Day 12

I can’t even describe the peaceful, content, excited, nostalgic emotions I am feeling where we are right now. Afton, Oklahoma

I am almost 50 years old and have never experienced seeing thousands of acres of open farm land, as far as the eye can see, with cows the size of raisins they are so far in the distance.

I am in love.

We started the day cooking breakfast before checking out of our resort in Branson, Missouri.

The kitchen is well stocked but they didn’t have a pastry cutter or a biscuit cutter, so we had to make due.

Here is a video of how we improvised.

After breakfast the girls filled out their USA maps with the 1000 miles we have traveled so far.

Then they did their 40 minute online French class where they were discussing travel. How appropriate. They now can converse about their Voyage and their voyager and their voyagez-ing.🤣

We then stopped and did a 1000 mile oil check and top off. Mimi got first lesson since she’s the oldest on this trip.

Here is her checking the oil level before she filled it up.

We said goodbye to the Missouri cows and I got one last old barn pic (love, love) and we and got on the road.

We had the most glorious trip. The girls stayed bundled up in blankets, snuggled up watching movies on our 2 1/2 hour drive.

I listened to an inspiring podcast that gave me a great idea for client support in my health coaching business , and I hired a creator for it somewhere near the Oklahoma state line while being mesmerized by cows as far as the eye could see.

Also had some great, inspiring phone conversations on the drive!

Did I mention I am in love with Oklahoma?

Thousands of acres of farm land as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road. We took Hwy 44. My heart was so nourished by all of it!

When I saw the first barn measure about 1/8 of a mile in length, my heart sank in awe of the expanse of land and volume of cattle, hay, and grass.

No kidding, there was nothing but cows, horses, farms, fields, silos, rolling hills, ponds, and mountains WAY in the distance for MILES!

It is just immense and beautiful.

The girls are not nearly as fascinated with the land, barns, and cows as I am, but when I yelled “horses“, they stopped everything to look, with great enthusiasm.

And when the Lord blessed us with a site that was unanimously the cutest thing any of us had EVER seen (other than them as babies), I didn’t know how long we would laugh! 🤣

I was driving so we could get a pic, but there was the SHORTEST, most adorable Shetland pony grazing all by himself in the middle of this giant hay field. His belly was touching the hay he was so stubby! 🤣

“HOW IS HE THAT LITTLE????” The girls asked

I’m not sure they bought my story of how he just looks that tiny because the field he is in is so vast. They have never seen a tiny horse up against a backdrop like that. It truly was the best sight ever! We were all in tears over laughing because we all saw at the same time and had a community gasp of wonder!

If the farms weren’t massive enough, we discovered we are surrounded by a giant lake system. Driving into the resort is breathtakingly beautiful.

We are on a golf course on a lake. This is the view off our deck.

There is a Murphy Bed in our unit that Nina has claimed as hers!

There is nice waterfront dining on the lake, within walking distance, I want to make sure we try. There is a luxurious spa next to the restaurant that I will have to miss this time since I’m traveling alone with the kids. But I already KNOW we will be coming back here again!

The girls tried out the hot tub right outside our room.

Then we pulled out the vintage Rummy cards we bought in Missouri while on one of our antiquing adventures and I taught them how to play.

We chilled out for the night cuddled up on the couch watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and some Wild Tuna catching tournament and turned in.

I’ve got my snuggle buddy for the night because although she WANTS to sleep in the Murphy Bed, I had a quick vision of it closing up on her and throwing her up against the wall in the night and can’t handle that thought. So right here she will sleep.

Kiss goodnight

Let’s sleep well so we can play in Oklahoma tomorrow.