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goodbye texas, hello illinois! roadtrippin part 1

HELLO! Well, friends and family, I am now officially all moved up and in to Chicago! Wow! How did we get here?? Anyway, enough exclamation points, I have a LOT to catch you all up on and I haven't even been here a week. So, let's get to it! (Warning: lots of pictures to follow!)

A week prior to moving I quit my wonderful little job at Expressions in the Killeen mall. What a perfect ending that my last shift was with Nani, a girl after my own heart - ear-shattering laugh, real talk, slightly crazy but awesome - who I became really great friends with during my short time there. It was bittersweet to say the least, and although I will really miss the job itself, I will miss her and the other girls I bonded with so well the most. But I am so grateful for meeting everyone and of course the memories! I can't tell you how much I laughed, ranted about stupid boys, danced, and offered my broken Spanish to whoever would listen. Not to mention gestured inappropriately toward the few good-looking guys that passed through. Bam!

On leap day, fittingly, we began preparations for my big leap up to Illinois. Dad rented a trailer for my bed and all my other stuff, which I had packed into boxes the week before.

Not the best picture, but you get the gist.

 Most of my stuff.

 Dad, clearly slacking on the job.


 It's hard when you have to do all the work by yourself.

 Caught in the act? Gotta love Mom's candid photo-taking. 

 In addition to our allergies, lots of dust swirling around=constant tissue in hand. We are displeased.


And this, the picture of Thursday morning.

Thursday, March 1 was moving day one! Or, I should say, traveling day. Friday dawned bright and early with a departure time of 7:30 AM, Missouri bound.

 Always gotta have a clean windshield.

All ready to go!

About the best I can do at 7 in the morning. Why am I holding a packet of Splenda?

 I never know how Mom has room for her legs whenever we go on trips.

 My last Texas sunrise! Yes, I'm corny.

 Looking not much better, but it's all good because of the coffee.


 A few hours later and more coffee (vanilla chai), and my Kindle.


Since I am really bad at taking car pictures, this is either goodbye Texas or hello Arkansas

The first day of driving went pretty smoothly, with Dad dutifully lugging the trailer behind. I whiled the hours away in typical Jenny fashion, i.e. chattering endlessly about random things and observations, reading, listening to music, sleeping, eating, generally being a nuisance in the back seat. I bring a whole bag of things to do on road trips, which I love going on if I'm not the one behind the wheel. Unfortunately road trips usually imply awful (for you) food, and as I sit typing this in my fat pants I can attest to the weight gain you should anticipate on any given road trip.

As much of Texas as I've driven through, I still find my state's size impressive and vast. I was probably asleep as we left the Lone Star state, but the reality of moving relatively far from home sunk in as each mile passed.

1 comment

  1. AHHHH!!!! I still can't believe you're there! I'm so jealous! Eat some pizza for me :)

    ReplyDelete

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