Chapter 1: The Journey East Begins
Some Friends Become Family
There are friends you meet for a season…
And then there are the ones who become part of your life’s story.
Colleen is one of those people.
We’ve been friends since we were three years old. We’ve celebrated birthdays, shared milestones, watched each other grow up, and stood beside one another during some of life’s biggest moments.
Three years earlier, she had stood on the beach in Puerto Peñasco as Tracey and I exchanged our wedding vows.
Now it was our turn.
We were heading across the country to celebrate her wedding day.
I’d be lying if I said waking up at 3:45 in the morning wasn’t difficult…
But for a lifelong friend?
It was absolutely worth it.
A Very Early Start
When my alarm sounded at 3:45 a.m., the house was completely quiet.
Even the dogs weren’t ready to face the day.
For a brief moment, I seriously considered rolling back over and pretending I hadn’t heard the alarm.
Then the light from my phone reminded me why I was awake.
Today wasn’t just another travel day.
Today was the beginning of a very special weekend.
Within minutes, Tracey’s alarm joined mine, and the two of us quietly started getting ready while trying not to wake the entire house.
Before leaving, we took one last walk with the dogs.
Ki’Oni, still just a puppy, looked at us with those heartbreaking eyes that seem to ask, “You’re leaving me?”
If Colleen hadn’t already had dogs…
I might have tried sneaking him into my suitcase.
First Class… With a Few Challenges
Tracey’s brother Scott dropped us off at the airport with plenty of time to spare.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly…
Until the self-check-in kiosk decided it didn’t like our passports.
After several unsuccessful attempts, we finally used a credit card instead and managed to print our boarding passes.
Success.
Thanks to TSA PreCheck, security was a breeze, and before long we found ourselves waiting at the gate, watching travelers hurry by.
People-watching has become one of our favorite airport pastimes.
Although I still can’t understand how some people leave the house dressed like that…
We had used airline miles to upgrade to first class, something we don’t do very often.
As we settled into our seats, I couldn’t believe how much legroom there was.
Unfortunately…
The seat and I never quite agreed on what “comfortable” meant.
I spent half the flight adjusting buttons, moving cushions, and wondering if I was the only person who couldn’t figure out how to sit correctly.
Breakfast was surprisingly good.
A Bloody Mary made it even better.
And before long we were watching Finding Dory, which turned out to be far more entertaining than either of us expected.
Welcome to Philadelphia…
Eventually.
Our flight landed smoothly in Philadelphia.
Finding our luggage was easy.
Finding the Budget shuttle…
Not so much.
We watched shuttle after shuttle arrive.
Avis.
Hertz.
Enterprise.
National.
Even more Avis buses.
Still no Budget.
Finally, after what felt like forever, our shuttle appeared.
The driver joked that he thought he might be the only one working that day.
Judging by how long we’d waited…
We believed him.
The Great Credit Card Mystery
If waiting for the shuttle wasn’t enough excitement…
The rental car counter provided the next adventure.
As we stood in line, Tracey reached for the credit card he’d used that morning at the airport.
It wasn’t there.
He checked his wallet.
His pockets.
His backpack.
Nothing.
Naturally…
I became the prime suspect.
According to Tracey, I had probably forgotten to hand it back after checking us in that morning.
I was fairly certain I had.
While we finished renting the car, we both mentally prepared ourselves for the phone call to cancel the missing card.
Then we climbed into the rental car and searched everything again.
Tracey searched my purse.
I searched his wallet.
This time…
I removed every card.
There it was.
Tucked neatly behind another card in the exact wallet he’d already searched several times.
I simply held it up and smiled.
“This one?”
To his credit, he admitted it had somehow ended up behind his insurance card instead of its usual spot.
Of course…
I may have mentioned his “man vision.”
Just once or twice.
Finally on the Road
With the credit card mystery solved, we entered our destination into Google Maps and pulled out of the rental lot.
We nearly ended the trip before it officially began when a Budget employee came flying around a corner moving another rental car much faster than anyone should have been driving through a parking lot.
Thankfully, disaster was avoided.
Soon we found ourselves driving through familiar places from my childhood.
We arrived at Peggy and Mitch’s home, where we were welcomed like family.
Their house sat directly across the street from the home where I had spent much of my childhood, and memories began flooding back almost immediately.
We laughed.
Caught up.
Met their enormous cats.
Turned down stuffed mushrooms because neither of us likes mushrooms.
Enjoyed chips, salsa, great conversation, and wonderful hospitality while waiting for the rest of the wedding party to arrive.
Eventually, Colleen walked through the door.
She greeted everyone before finally turning around to discover Tracey and me quietly waiting behind her.
She smiled.
Wrapped me in a hug.
And then laughed.
“I forgot you were here!”
Considering everything she had on her mind with a wedding only a day away…
I’d say she gets a pass.
The evening was filled with hugs, stories, and laughter.
Later that night we followed Colleen and Kelly to their beautiful stone home in Pennsylvania, where we’d spend the weekend.
As we settled into bed after a very long day, one thought kept crossing my mind.
Tomorrow wouldn’t just be about attending a wedding.
It would be about celebrating a friendship that had lasted a lifetime.
Continue the Journey…
Tomorrow brings visits with family, wineries, childhood memories, and more time catching up with lifelong friends before the wedding.
Next Chapter: Pennsylvania Memories and Time with Friends.