A S L U T: t u l s a

Home sweet place I resided from the ages of 0 to 18 and some change.

*please note: this post drags on... 

It's always strange going back. 

I'm  a Midwestern.  Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma-- in a city, nonetheless. I still appreciate sweet tea and lightning bugs and that slower draw that most men seem to develop by the time they are grown men. Women can hide it some but the men, nearly impossible.

I don't ever get to spend a lot of time in Oklahoma; nor do I ever see half the people I want to see. It's always a secret affair. I see a few close people and I'm grateful for that. I get to catch up and it's like I never left. Minus the fact that in the last 5 years the city has change dramatically. In 10 years time, I probably won't recognize the place.

A little recap to humor myself and compartmentalize memories labeled "The Oklahoma Box."

My dear friend Benjamin Woolslayer fetched me at the airport early morning. First things I told him "I need a hug and coffee." All were delivered and the 15 minutes he listened to me vent about the last 12 hours of my life from what I consider airport hell. I caused a ruckus screaming the F-word more times than I can count. Not my finest, but all considered it was well deserved. We drove to Wild Fork in Utica Square and had breakfast outside.  We went back to where he stays and talked and chilled for hours in a room surrounded by books at art.

I used to go over to Ben's house every day in High school. I never knocked on the door, I always walked in. To some this might be considered rude, but it was the routine. I went to his room or the studio in the garage and would just listen to him play guitar for hours and every so often a random band he was playing music with at the time.  But this time around, instead of music, we filled our time with spiritual discussions.

Later on he dropped me off at a coffee shop called Shades of Brown where I met the lovely Marisa Brown who is a Graphic Designer and dreams of being an art teacher. She's another high school friend of mine. I adore her. We click and always pick up where we left off. She's one of those gals you just want to keep in your life for forever, no matter the distance. I always randomly send her craigslist job offers in southern california or the weather update. I'm still attempting to convince her to move closer to me. Selfish? Maybe. But I think there are a lot of benefits for her... As in the beach... and me? haha

We chatted for hours and the time flew to what seemed like a short amount of time until later that night I received a text message. "We were there for four hours, I'm really embarrassed."

I laughed.

I met Marisa the first week of school. There was a fire drill.  I still didn't know anyone at my school and we were standing around outside. She was in my Spanish class. We kept looking at each other awkwardly. Smiling, both not really knowing what to approach the matter. Then it happened. We introduced ourselves and the rest if history. Match made in heaven.

After, Lor picked me up and we went to Elote. A place that never existed when I lived in Tulsa but now seems to be a favorite of mine every time I visit. I loved spending the weekend with Lor. We ate lots of food, chatted lots, went garage saling, planned some crucial things in her life, went to a wedding and church, explored downtown Tulsa, took pictures, and partook in the "Bridesmaid" frenzy. We laughed, we cried. We cried and we laughed. We cried while laughing. We laughed while crying. Catch my drift.

Then again, we laughed and cried for 45 minutes in the scene from "Garden State" when Zach Braff drives away with the gas nozzle still in his car. We have strange humor.

Lor is my best friend of 17 years. Crazy? She is my soul sister.

I'm going to speed my thought process up.

I went to Oklahoma because my friends John and Rachel were getting married. Finally after 5 or 6 years.  They got married in our home church and it was fabulous. They pulled off a great day and it was so great to celebrate with them.  As well as see hundreds of people I grew up with. You Oklahomans have a special place in my heart and continue to make me feel loved. I can't thank you enough for always opening your homes to support my cause to visit. Or offering yours homes to me as a bribe to visit. My favorite was the lakehouse offer.

One of the eyeopeners of my trip was Sunday Morning at Foundations Church. My old Youth pastors' Justin and Casey started Foundations with the support of many generous supporters who believed in the cause of this church. God's doing some pretty awesome things there and the people there have such servant hearts. But as I'm standing there for praise and worship I search around the auditorium and see random people from my youth group. Not random, people I grew spiritually with. People I learned about God and perspective and what it means to fall and be redeemed. They've seen me at my best and worst.  Some of us just visiting from the wedding and others who have made Foundations their Church. Some even in the Worship band.

A lot of this trip was reflection based. In high school on Wednesday before service and Saturday before Sunday service we would meet in prayer in a darkened room with praise and worship blasting. These are people I prayed with and experienced with. I was so greatful to be connected to them once again.

I've never been more proud of the people I grew up with.

I often times long to be in those dark corners crying my eyes out wondering why things are as they are or crouched on my knees awing at the existence of God and how marvelous he is. I often long to just sit and be in the presence of God and watch my friend's, Mimo, Chocolate, Will, Lindsey, John and various others hearts break for the world around them.  All wanting to change the world and they are. We're grown up now.  Ahh and some of us are married or engaged. Is that even allowed?

Should we still be toilet papering peoples houses and staying up figuring out our place in the world together.

We are dispersed. Some close and some far.

They've changed my world and I couldn't be more blessed.

Weekend randoms- Enjoy. 

... and they fell into love