Update from Tulsa!

We are in Oklahoma for the Christmas/New Year Holiday. We have been so busy. We arrived on Christmas Day around 2pm. We were supposed to get in around noon but we got to sit on the runway for an hour in Houston on a plane that could only carry 30 people. So we were glad to finally arrive in Tulsa safe and sound. We spent a wonderful day at my parents with delicious food and fun. We opened gifts, and enjoyed being together. This year my dad wanted to bring a different kind of spirit to our Christmas. He gave us each a $100 to give out to a stranger as we saw fit. Either at a grocery store, walmart, bus stop, thrift store etc.....So Keith and I thought about it and wanted to wait until closer to Christmas to give ours out. So the week of Christmas we went to the local walmart and started scoping it out. We were looking for a young family with kids. Keith was hoping to hear the words, "put that back we can't afford it" but that didn't happen. So after we walked to store a few times. We finally saw a lady and a young boy in the clothing department. She didn't have much in her cart. The young boy was looking at t-shirts and the mom was looking at PJ's. We thought this is it. She wasn't wearing a wedding ring and looked a little worse for the wear. Keith had Addison on his shoulders and tried to track her down up one aisle and then down the next. When he finally caught up to her he handed her the money said Merry Christmas and walked away. She came running after him and said "God Bless you, anybody but me, I don't need this, I'm a doctor" So after being deflated by his Good Deed Keith handed me the money and said "I'm done your turn." So we started over walking the store over and over again. We spotted a couple in the checkout line in their mid Fifties, sorting through what was a need and a want like they needed toilet paper but wanted milk. So I walked to the cashier who was finishing up with the couple in front of them and asked if we could put the money towards the next couples bill and she looked at me as if I was crazy and said sure. I walked away and we watched from a few aisles over as the couple asked for a sub-total and then hugged each other and got everything else out of the cart and placed it on the belt. So we all shared our stories with each other and ate more. We ended our evening with a visit to see my Nana. Addison was the hit of the Nursing Home. She waved to everyone and smiled up and down the hallways.


We are staying with our dear friends the Marshes. Addison is having a ball playing with Katherine and Joshua. We took the kids to a Children's Museum and Addison loved the Post Office area. She must get it from her Grandpa. We have been to Stillwater twice already. Addison has enjoyed exploring Gramie and Grandad Maus' house. Grandad Maus took her on walks both times. Today they went to see the fountain at the hospital across the street but apparently the recession has hit the hospital as well seeing as there was no water in the fountain. So we are in Tulsa until the First and then Keith heads back to Florida and Addison and I staying a few days longer. She is loving playing with her grandad's phone and hiding it in his pocket. She loves having Mamie ride in the backseat with her. Malyke is her favorite. Last night we watched old home video's and she got up and sat herself down right next to him. That is just a quick/long update for today. I will post more as it happens. Happy New Year.