Dad arrived late Monday night, the next am he and I took the water pump off my truck in the apartment parking lot and replaced it. Thankfully that fixed it and we could drive! While we worked on the car Grant was hard at work cleaning out the apartment, spackeling (his new favorite word), cloroxing, and raking - yes I said raking. Our vacuum cannot seem to take on pet hair so raking was the best option for getting the hair off the carpet. That night the Kid (Aaron), Maria, and Drew came over to say good bye. It was pretty shocking to realize we were really leaving.

Wednesday we woke at 5AM and loaded the vehicles. By 8 we were on the road. Before we crossed the HRBT Grant glanced into the back seat and saw that Buster had his eyes crossed and his tongue sticking out. Buster had his first accident. We stopped at Wawa for mango and coffee, and also to clean up after Buster. The drive was on, the first day Buster the amazing car sick cat totaled 5 accidents (2 poop, 1 pee, 1 vomit) . Mid day in the drive we discovered that the heater in my truck was not working. All the coats Grant and I own were packed in the move, save a sweatshirt jacket for the both of us. Dad had only brought short sleeve shirts. We stopped for lunch prior to hitting the VA/WV border, while stopped we ran into Mega-lo-Mart. Dad got a coat, and we got hunter heat packs for our shoes and hands. At last we made our final stop for the day, Louisville KY. We were half way!

Thursday AM we were back on the road. Buster was on his best behavior, not a single accident! The day seemed to move at a stand still in spite of the awesome time we were making!

So we arrived in Oklahoma just as the sun was setting Thursday evening. It was a great way to be welcomed back. The sky was a brilliant mixture of red, pink, and orange. KMOD was a clear signal just as we crossed the MO/OK border and as I crossed under McD's Roy D Mercer took to the air. I was REALLY HOME! I cant tell you just how welcome that sunset was! For those of you who have never experienced a true Oklahoma Sunset, you just don't know what you are missing!

We came straight to the house, it is better than we anticipated. Dinner at Savastono's and then straight to bed.

The pets are so happy at the house! Buster is quiet (its weird). Neko is in a very friendly mood and Sam loves the yard.

Friday Grant jumped into yard work while I went to see my family. My uncle invited us over for some of his famous Chili.

Saturday we headed south to see Grant's family at Stone Bluff. We rode 4 wheelers and saw more of the family in one day than we have in six years!

We have started to see friends, Trick and Scarlett, our friend Jocelyn's rock band 'Rook' has a CD release party next Friday and we will be there!

Grant painted the living room Sunday while I was at Derby practice with GCRG. Photos to come once I have furniture.

At the moment I am waiting for the Cox Cable guy to come..... as I wait I am watching the live broadcast of the Tulsa Veterans Day Parade and typing this blog on a borrowed laptop. It is a odd and bitter sweet feeling. Our house has a flag pole and my family cannot seem to understand why we do not want to fly the American flag, as much as we have been hurt by the government we just cannot seem to muster the desire to do it. We had planned to fly a Jolly Roger but apparently that is a skin head thing out here so that is out. Looks like it will be a pokes flag and maybe a POW flag. It is not that we do not support the people serving, but I personally now have such a disgust for the way we have been treated each time I think of it my stomach turns. It is such a change from how I felt in the past. So many parts of the parade bring a tear to my eye. My respect for the men and women who have served this country has never wavered. As I watch this parade and see the WW2 vets both in the parade and in the crowd. I cannot help think of all the sacrifices that they made for our country. I am simply left speechless.

Back to the blog, we are here and we are alive. Feel free to drop us a line!