How Is The Move Going?

Well. It’s done. I now have an address in Corvallis Oregon. Thursday, June 21, 2012, my boyfriend Travis and I started a long and exhausting journey across the country. I’d been to KY, but never Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, or Illinois. We had fun taking pictures in random places, in different states, we only had a time-wasting endeavor once, and I made it 250 miles consecutively before having to hand over the wheel. As the days went on, the less I wanted to do at once, I became more and more tired, while he wanted to do a tank at a time (~4.5 hours) to speed things up. We only sat down to eat once, and we filled up approximately 7 times the entire trip. We found pumps that had limits of $90, $100, $110, $99, everything you can think of. We stayed in okay hotels and old timey decorated yet spectacular. We ....he mostly.... went through an entire ‘family size’ bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. We had to drive on the other side of the interstate due to road work 3 times in 2 days, and we hit rush hour once, in MO. We made it until the last day without biting each other’s head off, and I had my first or first 3 carbonated beverages in 30 months.
It all started with my first set of movers who A) were sweet as could be, B) took an hour extra because they talked so much, and C) were the stereotype of Tn. I have yet to open boxes and asses damage to my belongings, but they were moderately gentle with it all. Wednesday night was a mini Mexican get together for dinner, and Thursday morning was an entire other issue. My car bumper was hitting on the dolly, thus requiring modifications to make it sit higher. 2 hours later leaving than expected, and a nervous wreck, we made it to Mo that night. Due to zero water intake, we both landed in dehydrationville by the end. I cried twice during the drive, once after I left Travis at his car, and a ton at the hotel my first night here.
Monday, I was supposed to meet the management group at 9:30 and get my keys, then the movers at 11. I couldn’t take the car off the dolly alone, and couldn’t back up. Which I ended up in a mini pickle. Luckily, the plan was for Travis to drive down and help me take it off the dolly, so when he got there, we decided to go get the keys first, after I had tried to call the people for an hour. We get there, and they’re not open. they were supposed to open an hour earlier, and there was now a line outside. A dear friend was working from the islands to get things right, and Travis and I watched the door to see when someone arrived. Eventually someone did, I got my keys, we went back, walked it, and well.... it’s cute, but not what I’m used to. I went to my new job to check it out, and found I’ll probably need a second. I then thought, why not go ahead and move closer to school, where I can afford a nicer apartment, and job search there? So while I’m not making any decision now, I’m also unpacking the least amount possible until I can check out options there.
One thing though, is my location couldn’t be better. I can walk EVERYWHERE. Restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, bus stops, barbers, clothing stores, craft stores, starbucks, you name it, I can walk there. Location being prime is something I’ve always wanted, therefore, I’m waiting for my parents to arrive to make the stronger judgments as to what the best next move is. For now, I’m on a mattress on the floor, and surrounded by boxes. It’s not my normal, and I’m not as comfortable as I could be, but I’m happy in this moment. A lot of prayer has gone into everything I’ve done to get where I am, and a lot of doors have opened, which leaves me with no doubts that what needs to happen will happen.
I prayed last night in my extreme exhaustion and loneliness, that I would quickly be reminded why I loved it here to begin with. The scenery and the friendliness. Today, it was beautiful and I saw sun and sprinkles. I also encountered many people who were smiling and greeted me, and were just loving in the way they spoke and their tone. Heck, the movers today drove my Budget truck to the place and didn’t charge me for the extra 30 minutes I had them. TN is known for it’s hospitality, yet the man handing out veggie burgers at Trader Joe’s thought I was homeless when I said home is where the heart is right now, and was going to offer me his couch. You haven’t seen hospitality and kindness in Tn.
I’ll have hard days, and I’ll have happy days, and I’ll be faced with new experiences and big decisions, but I won’t look back and wish I had stayed. This is where I want to be, and I’m so glad I did what I did. Some days I won’t be so glad, and I’ll feel so alone, but the people that make the effort in those moments, help me enough to remember this is what makes me happy. Being here, with the man that makes me happy, and a new world waiting for me.