304 South 3rd

I grew up in a small town, in a small house, on the corner of Oklahoma and 3rd Street in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. This was the first place I called home.  I haven't lived in Tonkawa for 18 years, but it has and always will have a special place in my heart.  I recently blogged about my adventure to Ponca City for the final showing of the drive-in theatre.  I was born in Ponca City, and it is just about 20 miles from the house I grew up in.  It is also the birthplace of Jared Wanzer.

Before my friend Keith and I headed to the final drive-in show at  The Airline Drive-In, I wanted to drive through Tonkawa to take some photos of the town I called home for the first 10 years of my life. As we rounded the corner, I jokingly said, "I hope my old house is still there."

And it wasn't!

304 South 3rd was just a grass lot.  The trees were gone, the sidewalk was no more - I stood there & just looked for something that should be so familiar but wasn't.  This was the first place I felt safe, the first place I came home to, the place I shared a room with my brother, the first place I moved away from.  My first memories were here, and now they are just that, memories.

My memory these last few weeks has taken me back -

to that front porch where we carved pumpkins,

The living room where my mom warmed our clothes on the heater on cold days before school,

The table where we colored Easter eggs every year,

The kitchen where I first helped my mom make cookies,

The backyard where my brother and I had our fort,

The garage where my first dog (Bobo) had her puppies and sat one in my lap shortly after they were born,

The sidewalk where I learned to ride a bike.

I know I haven't lived here in so long, but it truly holds a special place in my heart. This was the beginning of my life, my family, where we came together.  This place was the beginning of a great time in my life & the stories will have to live on through me.

Goodbye, Old House.