Travel Adventures: Oklahoma! And the Scoop on How I Became Friends With The Girl Who Brought Me There.

 Spring break is a wonderful time, warm weather, shenanigans, and time with friends. You hear the word spring break and you think Florida, California, the beach? But this girl headed to Oklahoma, why you ask? Because the most amazing girl lives there, for the fun of this blog her name is Honey Lemon. We had a wonderful week of adventure and laughter.

 Honey Lemon and I met our Sophomore year of high school. I was the new, shy girl at NSHSC Co-op. I knew a few people from my band that went there, but they had not arrived yet. I sat in the corner of the lunch room watching the few early bird milled about organizing for the co-op day. This slender, beautiful girl with long blonde hair, striking blue eyes and a kind. friendly smile came over and introduced herself to me. She was bubbly and seemed like the sweetest, nicest girl alive. Turned out she was. However, shy Erika barely muttered full sentenced replies back. I felt like an idiot and later I learned that she thought she had blown it. I am so grateful she didn't give up on me. She pulled me into her group, she introduced me to Minnie Mouse and reconnected me with Captain America. Whom I had met in a 5th-grade band (another story for another time).  

 When I got home after the first day of co-op. I found her on facebook, her status from that morning was something about how she was so tired that morning she used mascara as lip gloss or something of the like and I thought. This girl is my kind of girl, I hope we become friends! We did become friends. However, that summer she ended up moving to Keys, Oklahoma. I remember hugging each other and crying on the last day of co-op. 

  There were letters exchanged, multiple video chats, phone calls, and by God's perfect orchestration two young girls became incredibly close friends. We have crazy things in common too! We both have a brother named James who is three years younger than us. Her mom grew up in Latah! She knows several of the people I know. We both love coffee with a passion. She got me to watch Once Upon a Time and she is the one who inspired me to start a blog. 

  So now that you are pretty much caught up on how Honey Lemon and Brave came to be. How did Brave end up in Oklahoma for spring break? Well, I often told mom that Honey Lemon was the friend I had been praying for and I didn't understand why God had us so far apart. (probably so we didn't burn the county down) This September Mom came to me and said: "You should probably go to Oklahoma for spring break." The details were worked out and before I knew it I was flying to Oklahoma. 

First Day together

 The week leading up to it, multiple texts, phone calls, and GIFs were sent between us. The anticipation and excitement reached a point of almost uncontrollable. She picked me up from the airport and it was a running hug, Well, for me she couldn't cross the white line :) We hugged and I couldn't believe that after two years we were in the same town or as she informed me "We are in the same elevator!" 

 Both of us were a little unsure of how it was going to go since we never really had done anything together. We had, had classes together, but never did anything outside of co-op. We had become close friends through the internet. However, God is incredible with who He puts into our lives because it was like we had known each other for years. Laughter and joy surrounded the entire trip. 

 After I arrived in the afternoon we went to the Pioneer Women Mercantile. I felt like I was living a dream. I adore Ree Drummond's cooking show, I read her blog, and her cookware is fabulous. It was like a cowgirl's Disneyland. Then we stayed up late laying on her bed and chatting about pointless girl stuff that makes friendships so meaningful. Because you have found someone who is your kind of unique. 

