Today is day one of our last trips out East for a while and I’m not quite sure how to handle that thought. My parents convinced me in high school to stay home and go to community college for a couple years to save money. Then, immediately after school started, they decided to move to Maryland. Yup…that happened. So they have been out there for about 15 years and my sister moved to Connecticut a few years after them. So now, we have made this trek at least once every other year. It’s one we know well and one we love travelling…once you’re out of Illinois. But it occurred to us a little bit ago that this will probably be our last trip this way for a long while. ☹

My parents are retiring and trying to head to the Saint Louis area which will be amazing! On top of that, my sister and her family will be starting a new adventure somewhere else with a new job for my BIL. This is all exciting and happy but, the idea that we won’t be heading this way again to visit them is almost bittersweet. It’s the end of an era and I am not going to lie…I’m feeling a little bit bummed about it.

My life before Saint Louis was all on the coast and I can’t explain it but there’s this longing I have for the region. The air is different, the attitude, the weather that actually makes sense to the seasons…somethings about life on the east coast just makes me happy. Jeremy felt it too the first time I drug him here. Although, to be fair, we tend to find beauty everywhere we travel. No matter where we go, we always end up looking up houses for sale and comparing cost of living and job prospects.

We’ve got a ton on the agenda and only a sliver of cheddar in our pocket so, let’s begin this great (and cheap) adventure and make our last trip east the best ever!!

PS We’re bringing along my awesome nephew Carson. It’s great practice for FUTURE (not anytime soon) baby number 4!  😉