Growing up many years ago on our Kansas family farm offered wonderful experiences of life to me a small child in the 1930s!

Our farm was about 15 miles east of Manhattan on the north side of the meandering Kansas River that was heading eastward toward Wamego.

Next to our home and farm buildings was the meadow where grazing cows spent most of the day eating growing grass.

One day a great racket and commotion was coming from the meadow and my dad told me that meadowlark birds had a nest right on the ground in the meadow. These birds would jump up-and-down with their loud cackling and jumping forward towards the animal too close to their nest containing eggs of baby meadowlark birds. It didn’t matter if it was a big lazy cow, mule, horse or even a snake slithering on the ground. The meadowlark was large enough all the other animals respected it. I shuddered knowing the birds had to deal with snakes.

Move forward to our present day, but remember the meadowlark birds.

This brings us to late fall of 2014 about over – still realizing winter was fast approaching. My husband, Gene Hoerman, and I had spent the winter of 2013 with great difficulty being isolated by storms.

Our four grown children and spouses were very concerned about approaching winter storms isolating us when we needed help.

Gene preferred we remain in our home on Terra Heights west of Tuttle Creek Dam.

However, one day it changed.

When I awoke from an afternoon nap Gene said, “Carol, while you were asleep I purchased a nice two bedroom, two bathroom apartment for you at Meadowlark Hills!”

I was stunned and asked him to repeat what he had said!

Again, he repeated the very same thing.

I was so excited and stunned I started crying and laughing at the same time.

Gene and I moved to Meadowlark Hills on December 1, 2015. We have a very large family and they were out in full force to help us! And terrific! We moved in before snow fell on Manhattan.

The next nine months were very difficult for both Gene and I healthwise.

However, never have we seen so much caring and helping people with goals for returning good health and spirit. Marvelous people! Marvelous Meadowlark!

Gene’s health diminished but his spirits were high. He had such love for patients as well as caregivers.

After we missed being together on our 62nd Wedding Anniversary because I was in the hospital. Later Wroten House had a wonderful surprise Anniversary Dinner with candles, red roses, for two one evening in the library. Meadowlark is just like one very large family caring greatly for each other.

Toward the end I told him I knew he bought Meadowlark for me because he was quite sure I’d be left here last in a home he had provided.

Yes, he was in the Parkinson’s Dash with Russell, our youngest son pushing his wheelchair. And yes, they finished the Dash with Russ pushing him 3 miles in his “antique” wheelchair.

Yes, he ached, and sure Russell also, but he was so glad they had done it.

Gene died nine months after we moved to Meadowlark, but it was a strong, loving Christian care that he received at Meadowlark. They took wonderful care of him to protect him from sadness, hurts and pain.

Going back to my early childhood and seeing meadowlark birds protecting their young – seems a very strong parallel in named my home here in Manhattan, Meadowlark Hills!!!