I want to give my story a little before anything else so you know where I'm coming from. Hope ya'll enjoy it. :)
Now I knew when I met my husband, Anthony in 2003 that he had wanted to always join the military and he graciously waited a few years after I met him before doing so. What we didn’t know was that when he joined in 2006 that it would be the beginning of a non-stop lifestyle for us from then on. We married in 2007 and were a Geo-Bachelor couple (separated where he was in California and I was in Texas) for almost a year since I had a well paying job. We decided to move the girls and myself to California in late 2008, which was an undertaking none of us were prepared for.
Take into consideration, my girls and I had never lived anywhere else but Texas and more specifically my bubble called the Houston city limits. I’d never been further West than San Antonio/San Marcos so this was a lot to take in even though I tried not to show it. We had dinner with my family the night before we’d left to say goodbye. They didn’t see us off since it was going to be so emotionally hard on all of us. We left Texas very early in our pj’s, I was at the wheel as always, and the U-Haul hitched up to my truck. It was heartbreaking to leave the city lights behind. Everything I had ever known and loved from birth was in Houston; my amazingly supportive, patient and understanding family, numerous friends, small hometown comfort, my lifestyle, independence, hobbies, being Texan, and just comfortable in my skin. Cliché but so true that looking in my rear view mirror I cried knowing my life would never be the same after making that drive down Interstate 10. After going back and forth many times these last few years I know it only takes about 24 hours to get to Houston, Texas from my house. I tend to do this road trip in two days because I am the only one driving though and just stay in El Paso as a half way stopping point.
This first time it took us a little over 12 hours to get from Houston to El Paso where we spent the night. Firstly for all of the non-travelers and non-Texans; after passing San Antonio there are quite a few ghost towns, almost no radio reception and really nothing right off of the freeway until El Paso. It is a very strange sight to see freeway signs that say, “Strong Dust Storms for the next 100 miles”, tumbleweeds, and everything on the horizon be dusty and antique looking. I thought tornado, hail, strong thunderstorm, tornado and hurricane warnings were bad and have never seen or been around a dust storm. Like all stubborn Texans I didn’t think anything of it because my Chevy can conquer all! Let me tell you, the truck was pulling so hard I was sure I was going to be the stretch Armstrong toy after this trip! We finally make it though and El Paso is beautiful, unique and has amazing food. I wish I would have known about Man vs. Food back then I would have gone to the restaurants he had! YUM!
The next morning, we set out just as early but not too long after getting past Tucson in the middle of nowhere the U-Haul had a blow out tire. With all the waiting and everything it took over 5 hours for the maintenance guy to get out to us and fix the problem, and then they had to give my truck a jump because I had the emergency lights on the entire time. LOL! It was not a very productive 2nd day of driving to say the least! We all got to explore the shoulder scenery on the side of the Arizona highway, the girls learned how to make dirty snowmen on the side of the road and the vital importance of being prepared with fruits, snacks, water and blankets. We ended up spending the night in Yuma & then making the remaining of the trip on the 3rd day.
Upon reaching California, I will never forget the Border Patrol checkpoint and still talk about it to this day. We passed through 3 states with no other Law Enforcement issues and when we come into the Golden State I get a rude awakening. The patrolman made Anthony get out of the truck, asked him questions, made him open the U-Haul trailer and my Igloo cooler when he discovered we were holding contraband! THEY TOOK MY APPLES!!!! I swear the guy was just hungry but apparently Texas apples not being from Washington are inferior and may contain weapons of mass destruction and therefore banned from coming into California. I thought he was kidding at first and then as Anthony entered the truck and I saw the guy with my bagged apples in his little patrol stand I was plain mad. ARGH!!! Wooohsawwww…maybe I will let go of my apples now that I have vented. We’ll see. Anyways, the energy windmills (I call them aliens) looked like something from a Hollywood movie to me and the sand dunes at the California border looked like we were in Egypt. California was turning into be unbelievable and eye opening from the start! We were on Interstate 8 and approached the City of San Diego around noon. It was very beautiful, very perfect; the landscaping, the houses tucked strategically into the mountains, the view from the freeway overlooking the harbor, the yachts and cruise ships in the water under a clear sky made everything shimmer. The beach is parallel to the freeway the entire 30 minute trip from San Diego to our base. The girls and I were hypnotized by it and just how gorgeous everything was upon first sight.
I have had friends and fellow Marine Wives who have moved from our base to bases on the East Coast, Hawaii, Japan, and Germany. I learn something new every time someone moves to a far away exotic destination. All of our situations have been an experience to say the least. I wouldn't trade this lifestyle for anything in the world. I know how tough and trying this roller coaster can be and will continue to help other Marine Corps parents, wives and family members as long and as much as I can.
