Get Your Kicks: Traveling the 66
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As I type, my parents are on the last leg of their exodus out of the Los Angeles. A journey that includes all their belongings, a big truck they’re driving themselves, gas mileage that has at times been less than FOUR, and a journey along the historic Route 66. When I read the daily updates of their progress, I can’t help but remember the song from the movie Cars by John Mayer “Get Your Kicks” (for any music buffs, yes I know the song was not originated by Mr Mayer) (Listen here). As the lyrics list each city along the route, I quickly notice the fun and exciting journey the song is describing is if you took the trip from Chicago to L.A…not the other way around. Because, WHO in their right mind would make the drive the opposite way–L.A. to freezing Chicago? It doesn’t seem logical, does it?
But this same journey is the one we as a family made 18 months ago, and even though we didn’t drive Route 66 (what are we, nuts?) and decided to fly, the trip our souls made is similar in every way. We left everything and most everyone we knew, and jumped forward into the unknown. Not having a clue if we’d really love our new adventure, we had faith that the change was important and necessary. We had come to a place in our lives where something unexpected was frightening, but we also figured that we could always go back if things didn’t work out. Not giving into that fear was the best decision ever.
Had we let fear stop us, where would be, or rather what would we have missed? We have an amazing tribe of friends here in our new homeland that have impacted and changed our lives profoundly. We’ve seen our oldest son’s progression from autism take leaps and bounds, and we were able to afford to buy our first home. We’ve discovered that people really are nice and human and have immersed ourselves in the peaceful slower living of the Midwest. We had worried we’d be bored, yet we are so joyfully busy that we wonder what we used to do with all that “free” time.
My parents are excited to arrive in their new hometown, to live near all their grandkids, and start a fresh new beginning as empty nest-ers. As we welcome them in and enjoy introducing them to all our new loves, we can’t wait to see where this adventure takes us next.
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I can’t wait for them to get here! Your parents awesome!
Jen
My family did the same thing….however from Illinois to California was the move. Everyone moved ( think Beverly Hillbilies) parents, 4 kids, wives, grandparents, pets….all moved. Crazy!
how exciting!
my parents talk about moving out here someday too (they are in MI where i grew up) because they are missing out on their grandkids growing up.
we did something similar too when we moved from OK to CO pre-kids. it was quite an adventure and i’m so glad we did it.
I think you guys are brave. I’m not sure I’d have the courage to move across the country into the unknown.
How awesome that your parents are going to join you here! That is so exciting!
How awesome that they’ll be near all of you!
How interesting! I came across your blog through a friends and I actually have made the trip to LA from Chicago and back a few times.. and am highly considering a move back home again.
Both places are wonderful in their own ways, but I was just mentioning to my dad how some things just don’t feel the same as they do back there.
Yes, buying a home out there is an actual realistic goal, rather than “you have to be a millionaire.”
The best of luck to your family. May they all enjoy it there. The first winter… woo. But they’ll get used to it right?)
i found this post on stumbleupon. your pic is adorable!!
wow! i’ve driven some of route 66. we traveled from tennessee (where i lived at the time) to southern california. we mainly rode on i-40. but had a little adventure on the actual ROUTE 66 stretch in new mexico!
i have always loved the west coast, but never could afford to live there. how are you liking the midwest?