Where did we start? Where did we go? Where did we end up?
My children have been in and then moving to different cities and states all over. My siblings live in Illinois and Ohio. I live in California. My husband's group live in Utah, Georgia, Missouri, Colorado, Vermont, and somewhere else.
Our
most eventful move took us to Ireland. We traveled with our children,
saw castles and more. And from Ireland our family headed out to distant
places.
My daughter lives in Bern, Switzerland, with husband and our grandsons. Since Covid, our trips to see them were cut off. April 2024? Maybe?
My
brother Don lives in Springfield, in Lincoln Land. This is a lovely
city to visit. Lincoln lived there and ultimately was buried there. So
much history surrounds this legendary place.
I
grew up 100 miles from Springfield. Our son now lives near
Champaign-Urbana. St. Louis is about 90 miles from our farm. Dad took
hogs to market down in east St. Louis. I flew into St. Louis innumerable
times over the 40 years when I visited my parents.
My
brother went from farm boy in Illinois, to being a police officer in
Texas, He was a cowboy at heart. But he lived around Galveston, along
the coast. Bill had an adventurous spirit.
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We have been to Phoenix many times. Irish Dance Festivals were our most recent ventures. Great city, do not go to visit in the truly Hot Season. It is always hot there. We were once walking across mall parking lot; a man drove by in a large golf cart to get the people to the mall stores alive. 121+ degrees is nothing to laugh at.
Small towns become
smaller. Our farm was on the north side of town. The house was torn down
(built in 1850+) and the pieces of the barn can be seen in between
trees. We lived on the Nebo-Pittsfield road, in Pike County, Illinois.
Where we began and have ended up amazes me. Once my siblings and I were wild cowboys, warriors, soldiers, wreaking general havoc. Now we have taken our own journeys, much milder and more introspective.
Lane in Ireland
My mother and my brothers came to Australia from England. My father was born in Germany and came to Australia from England (after travelling through many other countries. Two of my brothers still live in the city in which I was born. The other lives several states away, after spending twenty plus years in your country. And only a few generations ago very few people travelled far from the area in which they were born...
ReplyDeleteSo true. Dad came home from WW2, vowing never to leave Illinois ever again. His generation did just that.
DeleteYou have certainly had many moves and adventures in your life, Susan! All my family lives either in Georgia or neighboring states, although all my cousins are in Massachusetts and my brother-in-law in Pennsylvania. We visited with him a year ago, and I haven't seen my cousins in over two years. One day, we'll go to MA and visit.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you and yours, and keep on healing!
Once Vietnam happened, many of my generation went off to college, or got married and lived in the same spot the rest of their lives.
DeleteI grew up in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. My sister still lives there in the house Dad built and where Mom passed 2yrs ago. I have a brother in Georgia, one in Wisconsin, one in Florida (and also Panama), and one brother in heaven. I'm here in Ohio where I'll most likely be taken out feet first if you get my drift! You've lived and adventurous life and I think Ireland would be a lovely place to live! There's still a few places here in the US that I need to visit and they're on my to do list! Have a good weekend!
ReplyDelete
Deletewe have made many plane trips, but that is over.
We have relatives in lots of places, but most of us live within about an hour drive. It suits us just fine, for now.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to be so close.
DeleteI could pick out all the places I've lived on that map of St. Louis.
ReplyDeleteI figured you would know those places.
DeleteI was born in Germany and came to Australia as a baby, landing first in the Bonegilla Migrant Camp in Victoria, then moving to South Australia when Dad was offered work there. Somewhere in the Ardrossan area first, then to Adelaide and eventually to Port Pirie where my sister now still lives. I moved to Murray Bridge, married and followed my soldier husband to Brisbane in Queensland, Sydney in New Sout Wales, Melbourne in Victoria, back to Sydney, back to Melbourne, and eventually to Adelaide South Australia where I still am now. All of my children are here with one grand daughter in Melbourne and my brother in Western Australia.
ReplyDeletemy goodness. You made some journeys. Your part of the world is unknown to us.
Deleteour family is scattered also but not as far as yours and none of us has ever been out of the USA. not even to Canada or Mexico.. also I only have one sibling, he livies 12 hours drive away and neither of us travel so have not seen each other except video calls, since 2008.. your family is what I call far flung. wow....
ReplyDeleteToo far. our oldest daughter lives close by and we are lucky.
DeleteLOVED this one. Some wander, some wonder, some need only what they have near and are happy. I knon it may be too late but I want to try to learn to be HERE. Most of my life I wanted to be over there, back there or up there or over yonder. HOWEVER I cannot get the desire to see Ireland out of the back of my mind. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for YOUR History lesson.. You done good!
From us on the first coast
Sherry & jack in a cool Florida..
You said it so well. Being here and in the now is the most place to be. Ireland is out of the plans for now. I hope you go!
DeletePS: Enjoyed the comments also....
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy yours. Are you on the road?
DeleteWe've been so much a clannish family. My sister once lived in Florida and she has a son in North Carolina, but none of the rest of us are more than a day-trip away from where we grew up.
ReplyDeleteI envy you.
DeleteWhat a fantastic life! I grew up in Connecticut, but now live in Virginia. Along the way, I've lived in Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Iceland (that was a wonderful year spent with my family). Now, my siblings live in Connecticut, my daughter lives in Pennsylvania, and my son in Richmond, Virginia. Here I shall stay, though. For here is where my stuff is.
ReplyDeleteWow. You have taken some real turns! That is how I feel about our current state.
DeleteWe are hoping to do a bus tour along the Great Parks.
ReplyDeleteI kived in a lot of places too. Growing up it was monthly eastern Nebraska with a short stay outside of Spokane, Washington. I am hoping I am in my final home.
ReplyDeleteI hope this is it as far as our moves! The final trip will lead me into the arms of Jesus.
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