Ironically, we have moved into a house that we can take anywhere, and we chose to fly to Memphis, Tennessee. The main reason for the visit was to pick up the one missing link for mobility...a truck. We flew the family into Memphis, and then Scott left the next day to drive the truck through the middle of the country back to Utah. The kids and I decided to hang out with friends and family for a week.
There are a few lessons that I learned on this trip.
As far as travel goes, I hope to never fly again. I am thrilled with the aspect of traveling like a turtle from now on. Everything goes with us, the family is comfortable with their surroundings, and there are no layovers and flight attendants constantly reminding us of the rules and regulations for our children (especially the youngest). I left each visit in Memphis with a big smile on my face reminding everyone that next time we would be bringing our home back with us. I was also reminded of how much driving I had to do when I lived in Memphis. On average we were 40 minutes away from everywhere we needed to go. My kids were troopers in the vehicle, completely in awe of their surroundings and the newness of the landscape. The move coming up will put us approximately 45 minutes from all our "city" activities, and the drive back to our incredible surroundings will be worth it (and doable for the kids.) We will also be preparing little brains for their imaginations to kick into gear for the much longer road trips ahead.
It is extremely difficult to catch up after being out of state for 9 years with visits only every 1-2 years. Two or more hours just isn't enough time to understand all that has changed for my friends and family, and for me to explain all the goings on for me. My children understand that we are visiting important people in our lives, but they don't quite grasp why they are so important. I am thankful for Facebook so that I can keep up with some of those key moments in lives that matter to me, and to have pics to remind my children of the people that we met in Memphis. I was able to meet up with one instrumental person to our complete lifestyle change, and all communication was done via Facebook. Her and her family's bold choice to move into an RV was viewed through my curious eyes, and the rest is history.
Going home, going back to my roots, and remembering the past (while blasting 90's music the whole time on the road), allows for a deep inward look into where Scott and I have come from and where we are now. I had a lot of encounters with our past this trip. Although some memories felt like a kick in the gut by having to admit some of my most idiotic choices, they were all experiences that molded me into who I am today. I am amazed at the transformation that Scott and I have gone through. I am amazed that it has us on this journey today. I am amazed at what has occurred in other's lives. Scott and I came to Utah a mess, and left a few others in a mess themselves. It even got messier after our arrival. I am in awe of the redemption that has taken place. I had no idea how far we had come until remembering where we were.
This was one single trip back home. I can only imagine what our family will learn as we travel from place to place, depending on each other, depending on the kindness of strangers, and encountering experiences and people that will continue to shape our story.
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