Basketball

In Oklahoma our family has been incredibly welcoming.

When I say "Oklahoma," I always want to sing it like they do in the musical: "OOOOOOO....klaHO-ma!" Not that I've ever seen it before or anything.

We stayed in Tulsa with a geriatric dog named Peaches. I think Peaches and I became friends. Peaches' brother Buck died a few years ago and the way you hear the owners talk about him and see the way they treat Peaches is really wonderful. I love it when people have deep love for animals.

The first thing we did upon arrival at the Hondros' house (besides flopping on the couch) was go to their son's basketball game. The last time I had watched a basketball game was in middle school when Heather was a cheerleader. I was bored out of my mind.

It's been several years since I was in sixth grade, and I couldn't believe how exciting this game was. It ALMOST made sense. The suspense, the emotion, the excitement, the disappointment - and the HAIRCUTS. Each of the players must have gone out and gotten a fresh one before the game because I was fascinated by the cleanly executed coifs. It was a hairdresser's dream.

Another amazing thing:  before the game, there was a senior player-honoring ceremony. Seniors walked onto the court with their parents to recordings of their voices introducing themselves telling about themselves and their future plans. One of the guys shocked me by saying his "pre-game superstition" is praying and one of his future plans is to go to Bible school and study missions. I totally wanted to give him my number.

But that's not all. A girl walked on and I don't remember what else she said but at the end she quoted a Bible verse and said straight out "I give all the glory to god and aim to serve Him in everything I do."

That's my GIRL!

I've never seen anything like that happen at MY school. I don't even know if I'd have the courage to do that. I was so happy in that moment.

I was told later that everyone knew there were two new faces in the stands that night. And when we went to Applebee's the Hondroses had never gotten better service, they joked. That made me feel special.

I also feel super-cool and mature going to a high school game since I'm not in high school anymore. I can observe high school social dynamics and antics from a removed standpoint and find a sort of enjoyment from the fact that I'm not stuck in that hell anymore. But I didn't see anyone not enjoying themselves either - which was enjoyable too.

And I almost forgot - there was an INCREDIBLE dance team at half time (and they sure knew how to tease their hair, man). They did an Alice in Wonderland-inspired dance with talent that I wouldn't expect to come consistently from such a large group of high schoolers.

What a full night. I also got coffee at Starbucks instead of a frappuccino. So many discoveries!

So it should be no surprise that the next day I slept IN.  And the next, for that matter.