Road Trip From TX to PA
To my surprise, a few people asked why I did not blog last week. I usually blog on Thursdays, but last Thursday afternoon, as I contemplated what to blog about, Nolan told me that for business reasons, he needed to go home to Pennsylvania. Not wanting to miss this opportunity to see my family and friends, I neglected my blog to contact professors, google flights, and get my life in order to leave in the morning.
Friday morning, we were Pennsylvania bound!
We left Texas, headed a way we hadn't gone before. After grumbling about the road construction, tiny towns, and low speed limits we rolled into Lindale, Texas to stop for gas. For any of y'all that love Miranda Lambert as much as I do, Lindale is her hometown and also the home of The Pink Pistol, Texas. Since our move to Texas I've been thinking about a road trip to Lindale and here our travels took us right through it! Wanting to keep on going, Nolan was unenthusiastic to stop, but I am so glad we did. I LOVED everything about the Pink Pistol; the old truck door out front, bright pink stair case, Miranda memorabilia, and of course the vintage country/rocker feel. So awesome.
Still swooning over The Pink Pistol, I got back in the car and we kept movin'. It seemed to take forever to get out of Texas. But once you approach Texarkana, if you blink you'll miss it and wind up in Arkansas. We watched the sun set in our rear view mirror in Arkansas and it was pitch black long before Tennessee welcomed us.
On the other side of Nashville, I got to do a little driving. If you ask Nolan, I drove for about an hour, but I promise you it was more like three. (I offered to drive more in the day time, just for the record). Three hours later and thankful to be in the passenger seat, all the caffeine I inhaled couldn't stop me from sleeping like a baby.
I don't remember much of Kentucky, but the Ohio sunrise is one I'll never forget. The sun slowly rising above the frosted fields and miles of farm land. Finally seeing cattle that weren't Brahman influence excited me. White farm houses and old barns made me anxious for home. I love Ohio; it combines my two worlds. It reminds me of Texas with its flat farm land that goes on for miles, but when we reach Ohio, I know home isn't far.
When we decided to come home, we only told my mom, my dad, and my sister. At the "Welcome to Pennsylvania" sign, I snapped a picture and sent it to my friends! We made a quick stop in Washington, PA to "surprise" my dad at work, even though he knew we were coming. Then, we stopped by Gerry's Western Store. I walked in and my grandma just looked at me like she didn't believe what she was seeing. I smiled and all she could say was, "what in the world". It was a surprise so worth keeping.
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and there is an abundance to be thankful for this year. I am so thankful to be home this week, spending time with my friends and family. I'm thankful for my dogs, even though my mom let Boomer get fat while I was away. I'm thankful for my education that allows me to pursue my passion and the endless opportunities that will bring, for the guy I love, who will drive 17 of the 20 or so hours home, and for all the support and love we have from this great community of Somerset County; a place that will always be home.
