What began as a wedding invitation and a class reunion scheduled one week apart, became a 2 week long road trip…one we will not soon forget.

Although event dates changed, we committed ourselves to a trip to Michigan for a family wedding.  When tickets were procured for the OSU vs. Virginia Tech game on Labor Day, the trip extended itself.  It didn’t make sense to drive to Blacksburg, return to Norfolk and then go to Northville, Michigan, 2 days later, so the trip that was to begin on the 10th, began on the 7th.

When the class reunion was rescheduled for October 9 and 10,, we decided since we were only 3 hours away from home (I still call Arlington Heights home),  we would move on to Chicago after the wedding to visit friends and attend the Outdoor Leisure Market scheduled to begin on the 16th.

When we moved in June, we made a promise to our aging neighbor, who was devastated hearing that we were leaving after 35 years of living next to each other.

Our dear neighbor, Gail, on the day we left.

She stood sadly in her driveway as we pulled away.  She was still there as we drove around the block for one final look.  We promised that we would return and spend time with her.  She did not believe us…and I wanted to be sure to put an exclamation point on that promise.

The trip would provide additional opportunities including spending a few days of quality time with our daughter and her husband, seeing our closest friends in the Chicago area, and seeing my sister and her husband on the way home.

It occurred to me how often over the years we have tried to arrange getting together with friends often taking weeks to find a time that works with everyones’ schedule.   This trip…we were able to see everyone, and we were not rushed.

We truly enjoyed each and every moment.

Yes, we had a fabulous time at the game, yes we enjoyed being  tourists in Dearborn, Michigan, yes, we attended a trade show, but the real beauty of the trip was connection.  We relaxed and related.  Our only schedule was a meeting time,  allowing us to unwind and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Because we can…we did.

What treasured memories we made.

I will be sharing some our road trip in future posts including the many things I learned because I had the time.