The following day Honey Lemon was the perfect tour guide of her town. It included antique shopping, walking with her dog Pongo and driving around the nearby lake. I also got to see her lead the youth program at her church. She made me so proud. This girl is one of the most God-fearing girls her age I know. Her love for her savior is dazzlingly beautiful and He has blessed her with countless gifts to honor Him with. The top three being speaking in terms that kids/teens understand, her eloquent writing and her skills with a computer.  Thursday we took off in the morning for Branson, Missouri. So the road trip in "Susan" Honey Lemon's adorable little red car began. I was designated DJ and we rocked out to For King and Country, Adele, Hawk Nelson, Jamie Grace and Pentatonix to name a few. One thing I learned on this trip is Rachel has a radar for Starbucks. We knew we wanted coffee and we were going through this town in Arkansas (I think) and she goes "Up there, there is a Starbucks." I am looking down the road thinking "I don't see a Starbucks, but okay, I am not from here" and sure enough way down there, there WAS a Starbucks,  Definitely need to keep this girl around. We had this brilliant idea of taking a picture of our coffees on the hood of Susan. What we should have thought was the hood of Susan is round, but no we did it. In our defense, we did get an awesome picture and we saved most of our coffee. Susan, however, was in a rather sticky mess. A great memory and we were laughing about it miles down the road. In Branson. I got to try Chick Fila for the first time and I loved it. We explored downtown, Branson. We went to a mall and I was introduced to the Yankee Candle store and I was in love. Then a dangerous thing happened, Honey Lemon and I entered the Disney Store, Let's just say had they had more Peter Pan stuff, this girl would have been broke. At the end of the day we met up with her parents at the condo and we had the adventure of finding the condo. Not to be upstaged by the adventure of finding the pool. We also discovered that hot tubs and saunas are the best. We watched HGTV and Food Network till way to late and enjoyed being carefree. 

 Our second day in Branson we went to Silver Dollar City with her parents and her two brothers. It was such an exciting day and I even got a sunburn! Ssshhh! Don't tell the people back home who were experiencing snow.  We went on some crazy roller coasters, took a tour of Marvel Cave and watched them blow glass. By the end of the day, we were tired, sore and happy as can be. We ended the day back at the condo with the hot tub and the sauna. This is where I became in Rachel's words a Norse legend! I got way too hot in the sauna so I decided to climb into the outside pool which by normal people's judgment was really cold. However, I climbed in went under, climbed out and was ready for the sauna again. Apparently, I was just getting back to my Finnish roots. Day three of the adventure it was time to go home, but not without a detour to Fayetteville, Arkansas. This road trip also included more music. More adventures that are inevitable not to have in the middle of making memories and more photos were taken than I can fit into this blog.Where we explored one of the most adorable bookstores. It seemed to go on forever and this bookworm was in literature heaven. I walked out of there with Tom Sawyer in a unique print and a copy of Black Beauty. Another notable fact about this lovely town is my barista asked how to spell my name which made him our hero for the remainder of the day. That night we decided spa night was a must. It included nails, face masks, and Moana. It was also determined that I have Disney Princess eyes. Sunday was lovely we went to church and I got to meet a few of the people. Enjoy worshipping together on Palm Sunday. 

Then we had a wonderful lunch at her house with her grandparents and her great aunt. The afternoon included laying on the porch with Pongo and taking pictures in the wind. Late afternoon we went and saw Beauty and the Beast which we both adored and I cried at. I will let you guess which scene. We then came home looked up all the questions we had and listened to the soundtrack on repeat. Sadly, Monday was our last full day together. Neither one of us could believe how fast the week had gone. It seemed like just yesterday I had arrived. Yet all of our pictures and memories begged to differ. We used our last 24 hrs to explore Silom Springs, Arkansas, another place I adore. With its cute coffee shop. unique stores, lovely parks and just the atmosphere around it. I was also able to experience Braum's ice cream which I have to admit was absolutely superb. We took a LOT of pictures here and it was beautiful. We came back to the house and relaxed, before heading to Muskogee for what was suppose to be a work meeting for Honey Lemon that got canceled on our way there SO we went and explored a park instead. Which was in full bloom and we could have taken pictures there forever. Yet, the reality was slowly calling and I had to get back to pack. In the morning we just sat in my room together. Neither one of us speaking, we didn't want it to end. It was just nice to be there. We drove to Tulsa Airport and had an amazing car ride there laughing and singing to the radio. But when we found my terminal we both teared up. We hugged, cried and I wished with all my might I could stay for another week....or month. But if I did I would only want more time. So off I went and the little red car drove away. We will have more adventures. Honey Lemon and I are just beginning. We already decided we need sequel road trips including. The Palouse and Canada road trip. The Europe adventure and the Carribean adventure. But for now, we have these precious memories to remember until the next time.