in my head: Homa's Where the Heart Is.

So I watch the Real Housewives of Orange County. Yeah, I said it. I'm not ashamed.

I find these middle aged women frightfully entertaining. They fight over things like stealing each others seats while dining in restaurants my friends and I could only dream of being able to afford. They throw million dollar ridiculously themed parties on a whim. They talk shit on each others nose jobs in their Jaguars on the way to get a consultation for one themselves. Its asinine and it's awesome.

I was on my couch watching my guilty pleasure show and Vikki, one of the more outrageous amongst the women, was going off on an insanely animated tangent (as per usual) when out of nowhere....betch went too far.

Betch insulted my home.

See, her daughter is moving to a faraway land called "Oklahoma City". Vikki found this appalling, said something about how Oklahoma is an invisible place, a place that may be nice to visit but a place she and her family shouldn't live.

I didn't really get offended. I reminded myself that I was watching a dumb television show, mindless entertainment. This woman from another world can have whatever opinion she wants. I would never want to live in California, and once Bravo finally gives me my own series where I can proclaim that, I don't expect her to get offended either. (Seriously, Bravo. Give me a show. Now. My friend Tyle and I are CAMERA READY, OKAY!)

What I got was sad. In a matter of two months, I'll be living in Texas. Though I am absolutely ecstatic to get down there, I do really love being an Okie.

Invisible state? Hell no. Oklahoma is vivid, thriving, kind. Here are just a few things I'll miss when I'm in the Lone Star State.

How friendly Oklahomans are. That's such a cliché thing to say, I know. But clichés become clichés because they are so true they just keep being said, y'know? I really missed this in my recent trip to England. Not saying the English are rude...not at all...they're just not as giving with their politeness as people are around here. That kind of overt friendliness just isn't part of their culture, I guess. They are very "to the point". Though I don't ever really want to just stop and chat with every passing face, I found myself missing the "How y'all doin?'s", the little act of kindness that is holding a door open for a stranger, just...southern charm, I guess.

Driving on Rockwell, by Hefner. That one little stretch of street holds so much for me. The house I grew up in, literally. From the age of 4 up until the day I moved into my current home at 18, that was my home. My parents only just sold it a little over a year ago. I miss it so, so much. My elementary school and my high school are literally right next to each other there. I don't know how many times I'd be driving to my parents old house and reminisce about my time spent as a James L. Dennis dolphin and as a Putnam City North panther. I loved those schools, that neighborhood, that 7-11, Hunan Wok delivery, the McDonalds my friend Ida and I would scrounge up change to walk to and eat crappy but delicious burgers, the big field across the street from my neighborhood, Okie Sno, even the place I totaled my car! (The first day I got my license. Yep.). All right there, all side by side. So many memories. I don't drive that way often anymore, not since my parents moved, but I still think of it any time I'm in the city. It calls to me, it really does. A piece of my heart will always live there, within the walls of my home, my schools, there lies my adolescence.

Don't be jealous of my dye job~~~*

Lake Hefner. Oh man, do I have some memories of that lake. That's where I went with my friends in my teenage years to sit, to talk, to feel smarter and deeper than I'm sure we actually were. It was our little escape. Our picturesque and parentless getaway. We'd sit on the rocky wall with our feet dangling over the edge sneaking cigarettes (If you're reading this Mom, then sub out the word "cigarettes" for the words "candy bars". We snuck so many Snickers bars back then. I'm sorry.) and talking about life. We'd watch the sunset and then go find something else to do, move on with our lives. But so many quiet, lovely, teenagey times were held watching the waves crash up against the rocks with the Oklahoma wind ripping through our hair.

Penn Square Mall. Like, I know that's a kind of shallow one...but man Penn has stepped it's damn game up in the past 10 years. Their Dillards designer area is ON POINT, I love the two story Forever 21, Lucca has my favorite tank tops, and Aldo has always been my go to for cheapy- that-doesn't-look-cheapy accessories for events. The makeup counters are great, it has a freaking Lush. Blah blah I know, shopping, whatever. But I know that Lubbock won't have all the stuff I'm used to having in a mall. I'm used to a thirty minute drive being all that separated me from the Chanel makeup counter. Not a huge deal, but a deal. I'll miss it. Judge me~*

The "shop local" "support OKC" "hometown pride" thing that's really kicked off in the past few years. I love all the local shops that pride themselves in their Okie roots. I love Blue 7, Evoke, Vintage Coffee, etc. It's cool how much Oklahoma is thriving right now, all around the city you can feel the buzz of a community that is proud to be right where it is-Oklahoma. The Thunder have obvi increased this home grown gusto, but it's everywhere. I'll miss a city that is seriously coming into its own and just cruuushing it!

At "All About Cha" with my babe

My house. Me and this house have had some really good times. And bad times. And hard times. And crazy times. Five years of my life have happened inside of these walls. These walls that I've painted just to my taste alongside my family and friends, these walls that hold pictures of said family and friends, these walls that have way too many holes hidden in them because I'm bad at figuring out where to hang the pictures of twice aforementioned family and friends. I'm going to miss everything about this house, even the stuff I'm not crazy about...I'll miss. Yes, my too-small bathroom with absolutely no counter space or storage...I will miss. (Listen, for a product-junkie like me, the struggle has been real. And constant.) But the things I love far, far outweigh the things I've grumped about throughout the years. I will miss the brick painting my Aunt Karen did for me in my living room so much. It may be my favorite thing about my home. It's so unique. It was painted by hands I love, with love, and I love it. It's the embodiment of love. I'll miss my weird floor plan that's always forced me to think creatively when I decorate. I love decorating and after five years of changing stuff around, guest bedroom turned to office, Mutz's bedroom turned to guest bedroom, the living room arranged any way it possibly could be arranged, the kitchen pretty much remodeled, and so much more...I think I've gotten kind of good at it. I will also, obviously, miss all the things this house has seen. My best friend and I living here in roommate bliss, throwing awesome parties and having intimate talks and cooking crappy food and cooking kind of okay food and eventually actually really learning to love cooking, I'll miss it all. My now fiancé as my then new boyfriend, shyly sitting on the couch and sipping a beer he probably didn't even want, wishing with all of his heart that it would morph into a Coca Cola. This house is where my friends became my best friends, my boyfriend became my future husband, Winston entered my life and man do I love that guy! Just so much. I love this little chunk of land, this house that has become my home in every sense of the word. I will miss this place something awful.

After about two months of projects, this was my living room when I first moved in

My living room now

My family and friends. I cannot elaborate on that. Not yet. I cannot open the floodgates. Not yet. I still have to sell this house I love, buy one in Lubbock, get moved and start school. I cannot let my grief of not seeing and talking to the people that I loveeee seeing and talking to on a daily basis is just...I can't go there yet. But for now, know I love y'all. And that I'll miss you more than all of the houses and all of the Penn Squares and all of the other stuff times about a million. Too many pictures could go here...so instead of fishing through the thousands of possibilities, I'm just going to put a picture of my dog.

I could go on forever, but I think that's enough for now.

At the end of the day, Vicki-the-random-reality-star can say what she wants about the place where the wind comes sweeping down the plains and "y'all" is a perfectly acceptable way to refer to a group of two or more people. For me, this will always be not only the heartland, but my heartland. Homa'.