~and it was worth it!~
~time to go home~
When I went to bed on Thursday night I wasn't quite sure what my plans would be for Friday morning. I had gone back and forth on making a quick trip back home to Hutchinson, Kansas for no real reason at all, other than to go back. I reasoned it all out in my mind as I figured it would take at least a half tank of gas in a month that already has had more than its own share of expenses, as well as an entire day that I could be spending in my classroom getting ready for the school year at hand. Before we fell asleep for the night I told Mike that I was going to go ahead to do it, and just like always he encouraged me to go and enjoy myself.
Much needed rain woke me up in the morning and by 7:00 it was coming down pretty good. I waited it out until about 7:45 and then made a mad dash outside. A good feeling came over me as I put the car into reverse. I knew that it was time to go home for a bit.
The bulk of my nearly 64 years of life was spent in the same south central Kansas county. Hutchinson is the county seat there with a population of slightly over 62,000 according to numbers from 2017. Hutch is a great place to live and work in, and I did just that for a long, long time. In my early days, the small Reno County town of Haven was where I was raised up by my parents and an entire village of very well meaning townspeople. I guess that I found everything I ever needed in Reno County, well that is until 2013.
My experiences in Reno County shaped and molded me into the person who I was when Mike and I met 6 years ago now. Its positive influence upon a young girl from the prairies of Kansas was quite profound and something that thankfully I never forgot. I've been ok living away from it these past 6 years, but every once in a while I feel this urging and heartfelt longing to go back for a visit.
Yesterday was one of those days.
As I crossed the Sedgwick-Reno County line mid morning, I couldn't help but to feel a sense of peace about me. Seeing that sign was my signal that I was in very familiar territory. I had pushed along as I came by Mt. Hope, knowing that Haven was close by as well. Although I didn't stop in my hometown this time, I glanced over and took in the view. I would hazard to venture a guess as to how many times I have driven down Kansas Avenue there. Probably way more than I would ever be able to imagine. After Haven came the cemetery that lies along the north side of the highway. It's where my sweet sister Sherry is laid to rest, and where someday I too shall be. I stopped a moment, just like I always promised that I would, and told her a few things that were on my mind with regard to my upcoming class of fifth graders. Just like always, I hoped that somehow she might hear the words of my heart.
I went on from there as I stopped to visit dear friends and family along the way to Hutch. How wonderful it was to see the old familiar stops in South Hutchinson, a place that was often my destination as I rode my bike on its 10-mile route each morning. It all started to come back to me as I soaked in every drop of the sights that I could. I spent the rest of the morning going to places that meant so much to me when I lived there, and since Hutchinson is such a big place I could not get to all of them in the limited time available. Yet I was able to see many of the things I had hoped for, and what a blessing that truly was!
All too soon, it was time to go home to Newkirk once again.
Mike and I love our new home here and it is where we will more than likely stay for the rest of our time here on earth. Both of us are putting down roots in the soil of northern Oklahoma as we slowly begin to be a part of this Kay County community. Hutchinson and Reno County are tucked inside my heart in their own version of home, and from time to time I have to go back to visit. Time spent there is like food for my very weary soul and water to fill up my own very dry bucket some days.
Yesterday was one of those days.
I won't miss that half tank of gas anyways.
It was worth it.
When I went to bed on Thursday night I wasn't quite sure what my plans would be for Friday morning. I had gone back and forth on making a quick trip back home to Hutchinson, Kansas for no real reason at all, other than to go back. I reasoned it all out in my mind as I figured it would take at least a half tank of gas in a month that already has had more than its own share of expenses, as well as an entire day that I could be spending in my classroom getting ready for the school year at hand. Before we fell asleep for the night I told Mike that I was going to go ahead to do it, and just like always he encouraged me to go and enjoy myself.
Much needed rain woke me up in the morning and by 7:00 it was coming down pretty good. I waited it out until about 7:45 and then made a mad dash outside. A good feeling came over me as I put the car into reverse. I knew that it was time to go home for a bit.
The bulk of my nearly 64 years of life was spent in the same south central Kansas county. Hutchinson is the county seat there with a population of slightly over 62,000 according to numbers from 2017. Hutch is a great place to live and work in, and I did just that for a long, long time. In my early days, the small Reno County town of Haven was where I was raised up by my parents and an entire village of very well meaning townspeople. I guess that I found everything I ever needed in Reno County, well that is until 2013.
My experiences in Reno County shaped and molded me into the person who I was when Mike and I met 6 years ago now. Its positive influence upon a young girl from the prairies of Kansas was quite profound and something that thankfully I never forgot. I've been ok living away from it these past 6 years, but every once in a while I feel this urging and heartfelt longing to go back for a visit.
Yesterday was one of those days.
As I crossed the Sedgwick-Reno County line mid morning, I couldn't help but to feel a sense of peace about me. Seeing that sign was my signal that I was in very familiar territory. I had pushed along as I came by Mt. Hope, knowing that Haven was close by as well. Although I didn't stop in my hometown this time, I glanced over and took in the view. I would hazard to venture a guess as to how many times I have driven down Kansas Avenue there. Probably way more than I would ever be able to imagine. After Haven came the cemetery that lies along the north side of the highway. It's where my sweet sister Sherry is laid to rest, and where someday I too shall be. I stopped a moment, just like I always promised that I would, and told her a few things that were on my mind with regard to my upcoming class of fifth graders. Just like always, I hoped that somehow she might hear the words of my heart.
I went on from there as I stopped to visit dear friends and family along the way to Hutch. How wonderful it was to see the old familiar stops in South Hutchinson, a place that was often my destination as I rode my bike on its 10-mile route each morning. It all started to come back to me as I soaked in every drop of the sights that I could. I spent the rest of the morning going to places that meant so much to me when I lived there, and since Hutchinson is such a big place I could not get to all of them in the limited time available. Yet I was able to see many of the things I had hoped for, and what a blessing that truly was!
All too soon, it was time to go home to Newkirk once again.
Mike and I love our new home here and it is where we will more than likely stay for the rest of our time here on earth. Both of us are putting down roots in the soil of northern Oklahoma as we slowly begin to be a part of this Kay County community. Hutchinson and Reno County are tucked inside my heart in their own version of home, and from time to time I have to go back to visit. Time spent there is like food for my very weary soul and water to fill up my own very dry bucket some days.
Yesterday was one of those days.
I won't miss that half tank of gas anyways.
It was worth it.
We are the babies of "the 7" and so glad I got the chance to see her yesterday in Hutch.
It was good to visit our big sister too!
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