Dear Mom,

Oklahoma is hot.

Texas was hot too, but less humid than here.

I stopped for a few days in Oklahoma City and checked out Arcadia Lake and the Survivor Tree. It's hard to believe the tree survived the bomb that exploded just yards away from it. Harder still to believe that at least one hundred and sixty eight people died from the same blast.

I learned about the Oklahoma City Bombing in school, but it happened before I was born and never came to my attention like it has now, having seen the memorial set up around the giant elm tree.

There's just so much pain and destruction in the world. It's becoming more and more clear to me how every decision we make has impact on the people around us, and even if the decision is a small one, the rippling effects could be all that's needed to cause something as terrifying and awful as this.

The choice to be kind and act in love is becoming the only choice that is tenable. Those who don't understand this are the ones perpetrating the travesties we see so often.

I arrived in Tulsa yesterday morning, and called Lucas to see if he, Dean, and Oliver could meet up somewhere.

They met me in what felt like the industrial district of Tulsa and I was glad I'd dropped the teardrop at the campground since parking was a little scarce.

Oliver brought his own car. It's the most beautiful red convertible I've ever seen. Dean and Lucas rode together in Dean's car, and I almost laughed because these boys, my cousins, own very similar convertibles.

I say similar. I have no idea what the differences might be. I don't know that much about cars.

Mom, you would have loved spending the day with them. It's always a treat seeing our giant cousins and enjoying their company.

They're all over six feet tall now. I can't believe how tall they are.

When we'd all hugged and said hi Lucas pointed up this massive concrete pathway leading up to a higher level and indicated that was where we were going.

We climbed up almost to the top before the boys positioned me in the center of a circle of bricks, on a small round of concrete. Then they stood back, grinning at me.

I was confused. Obviously they were trying to show me something, but I couldn't see anything special. There was something that looked like an old train station off to one side, but nothing that made me think this was the best place to meet up.

Finally I asked them what was going on, and as soon as the words left my lips I gasped, clapping a hand over my mouth and laughing.

My words echoed back to me even louder than I'd said them.

Before I knew it the boys were crowded around me, each taking turns saying things for the echo to throw back.

It was a perfect reminder of exactly what you always told me family was, crowded around by people who care about you, being shown new and interesting things that expand your view of what the world is.

I love them. I know I keep calling them boys, but they're the same age as me, and they're brilliant and kind. They all give amazing hugs, and seem to truly care about the people around them.

They convinced me to take Evans back to the campground and Oliver gave me a ride for the rest of the day.

From the campground they took me to their favorite coffee shop and I bought them a round for their kindness.

Apparently a strong love for coffee runs in the family. We all felt better after a few gulps of cold blended goodness.

After coffee they drove me to a new park that opened in the last few years. It's called the Gathering Place, and it would take more paper than I have for this letter to describe it. It's rated best new attraction, and it deserves the title.

Dean let me know that Branson also has earned all the hype it gets, and that I should definitely check it out, but that obviously the Gathering Place was better since it was closer and newer.

When it's complete it will be over one hundred acres of incredibly creative sports, walks, and (this is the best part) suspension bridges!

At least I like to think of it as the best part. I know I fell apart at the Space Needle, and I've avoided extreme heights ever since, but I've always loved bridges, and I don't want that ruined by whatever fear of heights is trying to take me out.

I wish you could be here to see the big strong men Lucas, Oliver, and Dean have become. I wish you could know them the way I've gotten to know them for the last few days.

They are incredible. You would be so proud to be related to them. They told me stories of their memories with you, and I did cry at least once. They loved you. They always loved coming to Colorado to see us.

I told them they're always welcome even now.

I love you,

Bo.

The guys have so much energy. I thought I had energy before I spent two days with them.

They've run me completely ragged, and I loved every moment of it.

I'm so glad I had the thought to contact them yesterday morning and see what they were up to. They've proved to be exactly what I needed after the last few days by myself, and the awful sadness of the Oklahoma City Bombing memorial.

Enough of death and sadness for a little while.

I got to experience pure energetic joy instead.

The best part, and it's a part I would never have told Mom because she would have slapped them silly; apparently they have pipes.

And by have pipes, I mean they smoke pipes. Apparently it's not something they do often, but it was the best thing I've seen in a very long time, sitting on their porch, all of them puffing away at their pipes, talking about everything going on in the world, and swapping stories as the light faded from the sky and a contented sleepiness settled in.

They convinced me to stay the night on their couch instead of driving back to the campground, and it was nice being in a house for a change, surrounded by the sounds houses make instead of the outside wilderness sounds I've become accustomed to.

It was especially nice getting away from all the traffic sounds that campgrounds have, so many of them being close to highways.

None of them were up super early, but Dean still woke me up from the kitchen making coffee. He grinned at me over the counter and offered me a mug.

The other two were out drinking coffee before my first cup was half gone, and they were all three full of plans for today.

I'm too tired to keep writing tonight. For now I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow is Missouri and hopefully Branson, and my heart is full with the love of family, and the excitement of Tulsa.

Oklahoma was much cooler than I thought it would be.