5 things I'm going to miss about Texas...

18 December 2009

Well, we are on our way. We barely squeezed everything into the truck, and gave away some things at the last minute after a quick scan of "what do you really want to bring?" This last week has been so emotional and just draining, emotionally and physically. I'm never moving again. If I say that we are, y'all get on here and remind me of this post.
Texas is on my mind. We only lived in there (Lubbock) for 2.5 years, but wow, does that place grow on you. Here are some things I'm going to miss about Texas:



1. The people. I was reminded of how I love these people these last few weeks of moving craziness:

the sweet ladies giving away boxes that wanted to know everything about me, where I was moving to, where I worshipped, how sweet my boys were...."let me run inside and get them a coke and some Santa hats I made",

the family that came in from their farm in their Wranglers and cowboy boots to pick up our piano in their horse trailer,

the teenager at the mall that had 50 noserings and pants down to his knees that still stops and holds the door open for me, nods and says, "ma'am",

the teachers that had envelopes all ready addressed and stamped to be pen pals and books for them to read on the way,

the loading guys that would cringe when they were just about ready to tie everything down in the truck, and I would come out 10 times yelling, Wait! can you fit this??
"Yes, maam...we will surely try" when I know they just wanted to kill me.

the friends and neighbors that watched our kids, made us meals, helped us pack and load, and made goodie bags for the trip...we already miss you.

2. That big Texas sky.
photo source
At first it scared me and I kept looking for the mountains for orientation. Now, it's beautiful to me with the amazing sunsets, star filled nights, and the most spectacular lightning storms you've ever seen. When we were on a hay ride last year, a lady we were riding with was telling me how the mountains made her claustrophobic and that she couldn't wait to get back to Texas where she could breathe. She pointed out to the horizon and said "there's no end to the possibilities out there." I've always remembered that :)

3. The cotton fields. I think they are so beautiful. Real cotton still amazes me and I had to pull over and have one last picking adventure. I still can't get enough of it.

4. Don't mess with Texas. That Texas pride! They are so proud of their state and (for the most part) their country. Did you know that they have their own state pledge they say in the schools after the national pledge of allegiance?

"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."

5. The talk: y'all, all y'all, y'alls, I'm fixin..., buggies are shopping carts, cokes are any kind of soda (not just coke), yes ma'am, no sir...

6. The temperature...in Lubbock there is very little humidity and I can count on my hands the days we couldn't play outside. I will remember the weather even more when we're shoveling snow...

6. Did I mention the people??

Okay, and I just have to throw in a few things I'm NOT going to miss:

1. The wind

2. The dust

3. The drinking water: nastiest I've ever tasted

4. Tornadoes~we only had one tornado scare while we were living here, but it was not fun. This was a picture taken about a mile from our house:
photo from Lubbock KCBD First Alert Digi Pics

5. No cherry dilly bars at the Dairy Queen! They are my favorite and they didn't have any here, except for one little DQ we found in Merkel, Texas.

Long post~thanks for sticking with me :) Have a great day~

55 comments

  1. Good luck on the move! Where are you going to? Have you posted that and I just missed it?

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  2. Aw, Texas will miss y'all too! :) We're in Ft. Worth, but the great thing about the internet is we all get to follow you wherever you go!

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  3. Melissa, good luck with your next adventure, wherever you are headed, they are lucky to have you and your family. Travel Safe!

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  4. Good luck! I can't wait to see what you do with your next house! Travel safe and have a joyous holiday season!

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  5. I'm sure it is tough, Melissa. Not something I'll be looking forward to myself after being in our house almost 20 years.

    Just think of it as a new adventure for you and your family; and all the cool decorating posts you'll be able to do in your new home!

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  6. Awww....Not to mention-It TAKES forever to GET out of Texas!!! We love Texas! My hubs never said Yes Ma'am but we are teaching our kids! I can always tell if he talks to "his" family because he says "Ya!" (Makes me shiver - if my kids ever said that to me.)

    Blessings to you,
    lana @ ilovemy5kids (Texas born Texas bread.) ;) lol.

