The Drive

Off the interstate 
Sam changed clothes: H-Town jersey
on top of his suit.

With Lauren

Mother-daughter time:
we walked Stanley Draper Lake, 
ten thousand steps—twice.

We spied a turtle,
then an armadillo, and 
baby geese up close.

Next stop, the Plaza
for pizza and thrifting and
the latest murals.

And The OKC
Festival of the Arts. Oh,
yes, I left my heart.

Much more food and fun,
but the best part, without doubt—
mother-daughter time.

Heading Home

Sam and his jersey 
still on my mind. It is time—
to stop. Photo opp.

“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.”

General Sam Houston

Texas History Lesson

Because of the H-Town jersey, I stopped at the Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center for the first time ever and learned a thing or two. 1) the statue is 67 feet tall, and 2) the man was 6’6”.

Sam Houston was born in Virginia in 1793. His family moved to Tennessee after his father’s death, and Sam lived with the Cherokee Indians for a time. He joined the army, later became a lawyer, then congressman, Governor of Tennessee, and Cherokee Ambassador. In 1832, President Jackson sent Sam to Texas to negotiate treaties with local Native Americans. Sam became General and Commander-in-Chief of the Texas Army. Shot in the leg during the Battle of San Jacinto, Sam led the Texas Army to victory in 18 minutes. He became the first President of the Republic of Texas in 1837. Texas became the 28th state in 1845. Sam was elected as a U.S. Senator in 1846 and governor of Texas in 1859. He stepped down in 1861 when Texas seceded from the U.S. Sam Houston died at age 70 in Huntsville, TX. His home is now the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.

Sam Houston led quite an accomplished life, one that makes me think. Life is what we make of it. I think mine is pretty cool, too.