OOohhh- KK-lahoma!

To correctly read that title, you must sing it. Which I did, over and over, all through the state of OK, yet again, driving David crazy! =)
So, about the time we passed into Oklahoma, everything got really pretty.  Green, grass, wildflowers, trees, etc.  I realized that not all of America is dry, dirt and desert on our trip across this country.  It was SO beautiful, and I kept oowwing and ahhhing, which was also probably driving David crazy!

 So, for a little background, David and his family lived in Oklahoma for about 6 or 7 months when he was senior in high school (17 years ago, YIKES!)  They attended a branch in Clinton that we planned into our trip, so we could get to Sacrament Meeting while on our drive.  Here is the church building, which by the way, now holds a ward, not just a branch!  The church is growing, even in Oklahoma!  David saw a few people that he recognized, and he was able to visit with them.  It was nice to have the opportunity to get to go to that ward in Clinton with David.  He really enjoyed it.

 And here is where they lived.  Taloga, OK is a tiny town about 35 minutes north from their chapel and branch.  Not many LDS people in small town Oklahoma, I discovered. 

 Here is the school that David and his sisters and brother went to.  It held all grades, K-12.  Davids graduating class had 13 people in it.  Yes, thirteen. 

 And here is the house that they lived in.  No one actually used that 'front door', because that is the room that David and his brother Ben used.  We would have gotten another angle of the house, but there where several people out on the back porch, and we didn't want to make a scene!

 And just for the Peterson family, I also included pictures of the grocery stores that they shopped at.  The top one is still in business, and the bottom (yes, the sideways one) is empty, and for sale. 

 And here is a shot of the park that the kids played at all the time. 

We spent some time driving the streets, talking about Davids memories, and getting to see things that still look exactly the same, even after 17 years.  Gotta love small towns, some things never change!

After our time in Clinton and Taloga, we headed on toward Kansas City.  It was a beautiful drive.

We drove through Kansas on our way, and because I don't know any songs with "Kansas" in them, so I said,  "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore".  David told me, "But we ARE in Kansas!"  I guess he was right...

We got to our hotel in Kansas City, MO.  Did you know that there are two Kansas City's?  One in Kansas, and one right across the state border in Missouri?  Well, I didn't!  We went to a very authentic Chinese restaurant, and watched Chinese TV.  It was almost funny how very transported we were.  Not a word of English in the whole restaurant.  Just from our table...

David, back at the hotel, studying up on our next day of touring and traveling.  We had the great opportunity to go to Liberty Jail, Far West, and Adam-ondi-omen (yep, still don't know how to spell it...)

......stay tuned for our next day, chock full of church sights throughout Missouri.  It was wonderful and spiritual, all at the same time.