In what seemed like an altered reality, the time to leave Michigan had come.
Sad
Not eager.
The life we created there was good for me, and stressful for the husband. The kids and I loved our homeschool community.
The apartment gave me warmth and security
the scenery outside of my windows was calming to my troubled soul
All good things must come to an end
and so they did.
I prepped the apartment, sorting things according to must have, not necessary at the moment, and need upon arrival.
On the day of the packing team's arriving, reality began to set in. They were kind, they were efficient. They were accommodating. Yet, at the last minute, we decided what we were keeping needed to be slimmed down. And so we went through everything and set more aside for the Packers.
It was not enough.
By the time of our departure, we were down to only our minivan. Two chihuahuas, one cat, two kids, and ourselves must fit into that van.
Just over a week before we were to roll out, the van broke down on the side of the interstate. In the early evening, with the cold weather drawing closer to where we were stranded. All looked bleak, yet we chose to be positive. Family came through. Human Kindness also came into play. Just over one thousand dollars later, the van was repaired and once again we could breathe.
They came to load our belongings on a cold December Monday, just two days from Christmas. Once they left we were faced with reality, there was too much stuff. No matter how we packed it, there was too much.
Christmas was just a day. We deep-cleaned that entire week. We fell into exhausted sleep at the end of each day. The night before rolling out, reality smacked us hard. We needed a rental car. The reservation was made, and we felt no relief.
The day dawned a beautiful day, with a bright sun. We ate breakfast at a pancake house my daughter had been begging to eat at. I barely touched my plate, as it looked like a diabetic's nightmare. While sitting in this crowded restaurant the rental company calls with bad news. There were no rental cars for anyone. They canceled our reservation and told us to call another location. I immediately did this and set up a new reservation, but not a mere thirty minutes later, we were again contacted that there was no rental car.
Stress
We were getting the last of our belongings out of the apartment, and into the garage. This included pets and kids. We were doing the final vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom. All this while on hold with the last location that might have a car for us.
The sun was streaming in bright through the blinds, reflecting on the walls and carpet. The warmth calming.
Finally, someone answered, and they were able to assist us with how to obtain a rental. It worked. By this time it is nearly 11 a.m. We have been awake and on the move since 6am. We settle kids and pets into the garage to sit on bags of blankets until we return with a rental car. Picking up the car was a smooth process.
Back to our apartment to load the rental, and begin our journey south.
The minivan is packed full from the back of the front seats to the hatch. My husband, daughter, and one dog will ride up front. The rental is also full, with one dog, and the cat in their carriers in the back seat. I have one little spot to see out the rear passenger door and out the back window.
It is now just after one thirty in the afternoon. We headed to I-94 and waved to Battle Creek as we traveled east.
Bittersweet
Our time there was over
New adventures await us
Yet, it was the longest we had lived in one place since my husband joined the Army.
We drove until my daughter could go no longer without eating. We had only eaten one meal that day. A quick stop for dinner and gas in the vehicles, and then back on the road.
Once we had gotten onto I-69 South, we had rain. So much rain.
Our decided-upon route would be I-69 South all the way to Kentucky.
Indiana was a long, rainy stretch.
We knew that my night driving skills were far from great, but we had no choice, we needed to push on. The goal is to see my family in my hometown of Tennessee, hopefully that night.
Indianapolis was a hell all its own.
I could not see well
There was a lot of traffic
The GPS would not work, and this left my son and I to attempt to read road signs with poor visibility while repeatedly trying the GPS. My husband called us to ask if we knew where we were going because he also did not have GPS. We decided to wing it.
The GPS began to work as we wound our way around Indianapolis on I-465, at which point my son messaged my husband. He replied that we should lead the way.
Another challenge
My car was not fully loaded and could cruise at a much faster speed. I had already been struggling to stay behind him, losing him a time or two. The rain was just heavy enough that we could not see the van unless a light reflected on one of the window decals.
Somehow, we made it out of Indianapolis. My son never lost faith in me as I repeatedly asked him if the red lights on the cars ahead of us were a steady red or a blinking red like brake lights. I hysterically laughed at the situation and told him that one day he would understand just how dangerous the situation could be.
A higher power brought us through.
We continued to drive
The hours ticked by
The cat began to meow as his anxiety meds wore off.
We ate Christmas candy made by one of my Aunts.
We jammed to all of our favorite songs, at least until a few of my son's song choices nearly made me nod off.
Kentucky loomed ahead and we began to discuss where we should stop
Hotels in my hometown were higher than the military rate my husband was authorized to spend on a hotel per night.
We drove some more
Rolling Through Kentucky coming in north of Clarksville and Fort Campbell.
My husband decided that we should try the hotel on Fort Campbell, it is in our price range! The downside was that each pet would be $75 to stay the night.
My emotions became a whirlwind as I would have to let my oldest son know that I would not make it there that night to see him. This made me feel inadequate as his mom, and that in turn made me irritable. I became overwhelmed and overstimulated. I refused to eat anything after we finally made it to the hotel. I became argumentive with my husband who was not having it. The kids were ready to fall into a mindless stupor looking at their electronic devices. Somehow, we made it through the night.
By morning, I had worked myself up into a fit of anxiety and the perceived disappointment I had caused my oldest son. Upon calling him, I let loose a torrent of over-stressed words overwhelming him and that ended the conversation. I sat alone in the dining room eating a cinnamon roll and drinking coffee. I sat there feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
Somehow we muscled through the exhaustion and beyond my irritability and put on a good face in order to have a good day.
We made it to my hometown by early afternoon and spent a fun day hanging out with my dad and his girlfriend. Dinner and gift exchange with my family was full of conversation and laughs even though the food was not the best.
It was still raining
Pouring down rain as we left the restaurant and headed out into the night
We found a decent hotel for us to crash in. The pets were staying with my dad. My daughter enjoyed the hotel pool that evening and again early the next morning.
Breakfast with my dad and son
Back to the hotel
Get everyone and everything packed back into the vehicles, get gas, and then breakfast for my family, though by this time breakfast was long over.
Then off to pick up pets, say Our see ya laters and hit the road
In the rain
Rain until just after crossing into Alabama.
Stopping for a quick snack just 2 hours north of our new town
Back into the vehicles, Cat meowing
Day 2 with the cat, and he was quite vocal for almost the entire 3 and half hour drive
Our arrival at our new house was nothing special.
All pets and both vehicles emptied, and off to find a hotel and food
Success on both, though I nearly had a breakdown from the sheer overwhelming last three days and the fact that the chosen restaurant was authentic tacos and no chips to munch on as we waited for our food.
Then dropping into a deep sleep and not waking up until well after breakfast in most restaurants was over.
This was our trip, which for me started off as a shitshow, but ended up in relief that we made it.
We made it with everyone and everything intact
January 5, 2025
