I'm a big milestone girl. You know, like, anniversaries for major moments and stuff like that. If only because I think they offer a good reference point to see how far you've come (or how much things have remained the same) in the time that has passed. Today is the three year anniversary of the day I started my drive back to Portland from NJ. I remember this morning distinctly, like it was yesterday.
I got up earlier than I needed to so I could say goodbye to my sister before she left for work. I recall this goodbye being more poignant than I thought it would be because of my cats (everyone loves my cats, even people who don't like cats). I didn't take this personally--I'm not over sentimental and, let's be honest, I was moving to Oregon, not the moon. I had originally wanted to leave by 8am but my mom had made breakfast for me and Nicole (my travel companion who had flown in from PDX the night before specifically to make the drive with me) and I found myself lingering in the house I had lived in for the past 6 years. I was so ready to leave but I wanted to make sure it didn't look like I was bolting.
My timing for this move was a surprise to me and even more so for my parents. I was planning a departure in August of 2012 but my circumstances changed at the end of October 2011 and I was able to push it up. I think they were in shock, assuming they had me around for 8 more months, which would allow them to get used to the idea that I was moving across the country again. But now, with just over 30 days notice, I figured they could use every minute I could give them. I didn't want to throw my timetable off too much so I think we ended up leaving around 10am.
The song on my iPod as I pulled away from my house was Jay-Z's "Empire State" (unintentional, I think) and our first stop was about 1/16th of a mile away for gas. Then, it was off to I-80.
It snowed a little bit in Pennsylvania and my cats meowed incessantly (this happened for the majority of the trip, especially when I was driving and they couldn't see me...or was it when I wasn't driving and they could see me? I can't remember that part). We spent our first night in a tiny town in Ohio that reminded me of Bedford Falls from It's a Wonderful Life; the municipal building was fully lit and played Christmas music that was audible throughout the town square. We ate at a dark, deserted restaurant that I would call a pub but I can't recall if they actually served beer. I had nachos.
That was my day, three years ago.
Today, I'm relaxing before work tonight, alternating between reading, writing and Netflix. I'm headed to the grocery store in a few to pick up coffee and food for the week. It'll be an easier week at my full-time job as the doctor is out of the office Monday through Wednesday and I'll have abbreviated hours as well as the office to myself. On Friday, I have orientation at the Portland VA to start my volunteer position in the film library. My cats that everyone loves are sleeping by my feet. So, yeah, I've made progress since that first day in the car with my wheels and heart pointed towards Portland. This is my home now and that fact is only reinforced with every day I spend here.
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