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  7. Best wishes on your move and can't wait to see your new home. I am looking forward to any makeovers you do there too. :)

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  8. I hope y'all (good ole southern word) have a safe trip. Enjoy the adventure :)We all can't wait to see what you do what you do with the next house.

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  9. Good luck and God bless you and your family. I anxiously await your new blogs with all the details of the move and your new surroundings. Have a very Merry Christmas!

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  10. We moved from Austin to Salt Lake City about 4 years ago, and I was nodding and "amen-ing" to everyone of those things. The people. MAN, I miss the wonderful people of Texas. None like them. Good luck on your move. Love your blog.

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  11. This post made me all emotional for some reason! My heart imagined all the emotions you must be going through. I don't know how you went through all you did in that place! I love how you learned to love the place and I do believe that place loved YOU and your family! We have been praying for you like crazy! Call me when you are a little more settled. Love you so! ~Me

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  12. We miss you already.... just swiped a little tear from my eye. Hope all went well with the drive. Tell your boys their man-crush said HI!

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  13. your post made me slightly teary eyed, I guess because I wish I could live somewhere like this to raise our kids, I was raised to say maam and yall, (mom is from Georgia) and call my elders Miss so and so or Mr. so and so, but here in Northern VA (near DC) it seems manners get lost in the shuffle even though I try to instill them in my kids... Thanks so much for sharing this with us, I really enjoyed it! God bless you

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  14. I'm a lurker of your blog, so you don't know me but I still wanted to leave you a little comment. I have a soft spot in my heart for families that move. When I read through your post of what you're going to miss I got teary. Our family recently moved this year from British Columbia to Ontario. We lived there for 4 years and we absolutely loved it. As we were driving across Canada to our new home, in my mind I was doing mental lists of the things I would miss and all the things I would not miss! Anyway, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with this move and the adjustments of settling into a new home and community. Hopefully you'll have family nearby? That was the good thing about our move...we now live 20 minutes from my parents so it was a bit of a consolation...especially at Christmas time when we don't have to deal with air travel...Won't miss that! Merry Christmas to you and your family! :-)

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  15. I grew up outside of Abilene, Texas in the late 70's and early 80's. I still miss the awesome sunsets! You just can't beat em! As I was reading your list, I kept nodding "yes". I miss all of those things too! Especially the people!

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  16. Texas is a great place- we moved here when I was a year old and have lived here ever since except for 1 yr. in Rexburg, ID for college and 2yrs. out of state with husband. (i'm 32) I love when I ask someone if they want a coke (yes, meaning any kind of drink) and I ask what kind. They might say, "A sprite." You are right on with the way we say things here!

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  17. oh my goodness. did i say I'm 32? I'm 31 and won't be 32 til March. I don't even know my age! :)

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  18. Lubbock!?! You probably knew my brother and his wife! They just moved in May to Temple, Ken and Natalie Tobler? I'm a devote follower! How fun! I love how you can find so many connections in the world, and especially when you're LDS! Good Luck with the new home, and I can't wait to see your pictures of all the fabulous things you'll do!

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  19. Hi. I am stalker of your page. My heart goes out to you and your family as you move -- especially during the holiday season. You already have a fantastic attitude and I am looking forward to reading about your decorating challenges and creative solutions as you set up your new home. My philosophy on moving -- it takes TWO years to know if you really love your new home. The first year you are grieving over what you left behind (people, places, food!) and exploring the new territory to find what is unique about that place. The second year you begin to find what is special about where you are and the new love affair begins. Hopefully, when you have those tearful sad days of what you left behind, you can hold on to the truth that one day your new city will grow a special place in your heart as well.

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  20. "Ya'll" have a safe trip! Sorry you are moving from Texas but I hope you are headed to another big adventure. I'll have to read through your blog and see what I've missed.

    I hope you'll continue to blog....we'll be interested to see what you're doin'. :) Hugs from Houston!

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  21. Sweet Melissa. Lubbock will miss you. Lots of sweet people there. . . and there will be lots of sweet folks in your new home. Good, salt-of-the-earth people, not unlike your Texas friends.

    For now, dear woman, Godspeed. Godspeed.

