My Many "Firsts"

I reflect alot … though not necessarily very deeply. Last Thursday happened to be a good day for that since it marked the 14th year since my arrival in Oklahoma City.

The #atmydesktoday post

It started with me looking for ideas for a post in my Instagram #atmydesktoday series and upon digging through a drawer filled with granola bars, instant noodles, couscous, and oatmeal (aka my food supply drawer in the office in case I forget to bring lunch to work), I found a bag of photos brought back from Singapore last December that I have totally forgotten about.

Being all about organization, the photos were grouped by categories like “Childhood”, “Polytechnic”, “Capetown”, and “Mount Hermon”; essentially significant milestones of my life (in print) up until 2004. Prints after that are a rare find as I now keep photos in three different virtual realities.

The “OK 2000” stash got my attention with about 16 photos, which I have apparently deemed meaningful enough to avoid the trash can back in Singapore. Nine of them, as seen above, provided a good summary to my “formative” years in Oklahoma City, with many “firsts”:

1. These people are the first group of friends I got to meet when I arrived in Oklahoma City in 2000. They are from Singapore and Malaysia who helped me find my first apartment, get situated in school, and most importantly, get around the city since I did not drive then. A special shout-out to Joanne, Muru and Umma, a loving couple who introduced me to the world of international students.
2. (and 9) These people are friends from the first Church I became a member at. They became an extended family in this foreign land. Jeri is one of my closest friends then, who gets most credit for my awesome driving skills today. 
3. They are from the same Church mentioned in #2, and this picture was taken at Falls Creek. It is a yearly church camp and I remembered having my first close encounter with “celebrities” like Caedmon’s Call and Charlie Hall.
4. (6 and 7) These are people are the loving Lopers who introduced me to my first true American holiday experiences like Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. More importantly, Fred and Lavada are like my surrogate parents.
5. Being in college for one semester (ie. senior year), I did not get to truly know many of friends. This group, including our professor, became close as we spent hours into the night preparing for a district level advertising competition. I will always remember my first out-of-state road trip for the competition in Amarillo Texas with this group. Matt, the professor, has continued to be a great mentor and support beyond graduation. 
6. First Christmas with the Lopers.
7. Another holiday spent with the Lopers.
8. Last but not least is my brother-from-another-mother; the blonde haired dude on my right in the picture. Cody was my roommate when he moved to Oklahoma City on a call to serve as a Young Adult Minister. Our friendship gave me the first taste of what true Christian accountability and brotherhood are like. The picture was taken in Chicago where Cody got married and subsequently moved to.