Better Late Than Never

This is the trip I've been dreaming about for years. It's the trip I promised to make ever since I was old enough to talk. 

I've tried repeatedly to make it happen. Once I was finally a grown up making my own decisions, due to my kids school schedules, finances, and many other everyday and not so everyday hiccups it never got to happen. 

I promised my Aunt, my dad's sister, I would get down here to visit her and meet her husband one of these days. I'm sad to say I never got to keep that promise. One of these days never happened and then it was too late. 

This past February her husband died suddenly and in March she heartbreakingly passed away from cancer. I was shattered. Since that wasnt enough to break us all, shortly after that in April, my Uncle, her and my father's brother, passed away too soon due to cancer with covid complications. 

Our family was going through it. There were a few moments and announcements that shined through the darkness, like my Uncle's oldest son and his wife are having a baby boy at the end of this year, which is such amazing news. We are all so excited for the new addition to the family.  

It has just been a very trying time for us all. I, myself, had been drowning in depression and decided that, come hell or high water, before we had to sell my Aunt's property, my only goal was to get us here. At least once. 

So, Aunt Jane, I'm sorry I'm late. But, I'm here. We're here. Me, my three kids and my momma. 

My Momma and Daddy came down here before she had passed away to get some things handled and brought her back home to PA before she passed away. She got to have a few weeks with her brothers, sisters in law, brother in law, and a couple of us neices and nephews before she passed away. It's just never enough time. 

After much debate and decision making the plans were set. The hotels were booked. We talked with my momma's sister and her son (my cousin), who also lives down here in a different part of Texas for our second leg of the trip. Some route planning and pitstops were designed and carefully mapped out. It was time, we were finally making one of my oldest dreams come true.

After one hotel sleepover, driving through seven states, 5.5 tanks of gas, twenty-seven hours on the road with 9 pitstops for food and potty breaks, and four gas station cowboy hats, we finally made it to our destination. From Pennsylvania all the way to Texas. 

My three kids, my mom and I packed into a Ford Explorer for two days with all our luggage, two booster seats and all of the electronics in the world. It was quite the experience.  

The smallest of us all was in the third row with half the row folded down stuffed with luggage. Poor thing, she's the only one who will fit. Though she did make herself comfy, it was still a tight squeeze. Makes me miss my old Dodge Caravan even more (but that's a story for another day, 😔).

The journey started in Collegeville PA., and took us down through Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas,  and into Texas.

We left Pennsylvania on Sunday just after 4 in the morning (EST) and we got to Mt. Juliet Tennessee around 5 p.m. (CST) and slept over in a hotel. Around 10:30 a.m. on Monday we left the hotel and drove to Nashville to do some touristing for a couple hours. Then we hit the road around 1 p.m. and finally made it here to Greenville, Texas on Monday at about 11 at night🌙 .

It may be hot at home in Pennsylvania but, wooo-eeee were we dripping sweat just from our little walk around Broadway in Nashville. Texas is a whole other level. We just walked around outside around the property for a half hour and wanted to escape back inside for water and a lie down. 

This is truly a dream come true for me. Missing a few key members but I'm trying to focus on the good things. I'm here.

Bucket list items were checked off on the way and I look forward to knocking a few more off during this trip. It's honestly a once in a lifetime event for me. I'm so thankful I was able to come. Albeit late.

This is where I'm at. I'm here. 

Today we woke up at all different times, got dressed, went to breakfast, went food shopping,  then headed back here to the house and just spent the day on the property or being lazy around the house. Just existing in the same space.

Each person either taking a nap, a shower, eating a snack, watching a show on a phone, playing a video game, watching YouTube on a computer, creating a blog from scratch, or putzing around the outside doing odds and ends.

My oldest daughter's actually the one who was creating a blog from scratch which was my inspiration to finally make one of my own. She had a redbull and got hyper focused on creating a beautiful blog page. It was inspiring and I decided it was time to finally write about my own experiences. Though, mine is much more basic than hers, it serves its purpose for me.

I had no idea what to write about since so much has happened over the past year alone that finding a starting point was hard, so I decided to just...start with this trip.

So, here I am. Writing my first blog. Bare with me. I'm new to this.

And...tomorrow is another day on my dream vacation. ♡ 

So,  here is to a good night's sleep and a wish for a little cooler weather tomorrow to adventure around town and discover all things Texas. Just remember, time is short. Do the things you keep putting off because it's better late than never in my book.

Sweet dreams friends. 

Goodnight. 

Sleep tight. 

Don't let the bedbugs bite.

💜 Love you Moore