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  22. I totally understand. I spent 4 years there when my dad was in the AF at Wichita Falls. Grades 5-9.
    Then I went back there and spent 5 years while my hubby was in AF in Wichita Falls and my two boys went to the same grade school/junior high I had. But now that we've been gone for over 6 years I still miss the place. We'd probably go back had we not had my parents relocate here to NC to be near the grandkids..but I gotta say- I still and always will Love Texas.

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  23. I just want to tell you I love your blog! Hope your move goes well and you and your family settle in very soon. I live a few hours from Lubbock. I have moved many times, because of my husbands work, with and without my kids ( they do grow up!). It is always hard but I did live in TX twice. I love the same things you said about it and disliked (now) the same things you do! I really, really love the sunrises and sunsets! I have found with every place we have lived, there are some things I really love about living there and some things I can not learn to like. Somehow, God always works it out though!

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  24. I chuckled a little at #5: The Talk because that's EXACTLY how it is in Kentucky too! God be with you as you move! Love your blog!

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  25. I haven't been following you long but I love your blog! Have a safe move! I am sure it is a very emotional time for you.

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  26. You put everything I miss about Texas! :) Me and my husband are born and raised East Texan's, and I miss it. There really is no other state like it.

    Be safe on your move!

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  27. Good luck with the move! Where are you going?

    Being a transplant to Oklahoma, I totally agree with your list. Many of the same things are true about Oklahoma. Although, I have to say I do admire the Texas pride thing. There's something so cool about that self-assurance. It's like "Whatever New York and LA...you do your thing...we're still Texas." Love that.

    Anyway...good luck with everything!

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  28. I didn't know ya'll lived in Lubbock. I've followed your blog and never knew it. I live in Levelland, 30 miles West. We will miss you too. And too bad I didn't know it. I know several people looking for house in LBK that would have loved your house.

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  29. Good luck in your new area. I hope we'll still get to enjoy your blog from there.
    JoAnn

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  30. I have been reading your blog for months now. I had no idea you lived in Lubbock too! Good luck and God bless in your next adventure. You should listen to the song.."I thought happiness was Lubbock, Texas in my rearview mirror" :)

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  31. Yes Texas will miss you!! I know for a fact the people are the best!! Tammy...I'm in Wichita Falls!! Small world.

    Wanda

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  32. My sister in law lives in Ft. Worth so we have visited many times. My husband and I always talk of how much Texans love their state and how prideful they are! We love Texas. We just moved from Florida to northern Kentucky and I know what you are going through. Good luck with the move and we can't wait to see your new place. Where are yall moving too? Did I miss that?

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  33. Best Luck with your move! I've been married 10 years and we have moved eight times! But, we aren't done yet. We will move again in 2011.

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  34. Oh I just LOVED this post! I was getting all emotional reading it! I moved to Texas a year and a half ago (from California) and can relate to everything on your list! Things took a while to adjust to (I'm still looking for mountains for orientation)...but I will cry the day I move away from here. (We'll be moving in less than 3 months...courtesy of the military. I'd stay forever if we had a choice)
    Texas grows on you quickly and will forever hold a fond place in your heart.
    Good luck on your move... you'll be in my prayers! xoxo

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  35. We just moved from Texas a few months ago all the way up to the Indiana/Michigan border. My husband and I were both raised as Texans and we really miss it! One thing we miss up here is Tex-mex food. Mexican just isn't the same as in Texas! And Blue Bell ice cream. Oh my goodness! Why isn't it up here??? I miss it BAD!

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  36. Texas girl here! San Antonio is my home town. I'm a military wife who is currently in OH. We lived in CA, N VA and now here. Went back this summer to visit my sister for two weeks. My husband and I went for a walk one morning and were stunned that people driving by were waving at us!!! We forgot how friendly people are there, nobody talks to us around here. I miss TX, the sight of those gnarled oak trees makes my heart sing. I have a cousin in Abernathy! She's just like those people you described. Oh to go back and feel like I belong somewhere!!! sigh.

    Good luck with your move. I hope you make friends quickly and learn to love your new home.

