain in our hearts forever.
All too soon it was time to return to our new and final home in Newkirk, Oklahoma. Even though Mike and I enjoyed ourselves immensely, we both knew that we needed to get back in order to start the work week once again here. Burkburnett and Grandfield are now places that we visit. Our real home is right here in Kay County.
And you know what?
We're glad we are here.
two kids from the land of "long ago and far, far away"
~traveling down the road of life together these days~
Comments
Post a Comment