Cali Girl Gone Okie….One Year Anniversary & what I have learned. Today is a special day. One year ago today my husband led us to our new home for the first time. We were so nervous and excited. I fell in love immediately. The lush green surroundings with fall colors reminded me of Yosemite Valley (without the traffic). Our house, nothing more than we needed and my husband did so good to know what was right for us.
Do we HATE California? NO . Let me start by saying we are so grateful for our time in California. We have amazing friends there, some who sat with us sharing our dreams of escape. Strangely some of those seem to be the ones who are most offended by our not missing it there. I created a wonderful business that helped us to move here and move us toward living debt free. My husband worked his time for a company that allowed us the opportunity. Do we HATE California? NO, we hate what it has continued to become. An unclean, unsafe, expensive, overcrowded, welfare state. The most beautiful of places too expensive to live, I mean really LIVE , not work to survive. I think this was my biggest lesson in moving here, learning the difference. I miss our Sierra Nevada camping trips but think of the last few years of overcrowding and trash from the people who did not respect the beauty. Not being able to drive to the ocean is really not missed. Though it was nice to get away, again, we have been fortunate enough to travel and west coast waters are not our favorite. Most being cold, crowded and not that beautiful shade of blue of the beaches we have come to love. We loved our trips to Monterey, San Francisco, San Diego and Yosemite but the true value in our move is living in an economy that more affords us to go, see, do, more. To work less and have more quality time to create memories and learn that there is more beauty in this world than just one state. We did not want our children to be trapped in the bubble that we were at one time. I think our kids deserve more and we want to give them as much knowledge of this world as possible.
Oklahoma? Really? If you know me, you know my running joke to Hubby was “I will follow you anywhere, but not Oklahoma”. Bottom Line; and this is even more true today than when I said it as we were nervously discussing our big move; where my husband and girls are at is my home. Right now that’s in a 16 foot camper and yet I am truly happier than I have ever been. I did not expect to really “LOVE” Oklahoma. I knew that my husband has always done everything for me, has always supported my dreams 100%. This was my turn to do that. We both had been stressing a move out-of-state and this was his chance. He went from cut hours, cut pay, and miserable working conditions to a moving bonus and sustainable hours. The really good thing about living here is not only the affordability but the amazing amount of jobs available. If something happened to Hubbys Job I have no doubt we would both have our choice of good jobs as soon as we wanted them. No joke. I am not working and have realized how much time I lost with my husband and kids over my drive in business. I have focused my energy on my family, our health more than ever I know that this is where I am supposed to be in life. We are making less money, but living healthier, safer with more. Our goal is to be completely debt free and I see that happening very soon. We are much less stressed about money and excited to plan adventures that we can afford, not charge!
A tornado did not happen to us. It just happened. How we handled a terrible situation is what happened to us. I still believe in Karma. Karma had nothing to do with weather, it had to do with giving us the chance to see how we handle any situation to pull together or fall apart. To accept negativity or squash it. To see the people who were truly there for us and the people who knocked us down when we were at a low. It gave us the choice to handle things with dignity, pride and still growing strength. Our biggest fear was a tornado (and a Recluse Spider) I have now survived both, ha-ha. It doesn’t seem nearly as scary now. I am no longer afraid of a tornado. They are amazing, beautiful, powerful and mean. I now know my family comes together in terrible times and we can get through anything. My girls have grown and amazed me more in the past 5 months than ever. We have all grown closer as a family since moving here but my girls are hardcore awesome in how this tornado has turned them into strong woman; caring, loving, get it done kind of girls. I can’t express in words how proud I am of Baby Blaze and Daddy’s Girl. We all have a bit of PTS from that dang storm, I try not to think about the first 48 hours but when I do, I remember hugs, work, love and support. Support from friends, neighbors, family and an enormous amounts of strangers! For weeks they came, helped. We didn’t have to ask for anything it was the most wonderful and amazing thing I have ever experienced. People here really come together. We sat up all night the first 2 nights with guns in hand thinking if this were Cali, we would already be looted dry. We relaxed and started meeting amazing people of faith, non-faith, just here to help however you ask or even if you didn’t. My husband’s Company has been by our side sending food, money, people, machines to help get life back to normal. We are amazingly lucky and it would take pages and pages to write of all the stories funny and touching about all the things we have experienced through this. Maybe someday. All I know is we are where we are supposed to be, no regrets and after a year its time to start considering us to be Oklahomans. We have earned it. Our life is getting back to normal slowly and we deserve it! We are Oklahoma Strong, Tornado tough and the best is yet to come!
Bad Baxter Farm 