    Best Regards,
    Pat

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  37. We lived in Texas for awhile too. I hope the move is going well. I've stopped by quite a bit lately just checking in on your move but haven't left messages. I hope things are going well for you.
    After weeks and weeks of non-stop Google issues, and still having problems-I am throwing my hands up and making much needed visits. Google doesn't even have any suggestions on how to fix the on going problems-ARGH!!!
    I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and hope you can come by for a visit.
    Cheri

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  38. Just recently found your blog! I live about 50 miles north of Lubbock. I was born and raised here, when I meet people new to the area I always tell them that it isnt the most beautiful spot on earth for sure but you will not find friendlier, sweeter, or more genuine people any where! So glad you enjoyed your time in Lubbock and Texas!

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  39. I'm a lurker too, love your blog!

    Good luck on your move and I know how emotional it can be as I'm moving in 2 weeks too, same city but I will really miss my house (downsizing) and moving from the country back to the city.

    Can't wait to see what you do to your new home!

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  40. While reading your post, I kept singing in my mind: *Pick yourself up. Brush yourself off. Start all over again.* Love your attitude. Keep your chin up. Merry Christmas. Remember, you are blessed!

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  41. Good luck on your big move! The best thing is everything you need is going with you. But as far as Texas, it is the best but you are Texan now, so be proud and say y'all every chance you get!

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  42. This is the first time I have ever been on your blog (linked from "Centsational Girl"'s blog) SO ironic because I grew up in Lubbock (until I was 11)! My dad was the bishop of Lubbock First Ward and a professor at Texas tech.

    I can vouch for the amazing people there. Sadly, both my parents were killed in a car accident there, but the church and community were so amazing in helping us and taking care of us until we moved to Idaho to live with an aunt and uncle.

    Can't wait to look at the rest of your blog! Good luck with the move. I've done it twice in two years and i can say it's definitely stressful. I feel your pain!

    Rebecca

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  43. Best wishes on the move! I have NEVER lived outside of Georgia! I have only moved just over an hour from where I grew up and live back where I grew up right now! I do not know what kind of emotions you go through when you move to a different state. It probably seems like a different world. I hope your transition is smooth and the new town welcomes you. Can't wait to see where you end up!! Have a great weekend!

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  44. Have a safe move and a Mery Christmas...see you in your new digs...can't wait to see how you fluff your new nest....

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  45. I've never really had the desire to live in Texas before, but you are sure making it sound inviting!! ;) Hope you like your new home just as much.

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  46. a big ol' 'Hey there!' from an Abilene girl who considers Lubbock her second home. Texas is an awesome place to live...it's truly a way of life here. But, I look forward to you resuming your new blog in a new blog...always enjoyable and inspiring! Safe travels!!

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  47. this is so tender. Reminds me of all the things I need to cherish about our Texas home. We'll miss you guys!!! Good luck!!

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  48. Have a safe and happy move. What a sweet post. I live in Wisconsin now, and you made me homesick for My home state. Hook'em horns ya'll!

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  49. I'm so sad I was out of town when you left and couldn't say a proper goodbye! Good luck with everything...we will certainly miss ya'll :)

    And I love this post about Texas. In our short time here, I've come to love it so much too...I almost tear up just thinking about leaving in a few years, and we've got more than 2 to go! Merry Christmas in Virginia!

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  50. Best of luck with your move. We just moved to Texas (Midland) yesterday. :-)

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  51. My parents are from Texas - Amarillo & Clarendon. My aunt lived in Lubbock for quite some time (and still might). I lived in Texas as a child from 1st grade through 3rd grade. Since then, I have always missed Texas. I love Dr. Pepper ~ but still call it a coke.

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  52. good luck with your next adventure, wherever you are headed, they are lucky to have you and your family. Travel Safe!

    Work from home India

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  53. Your post brought back many memories of our years in Texas. I was nodding at each one of your comments. We have been gone from Texas for 18 years now and still have many wonderful memories and friends.
    Good luck in your new home.

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  54. Melissa, I think you summed up Texas very well. I was born and raised in Houston and live in the Dallas area now. I wonder where you are moving to? I will absolutely agree with you on the water though! My brother and sis-in-law lived in Lubbock for a time and every time I visited I remembered how much I hated the water. Did you ever go to Stella's? I made myself sick on their creme brulee once. :) So yummy.

    Looking forward to posts from your new home. Kelly

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